Consumer protection act for digital products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hampel, Viktor E.

1996-03-01

This report proposes a `Consumer Protection Act for Digital Products' to support electronic commerce and to control the increasing abuse and lack of security on the national information highways. Patterned after the `Food and Drug Act of 1906 (21 USC)' and subsequent legislation, a new agency similar to that of the FDA would have the authority `to develop administrative policy with regard to the safety, effectiveness, and labeling of digital products and their communications for human use, and to review and evaluate new applications of such products.' Specifically, it is proposed that standards, originally developed by the defense industry for the labeling, enveloping, and authentication of digital products delivered to the Government, be extended to promote global electronic commerce by protecting the intellectual property rights of producers, establishing their liability for the end-use of digital products, and give consumers means for informed decision making and purchase.

76 FR 63957 - Consumer Product Policy Statement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-14

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0292] Consumer Product Policy Statement AGENCY: Nuclear...: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is proposing to update its policy statement... terminology used in radiation protection that have evolved over time, as well as relevant legislation and...

24 CFR 17.76 - Disclosure to a consumer reporting agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Disclosure to a consumer reporting... General Provisions § 17.76 Disclosure to a consumer reporting agency. (a) Definition. For purposes of this... Consumer Reporting Agency information from a system of records to the effect that an individual is...

24 CFR 17.76 - Disclosure to a consumer reporting agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Disclosure to a consumer reporting... General Provisions § 17.76 Disclosure to a consumer reporting agency. (a) Definition. For purposes of this... Consumer Reporting Agency information from a system of records to the effect that an individual is...

17 CFR 204.76 - Use of credit bureau or consumer reporting agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... consumer reporting agencies. 204.76 Section 204.76 Commodity and Securities Exchanges SECURITIES AND... Services § 204.76 Use of credit bureau or consumer reporting agencies. (a) The Commission may report delinquent debts to consumer reporting agencies (See 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3), 3711). Sixty days prior to release...

49 CFR 89.29 - Disclosure to commercial credit bureaus and consumer reporting agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... consumer reporting agencies. 89.29 Section 89.29 Transportation Office of the Secretary of Transportation... bureaus and consumer reporting agencies. (a) Data on all delinquent commercial and consumer debts may be reported to commercial credit bureaus and consumer reporting agencies (see 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3)). Sixty...

75 FR 57410 - Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-21

..., regarding the Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products... [Docket No. EERE-2010-BT-CE-0014] RIN 1904-AC23 Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and Commercial and Industrial Equipment; Correction AGENCY...

76 FR 38059 - Defining Larger Participants in Certain Consumer Financial Products and Services Markets

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... and Services Markets AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. ACTION: Notice and Request for... other markets for consumer financial products or services, the supervision program generally will apply... consumers and to the consumer financial markets.\\5\\ In implementing this supervision program, the CFPB may...

76 FR 1137 - Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database: Notice of Public Web Conferences

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-07

...: Notice of Public Web Conferences AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``Commission,'' ``CPSC,'' or ``we'') is announcing two Web conferences... database (``Database''). The Web conferences will be webcast live from the Commission's headquarters in...

76 FR 6765 - Consumer Product Safety Act: Notice of Commission Action on the Stay of Enforcement of Testing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-08

... Stay of Enforcement of Testing and Certification Requirements AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety... enforcement of certain testing and certification provisions of section 14 of the Consumer Product Safety Act..., standard, or regulation. For nonchildren's products, the certification must be based on a test of each...

20 CFR 422.305 - Report of overdue program overpayment debts to consumer reporting agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... debts to consumer reporting agencies. (a) Debts we will report. We will report to consumer reporting... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Report of overdue program overpayment debts to consumer reporting agencies. 422.305 Section 422.305 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY...

Exploring the effect of organizational culture on consumer perceptions of agency support for mental health recovery.

PubMed

Clossey, Laurene; Rheinheimer, David

2014-05-01

This research explores the impact of mental health agency culture on consumers' perceptions of agency support for their recovery. This study hypothesized that a constructive organizational culture must be present for consumers to perceive agency support for recovery. A sample of 12 mental health agencies in rural Pennsylvania participated in the research. Agency administrators completed an instrument called the recovery oriented service environment, which measured the number of recovery model program components offered by the agency. Consumers completed the recovery oriented services indicators, which taps into their perception of agency support for recovery. Direct service staff completed the organizational social context, which measured their agency's culture. Results showed that in this sample stronger consumer perceptions of agency support for recovery were correlated with higher ratings of agency constructive culture. The results suggest that agency culture is an important variable to target when implementing recovery model programming.

14 CFR 1261.408 - Use of consumer reporting agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Management Division, shall be the focal contact between NASA and consumer reporting agencies. The following... documentary evidence, verified written statements by the debtor or the responsible official may be requested...

Risk assessment of low-level chemical exposures from consumer products under the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission chronic hazard guidelines.

PubMed Central

Babich, M A

1998-01-01

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is an independent regulatory agency that was created in 1973. The CPSC has jurisdiction over more the 15,000 types of consumer products used in and around the home or by children, except items such as food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, pesticides, certain radioactive materials, products that emit radiation (e.g., microwave ovens), and automobiles. The CPSC has investigated many low-level exposures from consumer products, including formaldehyde emissions from urea-formaldehyde foam insulation and pressed wood products, CO and NO2 emmissions from combustion appliances, and dioxin in paper products. Many chemical hazards are addressed under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA), which applies to acute and chronic health effects resulting from high- or low-level exposures. In 1992 the Commission issued guidelines for assessing chronic hazards under the FHSA, including carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive/developmental toxicity, exposure, bioavailability, risk assessment, and acceptable risk. The chronic hazard guidelines describe a series of default assumptions, which are used in the absence of evidence to the contrary. However, the guidelines are intended to be sufficiently flexible to incorporate the latest scientific information. The use of alternative procedures is permissible, on a case-by-case basis, provided that the procedures used are scientifically defensible and supported by appropriate data. The application of the chronic hazard guidelines in assessing the risks from low-level exposures is discussed. PMID:9539035

Consumer Skills Items. A Collection of Consumer Skills Items for State and Local Education Agencies to Draw upon in Custom-Building Their Own Consumer Skills Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Education Commission of the States, Denver, CO.

This is a collection of consumer skills items for state and local education agencies to draw upon in composing consumer skills instruments. It provides items to assess seventeen-year-olds' consumer skills. The booklet contains items classified under eight major topics: behavior, contracts, economics, energy, finances, mathematics, projection, and…

A comparison of consumer-directed and agency-directed personal assistance services programmes.

PubMed

Hagglund, Kristofer; Clark, Mary; Farmer, Janet; Sherman, Ashley

2004-05-06

To compare a consumer-directed personal assistance services (PAS) programme with an agency-directed PAS programme. A convenience sample was used for this cross-sectional study with one data collection point. Outcomes were compared for consumer-directed and agency-directed PAS. Hierarchical regressions were also used to determine the predictors of outcomes across PAS programmes. In-home interviews were conducted by a trained data collector from April 2000 to December 2001. Participants in the consumer-directed programme reported more choices over PAS and satisfaction with PAS. Self-reported outcomes were primarily predicted by the following variables: service arrangement, type of provider, importance of directing PAS, health status, number of personal assistants used in past 12 months, sufficient PAS hours received, and social support. Consumer-directed PAS enhances outcomes for many persons with disabilities. Self-reported outcomes are affected by many factors that could be addressed in PAS programme development.

78 FR 48821 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-12

... Determination of Computers as a Covered Consumer Product AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable... computers qualify as a covered product. DATES: The comment period for the proposed determination relating to computers, published on July 12, 2013 (78 FR 41873), is extended. Comments are due September 12, 2013...

38 CFR 1.916 - Disclosure of debt information to consumer reporting agencies (CRA).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... consumer report in order to assess an individuals ability to repay a debt when such individual has failed... for inclusion in consumer reports pertaining to the individual, or for the purpose of locating the... be reported to consumer reporting agencies after 30 days have elapsed from the date of the notice. (2...

75 FR 64349 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request for the Consolidated Consumers' Report

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-19

... Collection Activities: Comment Request for the Consolidated Consumers' Report AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey...-0070. Title: Consolidated Consumers' Report. Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection. Affected Public: U.S. nonfuel consumers of ferrous and related metals. Respondent Obligation...

78 FR 49975 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Landmark Legal Foundation; Petition for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10 CFR Part 430 [Docket No. EERE-BT-PET-0043] Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Landmark Legal Foundation; Petition for Reconsideration AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy. ACTION: Petition for Reconsideration; Request for...

Consumer behaviour survey for assessing exposure from consumer products: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Schneider, Klaus; Recke, Selina; Kaiser, Eva; Götte, Sebastian; Berkefeld, Henrike; Lässig, Juliane; Rüdiger, Thomas; Lindtner, Oliver; Oltmanns, Jan

2018-05-23

Evaluating chemical exposures from consumer products is an essential part of chemical safety assessments under REACH and may also be important to demonstrate compliance with consumer product legislation. Modelling of consumer exposure needs input information on the substance (e.g. vapour pressure), the product(s) containing the substance (e.g. concentration) and on consumer behaviour (e.g. use frequency and amount of product used). This feasibility study in Germany investigated methods for conducting a consumer survey in order to identify and retrieve information on frequency, duration, use amounts and use conditions for six example product types (four mixtures, two articles): hand dishwashing liquid, cockpit spray, fillers, paints and lacquers, shoes made of rubber or plastic, and ball-pens/pencils. Retrospective questionnaire methods (Consumer Product Questionnaire (CPQ), and Recall-Foresight Questionnaire (RFQ)) as well as protocol methods (written reporting by participants and video documentation) were used. A combination of retrospective questionnaire and written protocol methods was identified to provide valid information in a resource-efficient way. Relevant information, which can readily be used in exposure modelling, was obtained for all parameters and product types investigated. Based on the observations in this feasibility study, recommendations are given for designing a large consumer survey.

