Mobile app-etite: Consumer attitudes towards and use of mobile technology in the context of eating behaviour

Introduction

Internet-connected mobile devices (eg smartphones, tablet computers, smart watches) and mobile applications ('apps') are becoming ubiquitous parts of modern life, yet little is known about how consumers use mobile technology to support their eating behaviour, such as grocery shopping, meal planning, cooking and eating at restaurants. As of January 2014, nearly 60 per cent of adults in the United States owned a smartphone and 42 per cent owned a tablet computer.¹ At least half of adult cellphone users have downloaded apps onto their mobile device(s).² Apps are software programs that serve numerous functions, including communication, productivity, entertainment, shopping, social networking and tracking health behaviours.³

Previous research has described consumers' general app use^{3, 4, 5} and their use of apps for health tracking⁶ and weight loss.^{7, 8, 9} Fewer studies have examined app use in the context of everyday choices about purchasing and consuming food. In 2014, US consumers spent $765.1 bn at food-at-home retailers (eg grocery stores) and $624.8 bn on food-away-from-home retailers (eg restaurants).¹⁰ Business and health professionals who seek to influence consumers' food purchasing decisions through digital marketing would benefit from additional insight about the characteristics of users and non-users of food-related mobile applications. The current study addressed this gap in the literature by conducting an online survey with a large, diverse sample of adult mobile device owners.

Consumer engagement with mobile devices and apps

There is a substantial and growing market for mobile apps.¹¹ Most commercially available mobile devices come pre-installed with several apps (eg internet browsing, calendar, weather) and users can download additional apps from distributors such as Google Play, Apple's iOS App Store and the Amazon AppStore. At the end of 2014, Google Play offered ~1.43 million apps for consumers to download, Apple's iOS App store offered ~1.21 million and the Amazon Appstore offered ~293,000.¹² One study recently found that mobile device users downloaded an average of nine apps per month.¹³ Apps may generate revenue through pay-per-download, in-app purchases and/or in-app advertising models.¹¹ During the first week of January 2015 alone, consumers worldwide spent nearly $500 m in Apple's App store.¹⁴ Furthermore, overall revenues from mobile content, including mobile applications, has been estimated to surpass $65...