Sustainable Home Meal Replacement (HMR) Consumption in Korea: Exploring Service Strategies Using a Modified Importance–Performance Analysis

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed traditional consumer consumption behavior and requires a new service strategy to cope with sustainable consumption. Moreover, it is necessary to focus academic attention on consumer behavior to cook and eat more easily amid Korea’s socioeconomic changes such as the increase in single-person households, aging, rising prices, and continuing economic recession. In this study, we used a revised importance–performance analysis (IPA) to identify specific measures to improve consumer satisfaction with home meal replacements (HMRs). An online survey of Korean adults who had purchased HMRs was conducted based on a convenience sampling method. According to the results, items that could be intensively improved were the ‘introduction of new dishes’, ‘creation of various flavors’, ‘cost-effectiveness, and ‘reasonable price’, whereas ‘easy to prepare’, ‘easily available’, and ‘identified country of origin’ received favorable assessments. With the growth of the non-face-to-face economy due to COVID-19, our findings suggest marketing strategies for sustainable HMR consumption.

Psychological Benefits of Purchasing Home Meal Replacement in the Context of Eco-Friendly TV Home Shopping Broadcast: The Moderating Role of Personal Norm

“…Sales in the Korean HMR market are forecasted to advance to five trillion KRW by 2022, and companies are investing in research and development of HMR products [9]. The HMR trend is not just limited to Korea, as food manufacturers and grocery stores across the globe are in the midst of creating HMR products for market expansion [10].…”

Home Meal Replacement Fortified with Eggshell Powder and Vitamin D Prevents Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Study

“…Therefore, chicken eggshell power, an inexpensive calcium source consisting of more than 90% by weight of calcium carbonate [ 21 ], was utilized as a calcium source for this study. In addition, elderly-friendly home meal replacements (HMRs) in the ready-to-heat category [ 24 ] were chosen for this study diet, including curry, black bean sauce, and sweet pumpkin porridge considering the age, acceptability, and convenience of study participants. All study diets were based on 100% intake, and changes in serum concentrations of carotenoids and fat-soluble pigments abundant in plants [ 17 ] indicated good compliance with the dietary intervention by study participants.…”

“…Daily consumption of foods high in natural calcium, such as eggshells, may be a better dietary strategy to ensure sustainable calcium intake than taking supplements. It is noteworthy that the home meal replacement (HMR) industry is growing rapidly due to the increase in the elderly population and single-person households worldwide [ 24 ]. Additionally, reflecting the desire for a healthy life, the demand for functional, customized HMRs is being emphasized more than ever [ 25 ].…”

The Analysis of Residents’ Intention to Consume Pre-Made Dishes in China: A Grounded Theory

“…In the Asia-Pacific region, Asians tend to pursue convenience in their traditional diet. The Korean home meal replacement (HMR) market grew by an average of 15.2% annually, reaching KRW 4 trillion in 2020 [5]. In China, the pre-made dishes (PMDs) have also gained in popularity over recent years, due to social factors such as shrinking household sizes and a fast-paced lifestyle.…”

“…In general, according to the cooking and preparation process, the products can be classified into four types: ready to eat (RTE), ready to heat (RTH), ready to cook (RTC), and ready to prepare (RTP). Considering the degree of product completion, the PMDs can also be divided into primary products, semi-finished products, and finished foods [5,14,15]. To conform to Chinese dietary habits, PMDs cover a wide range of original products, and give residents free rein in cooking.…”