76 FR 6813 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request for the Consolidated Consumers' Report...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-08

... Collection Activities: Comment Request for the Consolidated Consumers' Report (1 Form) AGENCY: U.S... Consolidated Consumers' Report. This collection consists of one form. This notice provides the public and other...: 9-4117-MA. Title: Consolidated Consumers' Report. Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved...

75 FR 19953 - Agency Information Collection: Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Survey of Field...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-16

...) Information Collection Request Title: Field Metering of Electrical Appliances; (3) Type of Request: New; (4) Purpose: Metered field data from electrical appliances is necessary to support characterization of energy... Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Survey of Field Energy Consumption of Residential Refrigerators...

Consumers' perception of organic product characteristics. A review.

PubMed

Schleenbecker, Rosa; Hamm, Ulrich

2013-12-01

Consumer interest in organic products is growing alongside a diversification of the supply. In order to serve consumers actual needs and wants regarding organic products, those involved in the market need to be informed about consumers' perception of organic products. Therefore, the state of research as regards consumers' perception of organic product characteristics, including basic and additional characteristics, product labelling, product innovations and the range of products on the market is displayed in this contribution. A comprehensive literature analysis was performed uncovering not only the state of the art in the field including employed methodology, but also research needs. Most studies are published on consumers' perception of organic products' design and labelling. A trend towards the so called 'organic-plus' positioning can be perceived, with many consumers expecting an extensive orientation towards sustainability. The diversity of product labels features prominently in related studies. The demand for reliable information, as well as the low degree of awareness of many labels amongst consumers becomes clear in these studies. To date, few results are available on consumers' perception of packaging and design of organic products, and even fewer for consumers' perception of range design. Both consumers' perception of organic product innovation and valued added services are untouched so far. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing consumer-directed and agency models for providing supportive services at home.

PubMed

Benjamin, A E; Matthias, R; Franke, T M

2000-04-01

To examine the service experiences and outcomes of low-income Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities under two different models for organizing home-based personal assistance services: agency-directed and consumer-directed. A survey of a random sample of 1,095 clients, age 18 and over, who receive services in California's In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) program funded primarily by Medicaid. Other data were obtained from the California Management and Payrolling System (CMIPS). The sample was stratified by service model (agency-directed or consumer-directed), client age (over or under age 65), and severity. Data were collected on client demographics, condition/functional status, and supportive service experience. Outcome measures were developed in three areas: safety, unmet need, and service satisfaction. Factor analysis was used to reduce multiple outcome measures to nine dimensions. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the effect of service model on each outcome dimension, taking into account the client-provider relationship, client demographics, and case mix. Recipients of IHSS services as of mid-1996 were interviewed by telephone. The survey was conducted in late 1996 and early 1997. On various outcomes, recipients in the consumer-directed model report more positive outcomes than those in the agency model, or they report no difference. Statistically significant differences emerge on recipient safety, unmet needs, and service satisfaction. A family member present as a paid provider is also associated with more positive reported outcomes within the consumer-directed model, but model differences persist even when this is taken into account. Although both models have strengths and weaknesses, from a recipient perspective the consumer-directed model is associated with more positive outcomes. Although health professionals have expressed concerns about the capacity of consumer direction to assure quality, particularly with respect to safety, meeting unmet

Consumer oriented product noise testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blomberg, Les

2005-09-01

This paper explores the need for product noise measurements and how best to meet that need in the near future. Currently there is only a small market place for quieter consumer products. This is not because of lack of interest. No one really wants to announce to everyone in their house that they just flushed the toilet, few really want the entire neighborhood to know they are mowing their yard, etc. The small market place is primarily due to a lack of regulations on product noise, a lack of information easily available to consumers about which products are quieter, and market consolidation resulting in fewer manufacturers, most of whom are unwilling to emphasize their quieter products at the risk of eroding sales of their noisier ones (that currently have greater market share). In the absence of the EPA fulfilling its statutory requirement to regulate and label product noise under the Noise Control Act of 1972, and with the unwillingness of most industries to voluntarily publish accurate product noise data, there is a significant role for ``Consumer Oriented Product Noise Testing.'' This paper explores the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse's ongoing and planned product noise testing, evaluating its advantages, disadvantages, and limitations.

78 FR 41868 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-12

... services and manage networked resources for client devices such as desktop and laptop computers. These... include desktop or laptop computers, which are not primarily accessed via network connections. DOE seeks... Determination of Computer Servers as a Covered Consumer Product AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and...

78 FR 49480 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-14

... behavior among a broad range of consumers with differing needs. Reaching all target audiences requires... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2013-0020] Agency Information Collection... Survey AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Consumer Product Safety...

76 FR 56125 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-12

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 10 CFR Part 430 [Docket No. EERE-2011-BT-STD-0047] RIN 1904-AC56 Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Energy Conservation Standards for Direct Heating Equipment AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department...

75 FR 80289 - Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer Products: Waiver of Federal Preemption of State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-22

... Program for Consumer Products: Waiver of Federal Preemption of State Regulations Concerning the Water Use or Water Efficiency of Showerheads, Faucets, Water Closets and Urinals AGENCY: Office of Energy....C. 6297(c) with respect to any State regulation concerning the water use or water efficiency of...

76 FR 61999 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Residential Furnaces and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-06

... for Residential Furnaces and Boilers (Standby Mode and Off Mode); Correction AGENCY: Office of Energy... Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Residential Furnaces and Boilers. This correction provides the... page 56339, in the third column after ``2. E- mail:'' the e-mail address should read `` FurnaceBoiler...

78 FR 53625 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Residential Furnaces and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-30

... Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Residential Furnaces and Boilers; Correction AGENCY... Federal Register that amended the test procedure for residential furnaces and boilers (78 FR 41265). Due...., Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-6590. Email: residential_furnaces_and_boilers@ee.doe.gov . Mr...

Product Manuals: A Consumer Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Showers, Linda S.; And Others

1993-01-01

Qualitative analysis of insights from consumer focus groups on product manual usage reveals consumer perceptions and preferences regarding manual and safety message format. Results can be used to improve manual design and content. (JOW)

34 CFR 30.35 - What procedures does the Secretary follow to report debts to consumer reporting agencies?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Debts to Consumer Reporting Agencies § 30.35 What procedures does the Secretary follow to report debts to consumer reporting agencies? (a)(1) The Secretary reports information regarding debts arising... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What procedures does the Secretary follow to report...

A Guide to Consumer Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Helen E.; And Others

Designed for individuals and groups seeking to organize consumer activities, this guide focuses on how to build consumer competence, how to organize others, where to get training, and how to influence policy makers. Chapter I discusses how to educate oneself for consumerism by using product-rating periodicals, libraries, public consumer agencies,…

Consumer Product Category Database

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Chemical and Product Categories database (CPCat) catalogs the use of over 40,000 chemicals and their presence in different consumer products. The chemical use information is compiled from multiple sources while product information is gathered from publicly available Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). EPA researchers are evaluating the possibility of expanding the database with additional product and use information.

16 CFR 1031.3 - Consumer Product Safety Act amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Consumer Product Safety Act amendments. 1031.3 Section 1031.3 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL COMMISSION... Consumer Product Safety Act amendments. The Consumer Product Safety Act, as amended, contains several...

16 CFR 1031.3 - Consumer Product Safety Act amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Consumer Product Safety Act amendments. 1031.3 Section 1031.3 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL COMMISSION... Consumer Product Safety Act amendments. The Consumer Product Safety Act, as amended, contains several...

Development of a Consumer Product Ingredient Database for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Consumer products are a primary source of chemical exposures, yet little structured information is available on the chemical ingredients of these products and the concentrations at which ingredients are present. To address this data gap, we created a database of chemicals in consumer products using product Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) publicly provided by a large retailer. The resulting database represents 1797 unique chemicals mapped to 8921 consumer products and a hierarchy of 353 consumer product “use categories” within a total of 15 top-level categories. We examine the utility of this database and discuss ways in which it will support (i) exposure screening and prioritization, (ii) generic or framework formulations for several indoor/consumer product exposure modeling initiatives, (iii) candidate chemical selection for monitoring near field exposure from proximal sources, and (iv) as activity tracers or ubiquitous exposure sources using “chemical space” map analyses. Chemicals present at high concentrations and across multiple consumer products and use categories that hold high exposure potential are identified. Our database is publicly available to serve regulators, retailers, manufacturers, and the public for predictive screening of chemicals in new and existing consumer products on the basis of exposure and risk. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division (HEASD) conducts resear

78 FR 29731 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; CPSC National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-21

... communications efforts to achieve a greater impact on consumer behavior. The CPSC's activities aim to serve a... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2013-0020] Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; CPSC National Awareness Survey AGENCY: Consumer Product...

77 FR 37616 - Disclosure of Consumer Complaint Data

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-22

... X [Docket No. CFPB-2012-0023] Disclosure of Consumer Complaint Data AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer... disclosure of data from consumer complaints about financial products and services other than credit cards... Statement'') describing its plans to disclose consumer credit card complaint data. The present notice (the...

12 CFR 1070.43 - Disclosure of confidential information to law enforcement agencies and other government agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... confidentiality of the information disclosed; and (2) Disclose confidential consumer complaint information to a... CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION Confidential Information § 1070.43... market for consumer financial products and services, provided that the agency shall first give written...

12 CFR 1070.43 - Disclosure of confidential information to law enforcement agencies and other government agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... confidentiality of the information disclosed; and (2) Disclose confidential consumer complaint information to a... CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION Confidential Information § 1070.43... market for consumer financial products and services, provided that the agency shall first give written...

12 CFR 1070.43 - Disclosure of confidential information to law enforcement agencies and other government agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... confidentiality of the information disclosed; and (2) Disclose confidential consumer complaint information to a... CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS AND INFORMATION Confidential Information § 1070.43... market for consumer financial products and services, provided that the agency shall first give written...

Consumer acceptance of ginseng food products.

