The need for reassurance and modern food consumption: An exploratory study about the role of perceived product traceability

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of the need for reassurance, while emphasizing the role of perceived traceability. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected through individual interviews, and analyzed by thematic analysis. Findings - Results showed that the traceability of modern foods is low perceived by the consumers. This indirectly influences the need for reassurance toward the modern foods by reducing the confidence in these products and strengthening the feeling about the risk associated to their consumption. Research limitations/implications - The major limits of this paper concern the development of the research model through the means of an exploratory study. This can affect the possibility to generalize results since the described hypotheses are not quantitatively validated. Another limit is concerned by the non-investigation of moderating factors, which can be the object of future researches. Originality/value - This paper is one of the few efforts integrating the need for reassurance in a theoretical model of consumer behavior, and explaining its origins. This justifies the use of a qualitative methodology.