PubMed

Chung, Hee Sook; Lee, Young-Chul; Rhee, Young Kyung; Lee, Soo-Yeun

2011-01-01

Ginseng has been utilized less in food products than in dietary supplements in the United States. Sensory acceptance of ginseng food products by U.S. consumers has not been reported. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the sensory acceptance of commercial ginseng food products and (2) assess influence of the addition of sweeteners to ginseng tea and ginseng extract to chocolate on consumer acceptance. Total of 126 consumers participated in 3 sessions for (1) 7 commercial red ginseng food products, (2) 10 ginseng teas varying in levels of sugar or honey, and (3) 10 ginseng milk or dark chocolates varying in levels of ginseng extract. Ginseng candy with vitamin C and ginseng crunchy white chocolate were the most highly accepted, while sliced ginseng root product was the least accepted among the seven commercial products. Sensory acceptance increased in proportion to the content of sugar and honey in ginseng tea, whereas acceptance decreased with increasing content of ginseng extract in milk and dark chocolates. Findings demonstrate that ginseng food product types with which consumers have been already familiar, such as candy and chocolate, will have potential for success in the U.S. market. Chocolate could be suggested as a food matrix into which ginseng can be incorporated, as containing more bioactive compounds than ginseng tea at a similar acceptance level. Future research may include a descriptive analysis with ginseng-based products to identify the key drivers of liking and disliking for successful new product development. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Suspect Screening of Chemicals in Consumer Products

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation details a pilot suspect screening analysis (SSA) of common consumer products done under the Rapid Exposure and Dosimetry project of CSS. This work presents methods which can rapidly characterize chemicals identified in consumer products including formulations (s...

Consumer product chemical weight fractions from ingredient lists

EPA Science Inventory

Assessing human exposures to chemicals in consumer products requires composition information. However, comprehensive composition data for products in commerce are not generally available. Many consumer products have reported ingredient lists that are constructed using specific gu...

Consumer Product Safety Commission

MedlinePlus

... mail Inside CPSC Accessibility Privacy Policy Budget, Performances & Finance Open Government Freedom of Information (FOIA) Inspector General ... leave the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) public website. The link you selected is for a ...

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in consumer products.

PubMed

Kotthoff, Matthias; Müller, Josef; Jürling, Heinrich; Schlummer, Martin; Fiedler, Dominik

2015-10-01

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are used in a wide range of products of all day life. Due to their toxicological potential, an emerging focus is directed towards their exposure to humans. This study investigated the PFAS load of consumer products in a broad perspective. Perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids (C4, C6-C8, C10-PFSA), carboxylic acids (C4-C14-PFCA) and fluorotelomer alcohols (4:2, 6:2; 8:2 and 10:2 FTOH) were analysed in 115 random samples of consumer products including textiles (outdoor materials), carpets, cleaning and impregnating agents, leather samples, baking and sandwich papers, paper baking forms and ski waxes. PFCA and PFSA were analysed by HPLC-MS/MS, whereas FTOH were detected by GC/CI-MS. Consumer products such as cleaning agents or some baking and sandwich papers show low or negligible PFSA and PFCA contents. On the other hand, high PFAS levels were identified in ski waxes (up to about 2000 μg/kg PFOA), leather samples (up to about 200 μg/kg PFBA and 120 μg/kg PFBS), outdoor textiles (up to 19 μg/m(2) PFOA) and some other baking papers (up to 15 μg/m(2) PFOA). Moreover, some test samples like carpet and leather samples and outdoor materials exceeded the EU regulatory threshold value for PFOS (1 μg/m(2)). A diverse mixture of PFASs can be found in consumer products for all fields of daily use in varying concentrations. This study proves the importance of screening and monitoring of consumer products for PFAS loads and the necessity for an action to regulate the use of PFASs, especially PFOA, in consumer products.

Consumer Protection--Who Protects You? How Can You Protect Yourself? Proceed with Caution: Consumer Safety In the Home, I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saskatchewan Consumer and Commercial Affairs, Regina.

The enormous and rapidly-increasing number of goods on the market makes it difficult to ensure that all consumer products are safe to use. Public concern about product safety has caused the enactment of a wide range of consumer protection laws. The result of this legislation has been that many agencies have been established to protect the public.…

Advancing Consumer Product Composition and Chemical ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation describes EPA efforts to collect, model, and measure publically available consumer product data for use in exposure assessment. The development of the ORD Chemicals and Products database will be described, as will machine-learning based models for predicting chemical function. Finally, the talk describes new mass spectrometry-based methods for measuring chemicals in formulation and articles. This presentation is an invited talk to the ICCA-LRI workshop "Fit-For-Purpose Exposure Assessments For Risk-Based Decision Making". The talk will share EPA efforts to characterize the components of consumer products for use in exposure assessment with the international exposure science community.

41 CFR 101-29.503 - Agency product descriptions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Agency product... PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONS 29.5-Use of and Optional Use of Federal Product Descriptions and Agency Product Descriptions § 101-29.503 Agency product descriptions. When a Federal product description is not available...

17 CFR 204.76 - Use of credit bureau or consumer reporting agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... interest that will accrue on the debt, that all costs incurred to collect the debt will be charged to the... EXCHANGE COMMISSION RULES RELATING TO DEBT COLLECTION Miscellaneous: Credit Bureau Reporting, Collection... delinquent debts to consumer reporting agencies (See 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3), 3711). Sixty days prior to release...

78 FR 78305 - Energy and Water Use Labeling for Consumer Products Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 305 [3084-AB15] Energy and Water Use Labeling for Consumer Products Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (``Energy Labeling Rule'') AGENCY: Federal Trade... to the Energy Labeling Rule (``Rule'') to require a new Department of Energy (DOE) test procedure for...

Variables influencing food perception reviewed for consumer-oriented product development.

PubMed

Sijtsema, Siet; Linnemann, Anita; van Gaasbeek, Ton; Dagevos, Hans; Jongen, Wim

2002-01-01

Consumer wishes have to be translated into product characteristics to implement consumer-oriented product development. Before this step can be made, insight in food-related behavior and perception of consumers is necessary to make the right, useful, and successful translation. Food choice behavior and consumers' perception are studied in many disciplines. Models of food behavior and preferences therefore were studied from a multidisciplinary perspective. Nearly all models structure the determinants related to the person, the food, and the environment. Consequently, the overview of models was used as a basis to structure the variables influencing food perception into a model for consumer-oriented product development. To this new model, referred to as food perception model, other variables like time and place as part of consumption moment were added. These are important variables influencing consumers' perception, and therefore of increasing importance to consumer-oriented product development nowadays. In further research, the presented food perception model is used as a tool to implement successful consumer-oriented product development.

Hormones in international meat production: biological, sociological and consumer issues.

PubMed

Galbraith, Hugh

2002-12-01

Beef and its products are an important source of nutrition in many human societies. Methods of production vary and include the use of hormonal compounds ('hormones') to increase growth and lean tissue with reduced fat deposition in cattle. The hormonal compounds are naturally occurring in animals or are synthetically produced xenobiotics and have oestrogenic (oestradiol-17beta and its esters; zeranol), androgenic (testosterone and esters; trenbolone acetate) or progestogenic (progesterone; melengestrol acetate) activity. The use of hormones as production aids is permitted in North American countries but is no longer allowed in the European Union (EU), which also prohibits the importation of beef and its products derived from hormone-treated cattle. These actions have resulted in a trade dispute between the two trading blocs. The major concern for EU authorities is the possibility of adverse effects on human consumers of residues of hormones and metabolites. Methods used to assess possible adverse effects are typical of those used by international agencies to assess acceptability of chemicals in human food. These include analysis of quantities present in the context of known biological activity and digestive, absorptive, post-absorptive and excretory processes. Particular considerations include the low quantities of hormonal compounds consumed in meat products and their relationships to endogenous production particularly in prepubertal children, enterohepatic inactivation, cellular receptor- and non-receptor-mediated effects and potential for interference with growth, development and physiological function in consumers. There is particular concern about the role of oestradiol-17beta as a carcinogen in certain tissues. Now subject to a 'permanent' EU ban, current evidence suggests that certain catechol metabolites may induce free-radical damage of DNA in cell and laboratory animal test systems. Classical oestrogen-receptor mediation is considered to stimulate

Interested consumers' awareness of harmful chemicals in everyday products.

PubMed

Hartmann, Sabrina; Klaschka, Ursula

2017-01-01

Everyday products can contain a multitude of harmful substances unnoticed by most consumers, because established risk communication channels reach only part of the society. The question is, whether at least interested and informed consumers are able to use risk communication tools and assess harmful chemicals in products. An online survey investigated the awareness of 1030 consumers on harmful substances in everyday items. Participating consumers' education level, knowledge in chemistry, and motivation were above society's average. Although a large number of responses showed that survey participants were familiar with several aspects of the issue, the results revealed that knowledge in chemistry helped, but was not enough. Many participants assumed that products with an eco-label, natural personal care products, products without hazard pictograms or products produced in the European Union would not contain harmful substances. Most participants indicated to use hazard pictograms, information on the packaging, reports in the media, and environmental and consumer organizations as information sources, while information by authorities and manufacturers were not named frequently and did not receive high confidence. Smartphone applications were not indicated by many participants as information sources. The information sources most trusted were environmental and consumer organizations, hazard pictograms, and lists of ingredients on the containers. The declared confidence in certain risk communication instruments did not always correspond to the use frequencies indicated. Nearly all participants considered legislators as responsible for the reduction of harmful substances in consumer products. Misconceptions about harmful substances in products can be dangerous for the personal health and the environment. The survey indicates that motivation, educational level, and chemical expertise do not automatically provide an appropriate understanding of harmful substances in products

Consumer Products Containing Radioactive Materials

MedlinePlus

Fact Sheet Adopted: February 2010 Health Physics Society Specialists in Radiation Safety Consumer Products Containing Radioactive Materials Everything we encounter in our daily lives contains some radioactive material, ...

Consumer product safety: A systems problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, C. C.

1971-01-01

The manufacturer, tester, retailer, consumer, repairer disposer, trade and professional associations, national and international standards bodies, and governments in several roles are all involved in consumer product safety. A preliminary analysis, drawing on system safety techniques, is utilized to distinguish the inter-relations of these many groups and the responsibilities that they are or could take for product safety, including the slow accident hazards as well as the more commonly discussed fast accident hazards. The importance of interactive computer aided information flow among these groups is particularly stressed.

Consumers' perceptions of biocidal products in households.

PubMed

Wieck, Stefanie; Olsson, Oliver; Kümmerer, Klaus

2018-03-01

Biocidal products are commonly used in households and can pose a risk to human health and the environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate consumers' use and understanding of biocidal products in order to identify starting points for minimising their exposure to these products and reducing possible emissions to the environment. In a case study, standardised questionnaires were used to interview consumers in 133 households in three neighbourhoods in Northern Germany, representing the urban-rural typologies in Europe: predominantly urban, intermediate and predominantly rural regions. The questions focussed on the comprehension of the term 'biocide', pest control habits, sources of information, risk perception of different product groups and possible emission reduction measures. Only 21% of the respondents understood the term 'biocide' correctly, whereas 29% thought of 'something that had to do with organic pest control', and 28% were not able to think of a possible meaning. The risk perception of biocidal products compared to plant protection products varied depending on the living conditions. In the urban neighbourhood, biocidal products were perceived as more dangerous than in the rural area. The main pests to be fought were ants, mould and fruit fly. The results of the study indicate that there is a considerable difference between the types of biocidal products that interviewees claimed to own and those that they actually did have in their households. Most notably, respondents did not realise that they owned surface disinfectants. This result indicates that consumers often seem not to be aware of using specific biocidal products. Also, this shows the limitations of collecting data on products owned with only one method, as the results from products inventories of the households deviate from the data collected in interviews. Our results show that the term 'biocide' is not fully understood by many people. To communicate possible risks of biocidal products

16 CFR 1500.230 - Guidance for lead (Pb) in consumer products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Guidance for lead (Pb) in consumer products. 1500.230 Section 1500.230 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION FEDERAL HAZARDOUS... § 1500.230 Guidance for lead (Pb) in consumer products. (a) Summary. (1) The U.S. Consumer Product Safety...

Automation and decision support in interactive consumer products.

PubMed

Sauer, J; Rüttinger, B

2007-06-01

This article presents two empirical studies (n = 30, n = 48) that are concerned with different forms of automation in interactive consumer products. The goal of the studies was to evaluate the effectiveness of two types of automation: perceptual augmentation (i.e. supporting users' information acquisition and analysis); and control integration (i.e. supporting users' action selection and implementation). Furthermore, the effectiveness of on-product information (i.e. labels attached to product) in supporting automation design was evaluated. The findings suggested greater benefits for automation in control integration than in perceptual augmentation alone, which may be partly due to the specific requirements of consumer product usage. If employed appropriately, on-product information can be a helpful means of information conveyance. The article discusses the implications of automation design in interactive consumer products while drawing on automation models from the work environment.

Fragranced consumer products: Chemicals emitted, ingredients unlisted

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinemann, Anne C., E-mail: acstein@u.washington.ed; MacGregor, Ian C.; Gordon, Sydney M.

2011-04-15

Fragranced consumer products are pervasive in society. Relatively little is known about the composition of these products, due to lack of prior study, complexity of formulations, and limitations and protections on ingredient disclosure in the U.S. We investigated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from 25 common fragranced consumer products-laundry products, personal care products, cleaning supplies, and air fresheners-using headspace analysis with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Our analysis found 133 different VOCs emitted from the 25 products, with an average of 17 VOCs per product. Of these 133 VOCs, 24 are classified as toxic or hazardous under U.S. federal laws, andmore » each product emitted at least one of these compounds. For 'green' products, emissions of these compounds were not significantly different from the other products. Of all VOCs identified across the products, only 1 was listed on any product label, and only 2 were listed on any material safety data sheet (MSDS). While virtually none of the chemicals identified were listed, this nonetheless accords with U.S. regulations, which do not require disclosure of all ingredients in a consumer product, or of any ingredients in a mixture called 'fragrance.' Because the analysis focused on compounds emitted and listed, rather than exposures and effects, it makes no claims regarding possible risks from product use. Results of this study contribute to understanding emissions from common products, and their links with labeling and legislation.« less

75 FR 29155 - Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-24

...The Consumer Product Safety Commission (``Commission,'' ``CPSC,'' or ``we'') is issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking that would establish a publicly available consumer product safety information database (``database''). Section 212 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (``CPSIA'') amended the Consumer Product Safety Act (``CPSA'') to require the Commission to establish and maintain a publicly available, searchable database on the safety of consumer products, and other products or substances regulated by the Commission. The proposed rule would interpret various statutory requirements pertaining to the information to be included in the database and also would establish provisions regarding submitting reports of harm; providing notice of reports of harm to manufacturers; publishing reports of harm and manufacturer comments in the database; and dealing with confidential and materially inaccurate information.

Agency Decision-Making Control and Employment Outcomes by Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinman, Bernard A.; Kwan, Ngai; Boeltzig-Brown, Heike; Haines, Kelly; Halliday, John; Foley, Susan M.

2013-01-01

Introduction: We hypothesized that consumers who are blind or visually impaired (that is, those who have low vision) who were served by state vocational rehabilitation agencies with decision-making control over administrative functions would experience better vocational rehabilitation outcomes than consumers served by vocational rehabilitation…

Consumer choice: Linking consumer intentions to actual purchase of GM labeled food products.

PubMed

Sleenhoff, Susanne; Osseweijer, Patricia

2013-01-01

With a mandatory labeling scheme for GM food in Europe since 2004 measuring actual consumer choice in practice has become possible. Anticipating Europeans negative attitude toward GM food, the labeling was enforced to allow consumers to make an informed choice. We studied consumers actual purchase behavior of GM food products and compared this with their attitude and behavioral intention for buying GM food. We found that despite a majority of consumers voicing a negative attitude toward GM food over 50% of our European respondents stated that they did not actively avoid the purchase of GM food and 6% actually purchased one of the few available GM labeled food products in the period between September 2006 and October 2007. Our results imply that a voiced negative attitude of consumers in responses to questionnaires about their intentions is not a reliable guide for what they actually do in supermarkets. We conclude that the assumption of a negative attitude with regard to GM food is at least in part construed.

16 CFR 1304.4 - Consumer patching compounds as banned hazardous products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Consumer patching compounds as banned hazardous products. 1304.4 Section 1304.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS BAN OF CONSUMER PATCHING COMPOUNDS CONTAINING RESPIRABLE FREE-FORM ASBESTOS...

16 CFR 1304.4 - Consumer patching compounds as banned hazardous products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Consumer patching compounds as banned hazardous products. 1304.4 Section 1304.4 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS BAN OF CONSUMER PATCHING COMPOUNDS CONTAINING RESPIRABLE FREE-FORM ASBESTOS...

Joint Decisions on Production and Pricing with Strategic Consumers for Green Crowdfunding Products.

PubMed

Chen, Yuting; Zhang, Rong; Liu, Bin

2017-09-20

Green crowdfunding is developing as a novel and popular transaction method, which can largely improve the efficiency of raising initial funds and selling innovative green products or services. In this paper, we explore the creator's joint decisions regarding green crowdfunding products of different quality levels that can sufficiently satisfy consumer preferences. Firstly, considering the characteristics of a green crowdfunding product, we present four pricing strategies when substitutes exist. Then we propose the optimal pricing strategies to maximize the total profit for the creator under different circumstances, facing strategic and myopic consumers. Finally, for the heterogeneity of consumer valuations, we compare the total profits of the four pricing strategies under different values of the substitution coefficient to obtain the optimal pricing and product strategies under the coexistence of strategic and myopic consumers. According to the result, we find that when the fraction of high-type consumers and the gap between high and low valuations is big, or when they are both small, traditional single pricing shows its benefit. However, when the green crowdfunding products are better than their substitute, a line of green products is more likely to be optimal.

Joint Decisions on Production and Pricing with Strategic Consumers for Green Crowdfunding Products

PubMed Central

Chen, Yuting; Zhang, Rong

2017-01-01

Green crowdfunding is developing as a novel and popular transaction method, which can largely improve the efficiency of raising initial funds and selling innovative green products or services. In this paper, we explore the creator’s joint decisions regarding green crowdfunding products of different quality levels that can sufficiently satisfy consumer preferences. Firstly, considering the characteristics of a green crowdfunding product, we present four pricing strategies when substitutes exist. Then we propose the optimal pricing strategies to maximize the total profit for the creator under different circumstances, facing strategic and myopic consumers. Finally, for the heterogeneity of consumer valuations, we compare the total profits of the four pricing strategies under different values of the substitution coefficient to obtain the optimal pricing and product strategies under the coexistence of strategic and myopic consumers. According to the result, we find that when the fraction of high-type consumers and the gap between high and low valuations is big, or when they are both small, traditional single pricing shows its benefit. However, when the green crowdfunding products are better than their substitute, a line of green products is more likely to be optimal. PMID:28930198

Defining Product Intake Fraction to Quantify and Compare Exposure to Consumer Products.

PubMed

Jolliet, Olivier; Ernstoff, Alexi S; Csiszar, Susan A; Fantke, Peter

2015-08-04

There is a growing consciousness that exposure studies need to better cover near-field exposure associated with products use. To consistently and quantitatively compare human exposure to chemicals in consumer products, we introduce the concept of product intake fraction, as the fraction of a chemical within a product that is eventually taken in by the human population. This metric enables consistent comparison of exposures during consumer product use for different product-chemical combinations, exposure duration, exposure routes and pathways and for other life cycle stages. We present example applications of the product intake fraction concept, for two chemicals in two personal care products and two chemicals encapsulated in two articles, showing how intakes of these chemicals can primarily occur during product use. We demonstrate the utility of the product intake fraction and its application modalities within life cycle assessment and risk assessment contexts. The product intake fraction helps to provide a clear interface between the life cycle inventory and impact assessment phases, to identify best suited sentinel products and to calculate overall exposure to chemicals in consumer products, or back-calculate maximum allowable concentrations of substances inside products.

Work-Life Differences and Outcomes for Agency and Consumer-Directed Home-Care Workers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benjamin, A.E.; Matthias, Ruth E.

2004-01-01

Purpose. Research on home-care outcomes has highlighted the promise of consumer-directed models that rely on recipients rather than agencies to arrange and direct services. However, there has been little research on workers employed directly by recipients. This study examined differences in work-life and worker outcomes between workers in…

Integrating asthma hazard characterization methods for consumer products.

PubMed

Maier, A; Vincent, M J; Gadagbui, B; Patterson, J; Beckett, W; Dalton, P; Kimber, I; Selgrade, M J K

2014-10-01

Despite extensive study, definitive conclusions regarding the relationship between asthma and consumer products remain elusive. Uncertainties reflect the multi-faceted nature of asthma (i.e., contributions of immunologic and non-immunologic mechanisms). Many substances used in consumer products are associated with occupational asthma or asthma-like syndromes. However, risk assessment methods do not adequately predict the potential for consumer product exposures to trigger asthma and related syndromes under lower-level end-user conditions. A decision tree system is required to characterize asthma and respiratory-related hazards associated with consumer products. A system can be built to incorporate the best features of existing guidance, frameworks, and models using a weight-of-evidence (WoE) approach. With this goal in mind, we have evaluated chemical hazard characterization methods for asthma and asthma-like responses. Despite the wealth of information available, current hazard characterization methods do not definitively identify whether a particular ingredient will cause or exacerbate asthma, asthma-like responses, or sensitization of the respiratory tract at lower levels associated with consumer product use. Effective use of hierarchical lines of evidence relies on consideration of the relevance and potency of assays, organization of assays by mode of action, and better assay validation. It is anticipated that the analysis of existing methods will support the development of a refined WoE approach. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A statistical study on consumer's perception of sustainable products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pater, Liana; Izvercian, Monica; Ivaşcu, Larisa

2017-07-01

Sustainability and sustainable concepts are quite often but not always used correctly. The statistical research on consumer's perception of sustainable products has tried to identify the level of knowledge regarding the concept of sustainability and sustainable products, the selected criteria concerning the buying decision, the intention of purchasing a sustainable product, main sustainable products preferred by consumers.

Smart consumer products with a pathfinder product development strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Alec

1994-09-01

It is generally acknowledged that technologies diffuse through industry and that the rate of diffusion varies both within different industries and according to the circumstances. Innovation is a process involving risk, especially during the adoption and adaptation of a powerful new technology. Central to a consumer products success using new technology is the quality of their designs and the nature of their forms. Form is of prime importance in influencing the purchasing decisions of consumers and it is also influential in determining the relationships between people in its use environment. The acceptance of a new product into the world is often unduly ad hoc. Many failures are created for each success and there are few guidelines to assist the formulation of a strategy for creating an appropriate form. It is suggested below that success of consumer products incorporating 'smart structures' may be determined not only by the function of products and systems, but also by the form they take. The definition of a desirable product form depends entirely on the point of view taken: technological, commercial, ecological, cultural, and social. However any design using new will incorporate the old and the new. The probability of acceptance of a new product is enhanced by maintaining a fine balance between imaginative and creative form and that with which people are familiar and prefer: a new design may be rejected if it is too novel and unfamiliar, or too traditional. The acceptance of a new product and its subsequent development depends on the success designers and engineers have when dealing with the initial forms, particularly using new technology such as 'smart structures'.

Risk perception in consumer product use.

PubMed

Weegels, M F; Kanis, H

2000-05-01

In the literature, at least two distinct connotations of risk can be found: so called objective risk, defined as the ratio of a particular number of accidents and a measure of exposure, and subjective risk, defined as the perception and awareness of risks by the person(s) involved. This article explores the significance of risk perception and awareness in understanding and clarifying how and why accidents involving consumer products occur. Based on empirical evidence from video-recorded reconstructions of accidents with consumer products, the risk perception and awareness of users in relation to featural and functional product characteristics, and their influence on actual product use culminating in an accident, is addressed. In contrast with what is usually assumed in the literature, the findings show that the majority of the subjects had no idea that they were running any risk of injuring themselves while they operated the product. In several accidents, the product either offered functionalities not anticipated in the design or did not adequately reflect its condition. The implications of the findings for design practice as well as for risk research are discussed.

Optical design for consumer products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Anurag

2014-10-01

Optical engineers often limit their focus on meeting the provided targets on performance and geometry and assume that the specifications are largely non-negotiable. Such approach ignores the value proposition behind the product and the challenges associated with overall product design, manufacturing, business development and legal issues. As a result, the design effort can be expensive, time consuming and can result in product failure. We discuss a product based systems engineering approach that leads to an application specific optical design that is more effective and efficient to implement.

Factors for consumer choice of dairy products in Iran.

PubMed

Rahnama, Hassan; Rajabpour, Shayan

2017-04-01

Little is known about consumers' behavior especially their choice behavior toward purchasing and consuming dairy products in developing countries. Hence, the aim of the present work is understanding the factors that affect on consumers' choice behavior toward dairy products in Iran. The study applies the theory of consumption values, which includes the functional values (taste, price, health, and body weight), social value, emotional value, conditional value and epistemic value. The sample were 1420 people (men and women). The data was collected using face to face survey in summer and fall 2015. Chi-square, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling is used to assess data collected. The results indicate that functional values, social value, emotional value and epistemic value have a positive impact on choosing dairy products and conditional value didn't have a positive impact. It was concluded that the main influential factors for consumers' choice behavior toward dairy products included consumers experience positive emotion (e.g. enjoyment, pleasure, comfort and feeling relaxed) and functional value-health. This study emphasized the proper pricing of dairy products by producers and sellers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sunscreen Product Performance and Other Determinants of Consumer Preferences.

PubMed

Xu, Shuai; Kwa, Michael; Agarwal, Ashwin; Rademaker, Alfred; Kundu, Roopal V

2016-08-01

Sunscreen use is a modifiable behavior that can help reduce the risk for skin cancer, prevent sunburns, mitigate photoaging, and treat photosensitive dermatoses. A better understanding of consumer sunscreen preferences would inform dermatologists in their own recommendations. To determine the characteristics and the most commonly cited positive and negative features of highly rated sunscreens described by consumers. The top 1 percentile of sunscreen products on Amazon.com as of December 2015 was selected according to average consumer review (≥4 stars) and the highest number of consumer reviews. Descriptive data for each product were collected from the product page and manufacturer claims. The top 5 "most helpful" reviews (positive and critical) were analyzed and coded by a consensus qualitative coding scheme, which included positive and negative descriptors in 6 major categories according to consumer comments: affordability, cosmetic elegance, separate ratings, product ingredients, product performance, and skin compatibility. The Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to determine whether characteristics of each product (eg, American Academy of Dermatology [AAD] criteria, sun protection factor [SPF], or vehicle) could be used to predict price per ounce. The number (percentage) of comments categorized by major themes and subthemes was determined. Illustrative consumer comments were also collected. There were 6500 products categorized as sunscreens in the Amazon.com, online catalog. Of the 65 products evaluated, the median price per ounce was $3.32 (range, $0.68-$23.47). Of products, 40% (26 of 65) did not adhere to AAD guidelines (broad spectrum, SPF ≥30, and water resistant) for sunscreens. Vehicles, AAD, and sunscreen type predicted a higher price per ounce. Cosmetic elegance was the most cited positive feature (198 of 325 [61%] comments) followed by product performance (146 of 325 [45%] comments) and skin type compatibility (78 of 325 [24%] comments). In this

Consumer preferences and willingness to pay for value-added chicken product attributes.

PubMed

Martínez Michel, Lorelei; Anders, Sven; Wismer, Wendy V

2011-10-01

A growing demand for convenient and ready-to-eat products has increased poultry processors' interest in developing consumer-oriented value-added chicken products. In this study, a conjoint analysis survey of 276 chicken consumers in Edmonton was conducted during the summer of 2009 to assess the importance of the chicken part, production method, processing method, storage method, the presence of added flavor, and cooking method on consumer preferences for different value-added chicken product attributes. Estimates of consumer willingness to pay (WTP) premium prices for different combinations of value-added chicken attributes were also determined. Participants'"ideal" chicken product was a refrigerated product made with free-range chicken breast, produced with no additives or preservatives and no added flavor, which could be oven heated or pan heated. Half of all participants on average were willing to pay 30% more for a value-added chicken product over the price of a conventional product. Overall, young consumers, individuals who shop at Farmers' Markets and those who prefer free-range or organic products were more likely to pay a premium for value-added chicken products. As expected, consumers' WTP was affected negatively by product price. Combined knowledge of consumer product attribute preferences and consumer WTP for value-added chicken products can help the poultry industry design innovative value-added chicken products. Practical Application:  An optimum combination of product attributes desired by consumers for the development of a new value-added chicken product, as well as the WTP for this product, have been identified in this study. This information is relevant to the poultry industry to enhance consumer satisfaction of future value-added chicken products and provide the tools for future profit growth. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

EPHECT II: Exposure assessment to household consumer products.

PubMed

Dimitroulopoulou, C; Trantallidi, M; Carrer, P; Efthimiou, G C; Bartzis, J G

2015-12-01

Within the framework of the EPHECT project (Emissions, exposure patterns and health effects of consumer products in the EU), irritative and respiratory health effects were assessed in relation to acute and long-term exposure to key and emerging indoor air pollutants emitted during household use of selected consumer products. In this context, inhalation exposure assessment was carried out for six selected 'target' compounds (acrolein, formaldehyde, benzene, naphthalene, d-limonene and α-pinene). This paper presents the methodology and the outcomes from the micro-environmental modelling of the 'target' pollutants following single or multiple use of selected consumer products and the subsequent exposure assessment. The results indicate that emissions from consumer products of benzene and α-pinene were not considered to contribute significantly to the EU indoor background levels, in contrast to some cases of formaldehyde and d-limonene emissions in Eastern Europe (mainly from cleaning products). The group of housekeepers in East Europe appears to experience the highest exposures to acrolein, formaldehyde and benzene, followed by the group of the retired people in North, who experiences the highest exposures to naphthalene and α-pinene. High exposure may be attributed to the scenarios developed within this project, which follow a 'most-representative worst-case scenario' strategy for exposure and health risk assessment. Despite the above limitations, this is the first comprehensive study that provides exposure estimates for 8 population groups across Europe exposed to 6 priority pollutants, as a result of the use of 15 consumer product classes in households, while accounting for regional differences in uses, use scenarios and ventilation conditions of each region. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

. Cheminformatic exploration of the chemical landscape of consumer products

EPA Science Inventory

Although Consumer products are a primary source of chemical exposures, little information is available on the chemical ingredients of these products and the concentrations at which they are present. To address this data gap, we have created a database of chemicals in consumer pro...

Consumer Product Safety Commission. Consumer Education Efforts for Revised Children's Sleepwear Safety Standard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Health, Education, and Human Services Div.

A study examined the type and extent of consumer education that occurred since the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) amended the 1972 federal safety standards (effective January 1997) to permit marketing of snug-fitting, nonflame-resistant cotton garments as sleepwear. Three voluntary point-of-sale (POS) practices recognized as important…

Product Safety: "An Ounce of Prevention". Health and the Consumer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee. Div. of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Secondary level students learn about product safety in this consumer education learning activity package, which is one of a series. While the majority of products are safe, there remains a small percentage of consumer goods which reach the market place containing a real or potential hazard to the consumer's safety. This module is designed to make…

16 CFR 303.30 - Textile fiber products in form for consumer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Textile fiber products in form for consumer... products in form for consumer. A textile fiber product shall be considered to be in the form intended for sale or delivery to, or for use by, the ultimate consumer when the manufacturing or processing of the...

16 CFR 303.30 - Textile fiber products in form for consumer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Textile fiber products in form for consumer... products in form for consumer. A textile fiber product shall be considered to be in the form intended for sale or delivery to, or for use by, the ultimate consumer when the manufacturing or processing of the...

Consumer agency in cannabis supply - Exploring auto-regulatory documents of the cannabis social clubs in Spain.

PubMed

Belackova, Vendula; Wilkins, Chris

2018-04-01

There is growing experience with the not-for-profit, consumer-driven cannabis social club (CSC) model that builds on self-supply, self-organization and harm-reduction; these are principles upon which people who use drugs (PWUD) have been engaging for decades. Recent legalization of cannabis in a number of jurisdictions and the related challenges in regulating production, sale, taxation and health-related matters have raised interest in non-commercial models of cannabis supply. The "codes of conduct" (CsoC) of CSC federations in Spain might reveal whether a consumer-based model could overcome these challenges. To examine the content of the CSC auto-regulatory documents, an online search using key terms to identify the CsoC was conducted. Six documents were found; analysis of the main thematic categories and overarching themes was conducted. It was discussed how these corresponded to the areas of cannabis policy regulation and what the main limitations of the CSC model were. The CsoC detailed the rules for CSC administration, not-for-profit aims, "invitation only" and other conditions of membership, collective cultivation and security as well as for operation of the consumption venue and health-related initiatives. The themes in the CsoC overlapped with cannabis regulatory areas as outlined internationally. Concern over cannabis prices and potency was missing in the CsoC. The potential strengths of the CSC model might include safe environment for peer-delivered harm reduction practice, preventing illicit transactions, quality control, shifting economic surplus to the consumers and increased consumer responsibility. The limitations of the CSC model include high threshold, disguised motives, tax revenue and the risk of both under- and over-regulation. CSCs represent an opportunity to enhance consumer agency and responsibility. The right "to be self-supplied" with psychoactive substances can be granted to consumer associations - but authorities need to provide a

Consumer preferences for maize products in urban Kenya.

PubMed

De Groote, Hugo; Kimenju, Simon Chege

2012-06-01

New maize varieties have been biofortified with provitamin A, mainly a-carotene, which renders the grain yellow or orange. Unfortunately, many African consumers prefer white maize. The maize consumption patterns in Africa are, however, not known. To determine which maize products African consumers prefer to purchase and which maize preparations they prefer to eat. A survey of 600 consumers was conducted in Nairobi, Kenya, at three types of maize outlets: posho mills (small hammer mills), kiosks, and supermarkets. Clients of posho mills had lower incomes and less education than those of kiosks and supermarkets. The preferred maize product of the posho-mill clients was artisanal maize meal; the preferred product of the others was industrial maize meal. Maize is the preferred staple for lunch and dinner, eaten as a stiff porridge (ugali), followed by boiled maize and beans (githeri), regardless of socioeconomic background. For breakfast, only half the consumers prefer maize, mostly as a soft porridge (uji). This proportion is higher in low-income groups. Consumers show a strong preference for white maize over yellow, mostly for its organoleptic characteristics, and show less interest in biofortified maize. Maize is the major food staple in Nairobi, mostly eaten in a few distinct preparations. For biofortified yellow maize to be accepted, a strong public awareness campaign to inform consumers is needed, based on a sensory evaluation and the mass media, in particular on radio in the local language.

A longitudinal comparison of consumer-directed and agency-directed personal assistance service programmes among persons with physical disabilities.

PubMed

Clark, Mary J; Hagglund, Kristofer J; Sherman, Ashley K

2008-01-01

To compare outcomes for persons who were enrolled in an agency-directed personal assistance services (PAS) programme and then changed to a consumer-directed PAS programme. A convenience sample was used for this longitudinal study. In-home interviews were conducted by a trained data collector from April 2000 to December 2001. Participants reported more satisfaction and safety with personal assistance, and fewer unmet needs after receiving consumer-directed services than after receiving agency-directed services. Other variables related to outcomes included race and ethnicity, employment, functional status, unmet needs, and the level of confidence in obtaining help if assistance is unavailable. Participants (74%) also reported high rates of unmet needs in the past month. Consumer-directed PAS enhances outcomes for many persons with disabilities. Self-reported outcomes are affected by many factors that could be addressed in PAS program development.

76 FR 15953 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Announcement of Office of Management and Budget...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-22

... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Agency Information Collection Activities; Announcement of Office of Management and Budget Approval; Publicly Available Consumer Product Safety Information Database... Product Safety Information Database has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under...

The Influence of Purchasing Context and Reversibility of Choice on Consumer Responses Toward Personalized Products and Standardized Products.

PubMed

Choi, Jieun; Lee, Doo-Hee; Taylor, Charles R

2016-04-01

Existing research on personalization has found that consumers generally prefer personalized products over standardized ones. This study argued that consumer preference for personalized products is dependent on purchasing context and reversibility of choice. Results of an experiment conducted in this study found that consumers preferred personalized products when purchasing an item for personal use but preferred standardized products when purchasing an item as a gift. However, the effects of purchasing context were negated when consumers were given the assurance that personalized products could be returned (reversibility of choice); when presented with reversibility of choice, consumers preferred personalized products over standardized products regardless of purchasing context. Theoretical and managerial implications of these results were discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

Consumer motivation towards purchasing fruit from integrated production in Belgium.

PubMed

Vannoppen, J; Verbeke, W; Van Huylenbroeck, G

2001-01-01

Consumer concerns about food safety have been steadily growing during the last decade. Along with the recognition of the increasing power from the consumer side of food chains, this has forced agricultural producers to innovate and adapt their production methods. One of those developments is integrated production of pip fruit (IFP). This research analyses and presents motivational structures of consumers towards purchasing IP fruit in Belgium. The research methodology builds on means-end-chain (MEC) theory, with data collected through personal laddering interviews with consumers. A hierarchical value map, indicating motivational structures for farm shop purchase of IP-labelled apples, is presented. IP-apple buyers pursue typical values, with health being paramount. The findings reveal interactions between market channel characteristics and product attributes, including characteristics that refer to production methods. Also, the study shows how outlet choice influences the perception and the motivation structure of the respondents for the specific product, fresh fruit in this case. From the findings, two sets of implications are set forth. First, marketing implications pertaining to advertising through the application of the "Means-End Conceptualization of the Components of Advertising Strategy" or MECCAS model. Second, implications to producers with respect to adapting their production methods to the needs and wants of the present end consumers.

To Prescribe or Not to Prescribe? Consumer Access to Life-Enhancing Products

PubMed Central

Marinova, Detelina; Kozlenkova, Irina V; Cuttler, Leona; Silvers, J B

2017-01-01

Abstract With rapid biotechnological advances in specialty drugs and direct-to-consumer advertising, consumers are under tremendous pressure to look, perform, feel, and live better. This is often accomplished through the use of life-enhancing products, sometimes referred to as performance-enhancing products, which can be accessed only through a gatekeeper, such as a physician. Integrating consumer and medical research, this article investigates how physicians make trade-offs between objective medical and nonmedical factors to determine consumers’ access to life-enhancing products by examining US pediatric endocrinologists’ prescription decisions for growth hormone (GH) for healthy but short children. The results of a conjoint study indicate that consumer medical criteria have less impact on a physician’s decision to prescribe GH if the consumer requests a prescription or the physician believes in the intangible product benefits, and more impact when the product is more expensive. A physician’s length of experience increases the impact of consumer medical criteria and decreases the influence of a consumer’s preference for a prescription on the decision to prescribe. Overall, this research shows that not all consumers have equal access to life-enhancing products; their access depends on a complex combination of medical and nonmedical factors related to the consumer, product, and the physician. PMID:29928069

The Path to Savings: Understanding the Federal Purchase of Energy-Consuming Products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, Margaret; Fujita, K. Sydny

Energy efficiency has been a federal procurement policy objective since at least 1992, with the origin of the Energy Efficient Product Procurement (EEPP) program within the larger Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). Today, the EEPP program’s mandate is based on requirements that 95% of new contract actions, task orders, and delivery orders for products and services be energy and water efficient, as laid out in Executive Order 13514 in 2009. Facilitating full compliance with EO 13514 presents a significant strategic planning challenge to the FEMP EEPP program, given the size of the federal government, the range of missions of itsmore » many agencies, the mix of management approaches for its buildings, and the diverse set of roughly 80 energy efficient products which has been established through preceding legislation and executive orders. The goal of this report is to aid the program in prioritizing its resources by providing an overview of how the purchase of energy-consuming products occurs in today’s evolving federal procurement system, as well as identify likely intervention points and compliance review mechanisms. Through a synthesis of the literature on U.S. federal sector procurement and two dozen primary interviews, the report particularly focuses on the importance of price in determining the actor(s) responsible for any given purchase of an energy-consuming product. This identification is important, as the relevant actors are trained and reviewed in different ways that the FEMP EEPP program can prioritize for targeting, based on the decision criteria such as the potential energy savings associated with the actor’s purchases or the administrative ease of the intervention.« less

Variation of consumer contact with household products: a preliminary investigation.

PubMed

Weegels, M E; van Veen, M P

2001-06-01

Little information is available on product use by consumers, which severely hampers exposure estimation for consumer products. This article describes actual contact with several consumer products, specifically dishwashing detergents, cleaning products, and hair styling products. How and where products are handled, as well as the duration, frequency, and amount of use were studied by means of diaries, in-home observations, and measurements. This study addressed the question, "To what extent are frequency, duration, and amount of use associated?" Findings showed that there was a large intra- as well as interindividual variation in frequency, duration, and amount of use, with the interindividual variation being considerably larger. At the same time, results showed that, for a given activity, users tended to follow their own routine. Few relations were found among frequency, duration, and amount of use. It was concluded that among persons, frequency, duration, and amount of product act in practice as independent parameters. Diaries appear to be quite suitable for gaining insight into frequently used products. Observations of usage, recorded on video, were indispensable for obtaining particular information on product use. In addition, home visits enabled the collection of specific measurements. Although diaries and home visits are time-consuming, the combination provided insight into variation as well as relations among frequency, duration, and amount of use.

Evaluation of Consumer Product Co-occurrence to Inform Chemical Exposure

EPA Science Inventory

Consumer products are an important target of chemical innovation. Used daily for personal hygiene, home care, disinfection and cleaning, consumer products provide a host of benefits, and also an efficient delivery vehicle for a variety of chemicals into our homes and bodies. Al...

Exposure-Relevant Consumer Product Usage Information Derived from Longitudinal Purchasing Data

EPA Science Inventory

Consumer products that are used in and around the home are a dominant source for anthropogenic chemical exposure. Prediction of the population distribution of chemical exposures encountered due to the residential use of consumer products (such as personal care products, cleaning ...

Consumer Products Advertised to Save Energy--Let the Buyer Beware.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-24

AD-AL06 653 GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE WASHINGTON DC HUMAN RESOUR--ETC F/G 5/3 CONSUMER PRODUCTS ADVERTISED TO SAVE ENERGY--LET THE BUYER BEWA-ETC...COMPTROLLER GENERAL’S CONSUMER PRODUCTS ADVERTISED REPORT TO THE CONGRESS TO SAVE ENERGY- - LET THE BUYER BEWARE D IG E ST In efforts to reduce energy costs...Federal and State efforts to protect consumers from inaccurate or misleading claims. GAO noted hundreds of advertisements having ques- tionable

75 FR 56998 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-17

... its expert judgment about consumer behavior, perceptions, and similar information related to consumer... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2010-0046] Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Consumer Focus Groups...

16 CFR 1018.41 - Agency records on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Agency records on advisory committees. 1018.41 Section 1018.41 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT Records, Annual Reports and Audits § 1018.41 Agency records on advisory committees. (a) In...

16 CFR 1018.41 - Agency records on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Agency records on advisory committees. 1018.41 Section 1018.41 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT Records, Annual Reports and Audits § 1018.41 Agency records on advisory committees. (a) In...

16 CFR 1018.41 - Agency records on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Agency records on advisory committees. 1018.41 Section 1018.41 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT Records, Annual Reports and Audits § 1018.41 Agency records on advisory committees. (a) In...

16 CFR 1018.41 - Agency records on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Agency records on advisory committees. 1018.41 Section 1018.41 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT Records, Annual Reports and Audits § 1018.41 Agency records on advisory committees. (a) In...

Development of a consumer product ingredient database for chemical exposure screening and prioritization.

PubMed

Goldsmith, M-R; Grulke, C M; Brooks, R D; Transue, T R; Tan, Y M; Frame, A; Egeghy, P P; Edwards, R; Chang, D T; Tornero-Velez, R; Isaacs, K; Wang, A; Johnson, J; Holm, K; Reich, M; Mitchell, J; Vallero, D A; Phillips, L; Phillips, M; Wambaugh, J F; Judson, R S; Buckley, T J; Dary, C C

2014-03-01

Consumer products are a primary source of chemical exposures, yet little structured information is available on the chemical ingredients of these products and the concentrations at which ingredients are present. To address this data gap, we created a database of chemicals in consumer products using product Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) publicly provided by a large retailer. The resulting database represents 1797 unique chemicals mapped to 8921 consumer products and a hierarchy of 353 consumer product "use categories" within a total of 15 top-level categories. We examine the utility of this database and discuss ways in which it will support (i) exposure screening and prioritization, (ii) generic or framework formulations for several indoor/consumer product exposure modeling initiatives, (iii) candidate chemical selection for monitoring near field exposure from proximal sources, and (iv) as activity tracers or ubiquitous exposure sources using "chemical space" map analyses. Chemicals present at high concentrations and across multiple consumer products and use categories that hold high exposure potential are identified. Our database is publicly available to serve regulators, retailers, manufacturers, and the public for predictive screening of chemicals in new and existing consumer products on the basis of exposure and risk. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Consumer appeal of nutrition and health claims in three existing product concepts.

PubMed

Verbeke, Wim; Scholderer, Joachim; Lähteenmäki, Liisa

2009-06-01

This paper reports on consumers' reactions towards calcium-enriched fruit juice, omega-3 enriched spread and fibre-enriched cereals, each with a nutrition claim, health claim and reduction of disease risk claim. Cross-sectional data were collected in April 2006 from a sample of 341 consumers in Belgium. Consumers' reactions to the carrier product, functional ingredient and claim combinations were assessed as perceived convincingness of the claim, credibility of the product, attractiveness of the product, and intention to buy the product, while accounting for differences in product familiarity, attitudinal and demographic characteristics. Generally, health claims outperformed nutrition claims, and both of these claim types outperformed reduction of disease risk claims. Comparing consumer reactions across product concepts revealed clear preferences for fibre-enriched cereals as compared to the other two concepts. The interaction effects between claim type and product concept indicated that reduction of disease risk claims are perceived very well in omega-3 enriched spreads, particularly in terms of perceived convincingness of the claim, while not appealing to consumers in the other product concepts. Positive attitudes towards functional foods and familiarity with the concrete functional product category boosted the claim type and product ratings, whereas perceived control over own health and perceiving functional foods as a marketing scam decreased all product concept's appeal.

The enlightenment from Malaysian consumers' perspective toward cosmetic products.

PubMed

Ayob, Ain; Awadh, Ammar Ihsan; Jafri, Juliana; Jamshed, Shazia; Ahmad, Hawa Mas Azmar; Hadi, Hazrina

2016-01-01

Variety of cosmetic products was used in our daily life, yet the amount and types of the cosmetic products used by the consumers were varied, which may be due to the different perspectives held by each of the consumers. To explore consumers' perspectives toward cosmetic products. An interview guide was developed with a set of 12 semistructured questions. Participants in Kuantan, Pahang were recruited via the purposive sampling, and they undergo in-depth face-to-face interviews. All of the interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and were analyzed via thematic content analysis. For the awareness of cosmetic products, less aware about the cosmetic products in Malaysia were noted among the participants. In terms of perceptions about the cosmetic products, participants expressed positive perceptions toward natural cosmetic products, quality were seen as synonymous with branded products and halal certification. Next, for the attitude toward the use of cosmetic products, participants were influenced by ingredients, product brand, and halal certification. Based on personal experiences, they provide complaints and suggestions for the enhancement of cosmetic products' quality. Participants were found to have less awareness about the cosmetic products in Malaysia. Besides, they realized about the chemical ingredients and halal certification for the cosmetic products. Therefore, they held positive perceptions and practiced positive attitudes toward natural and halal cosmetic products. Finally, adverse reactions from the use of cosmetic products were commonly experienced by the participants, which contributed mainly by the ingredients. Thus, they hoped for serious approached to be enacted to solve this problem.

Consumers' Risk Perception of Household Cleaning and Washing Products.

PubMed

Bearth, Angela; Miesler, Linda; Siegrist, Michael

2017-04-01

A large share of accidental and nonaccidental poisonings are caused by household cleaning and washing products, such as drain cleaner or laundry detergent. The main goal of this article was to investigate consumers' risk perception and misconceptions of a variety of cleaning and washing products in order to inform future risk communication efforts. For this, a sorting task including 33 commonly available household cleaning and washing products was implemented. A total of 60 female consumers were asked to place the cleaning and washing products on a reference line 3 m in length with the poles "dangerous" and "not dangerous." The gathered data were analyzed qualitatively and by means of multidimensional scaling, cluster analysis, and linear regression. The dimensionality of the sorting data suggests that both analytically (i.e., written and graphical hazard notes and perceived effectiveness) and intuitively driven risk judgments (i.e., eco vs. regular products) were applied by the participants. Furthermore, results suggest the presence of misconceptions, particularly related to consumers' perceptions of eco cleaning products, which were generally regarded as safer than their regular counterparts. Future risk communication should aim at dispelling these misconceptions and promoting accurate risk perceptions of particular household cleaning and washing products. © 2016 Society for Risk Analysis.

Intervention Model for Contaminated Consumer Products: A Multifaceted Tool for Protecting Public Health

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Munerah; Nagin, Deborah; Clark, Nancy

2014-01-01

Lead-based paint and occupational lead hazards remain the primary exposure sources of lead in New York City (NYC) children and men, respectively. Lead poisoning has also been associated with the use of certain consumer products in NYC. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene developed the Intervention Model for Contaminated Consumer Products, a comprehensive approach to identify and reduce exposure to lead and other hazards in consumer products. The model identifies hazardous consumer products, determines their availability in NYC, enforces on these products, and provides risk communication and public education. Implementation of the model has resulted in removal of thousands of contaminated products from local businesses and continues to raise awareness of these hazardous products. PMID:24922141

Information for Consumers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Credit Union National Association, Inc., Madison, WI.

This revised pamphlet was developed by a national association of credit unions for the purpose of directing consumer complaints to appropriate agencies or heads of agencies for action. Suggestions to aid the consumer are included, such as trying to solve problems at the local level before complaining to top officials. Addresses and phone numbers…

Sources of product information used by consumers when purchasing kitchen cabinets.

Treesearch

Geoffrey H. Donovan; David L. Nicholls; Joseph Roos

2004-01-01

Survey data from home shows in Seattle, Washington and Anchorage, Alaska were used to determine the sources of product information used by consumers when buying kitchen cabinets. Results show that in-store sales staff are the most common source of product information, and that consumers' favorite wood species, age, and gender can influence the source of product...

Endocrine Disruptors and Asthma-Associated Chemicals in Consumer Products

PubMed Central

Nishioka, Marcia; Standley, Laurel J.; Perovich, Laura J.; Brody, Julia Green; Rudel, Ruthann A.

2012-01-01

Background: Laboratory and human studies raise concerns about endocrine disruption and asthma resulting from exposure to chemicals in consumer products. Limited labeling or testing information is available to evaluate products as exposure sources. Objectives: We analytically quantified endocrine disruptors and asthma-related chemicals in a range of cosmetics, personal care products, cleaners, sunscreens, and vinyl products. We also evaluated whether product labels provide information that can be used to select products without these chemicals. Methods: We selected 213 commercial products representing 50 product types. We tested 42 composited samples of high-market-share products, and we tested 43 alternative products identified using criteria expected to minimize target compounds. Analytes included parabens, phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), triclosan, ethanolamines, alkylphenols, fragrances, glycol ethers, cyclosiloxanes, and ultraviolet (UV) filters. Results: We detected 55 compounds, indicating a wide range of exposures from common products. Vinyl products contained > 10% bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and could be an important source of DEHP in homes. In other products, the highest concentrations and numbers of detects were in the fragranced products (e.g., perfume, air fresheners, and dryer sheets) and in sunscreens. Some products that did not contain the well-known endocrine-disrupting phthalates contained other less-studied phthalates (dicyclohexyl phthalate, diisononyl phthalate, and di-n-propyl phthalate; also endocrine-disrupting compounds), suggesting a substitution. Many detected chemicals were not listed on product labels. Conclusions: Common products contain complex mixtures of EDCs and asthma-related compounds. Toxicological studies of these mixtures are needed to understand their biological activity. Regarding epidemiology, our findings raise concern about potential confounding from co-occurring chemicals and misclassification due to variability in

Consumers' physiological and verbal responses towards product packages: Could these responses anticipate product choices?

PubMed

Vila-López, Natalia; Küster-Boluda, Inés

2018-03-03

Today, it is a priority to predict what consumers will choose at the point of sale where there are more and more competing brands. But what kind of consumers' information can be used for that purpose? This paper compares the power of physiological responses (unconscious responses) and self-report/verbal responses (conscious responses) towards product packages, as a means of predicting product choices. To this end, six different packaging designs were created by combining three different colors (blue, red and black) and two different messages (simple and reinforced). Eighty-three young consumers were exposed to each of the six designs. In one phase of our investigation, unconscious electrodermal activity (EDA) for each participant and each packaging type was recorded. In another phase, conscious verbal opinions for each packaging type were collected in a questionnaire. Our results show that the blue packaging with a reinforced message was most often selected. For this packaging consumers' electrodermal values (unconscious responses) were lower, and verbal opinions (conscious responses) were higher. Thus, both data sets could be used to anticipate product choice. However, for the other five packages, only unconscious responses were related to product choices. In contrast, higher opinions in a questionnaire did not correspond to selection of packages. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Marketing Animal-Friendly Products: Addressing the Consumer Social Dilemma with Reinforcement Positioning Strategies

PubMed Central

Ingenbleek, Paul T.M.; van Trijp, Hans C.M.; van der Veen, Gerrita

2017-01-01

Simple Summary Modern production systems aimed at improving animal welfare are more costly than traditional systems. Animal-friendly products are therefore typically more expensive than mainstream products, which presents one of the main barriers to consumer animal-friendly product choice. To overcome this barrier, marketing strategies that associate animal welfare with different types of value, such as taste, healthiness or good feeling, may be useful. This article presents a theoretical framework with marketing strategies using various types of value, suitable for animal-friendly products to encourage consumers to buy animal-friendly instead of mainstream products. We also explain why some consumers, such as those with a rational or an intuitive thinking style, may be more sensitive to some strategies over others, giving directions to marketing managers on how to approach different types of consumers. Because the credibility of animal welfare claims is a critical issue in marketing animal-friendly products, we address this issue as well. Specifically, we propose that, to gain consumer trust, companies selling animal-friendly products need to take into account the impact of their overall strategy on the effectiveness of marketing strategies for individual products and that they may need to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, such as media or animal-interest organizations. Abstract This article presents a conceptual framework that aims to encourage consumer animal-friendly product choice by introducing positioning strategies for animal-friendly products. These strategies reinforce the animal welfare with different types of consumption values and can therefore reduce consumers’ social dilemma, which is a major barrier to animal-friendly consumer choices. The article suggests how animal-friendly products can use various types of consumption values (functional, sensory, emotional, social, epistemic and situational) to create an attractive position relative to

Buying higher welfare poultry products? Profiling Flemish consumers who do and do not.

PubMed

Vanhonacker, F; Verbeke, W

2009-12-01

A substantial number of studies has already investigated differences within the consumer market with regard to attitudes and perceptions in relation to farm animal welfare. Likewise, several studies focused on the gap that exists between positive attitudes and reported consumption or purchase intentions for sustainable food products in general and higher welfare products more specific, and on the factors influencing this attitude-behavior gap. Little or no studies, however, have started from reported pro-welfare behavior to distinguish between consumer groups and to explore the motivations of the respective behavior. With this study, we aim to group consumers according to their reported buying frequency of higher welfare eggs and higher welfare chicken meat. Similarities and dissimilarities between these groups are mapped in terms of individual characteristics, product attribute importance, perceived consumer effectiveness, perception of higher welfare products, and attitude toward a welfare label. The research methodology applied was a quantitative study with cross-sectional consumer survey data collected in Flanders in spring 2007 (n = 469). Pro-welfare behavior was unevenly distributed across different consumer segments, despite a general interest and concern for bird welfare. A consistent choice for standard (no welfare premium) poultry products was related to strong perceived price and availability barriers, to a low importance attached to ethical issues as product attributes, and to a low perceived consumer effectiveness. A consistent choice for products with higher welfare standards to the contrast associated with a high importance attached to ethical issues; a low effect of price and availability perception; a strong association of higher welfare products with product attributes like health, taste, and quality; and a high perceived consumer effectiveness. The identification of market segments with common characteristics is essential for positioning higher

The Influence of Consumer Goals and Marketing Activities on Product Bundling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haijun, Wang

Upon entering a store, consumers are faced with the questions of whether to buy, what to buy, and how much to buy. Consumers include products from different categories in their decision process. Product categories can be related in different ways. Product bundling is a process that involves the choice of at least two non-substitutable items. In this research, the consumers' explicit product bundling activity at the point of sale is focused. We focuses on the retailers' perspective and therefore leaves out consumers' brand choice decisions, concentrating on purchase incidence and quantity. At the base of the current model of the exist researches, we integrate behavioural choice analysis and predictive choice modelling through the underlying behavioural models, called random utility maximization (RUM) models. The methodological contribution of this research lies therein to combine a nested logit choice model with a latent variable factor model. We point out several limitations for both theory and practice at the end.

Consumer product chemical weight fractions from ingredient lists.

PubMed

Isaacs, Kristin K; Phillips, Katherine A; Biryol, Derya; Dionisio, Kathie L; Price, Paul S

2018-05-01

Assessing human exposures to chemicals in consumer products requires composition information. However, comprehensive composition data for products in commerce are not generally available. Many consumer products have reported ingredient lists that are constructed using specific guidelines. A probabilistic model was developed to estimate quantitative weight fraction (WF) values that are consistent with the rank of an ingredient in the list, the number of reported ingredients, and labeling rules. The model provides the mean, median, and 95% upper and lower confidence limit WFs for ingredients of any rank in lists of any length. WFs predicted by the model compared favorably with those reported on Material Safety Data Sheets. Predictions for chemicals known to provide specific functions in products were also found to reasonably agree with reported WFs. The model was applied to a selection of publicly available ingredient lists, thereby estimating WFs for 1293 unique ingredients in 1123 products in 81 product categories. Predicted WFs, although less precise than reported values, can be estimated for large numbers of product-chemical combinations and thus provide a useful source of data for high-throughput or screening-level exposure assessments.

Featured Partner: Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products Group

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This EPA fact sheet spotlights Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products Group as a SmartWay partner committed to sustainability by improving its transportation efficiency and environmental performance in reducing fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions caused by in

48 CFR 52.223-15 - Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. 52.223-15 Section 52.223-15 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. As prescribed in 23.206...

48 CFR 52.223-15 - Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. 52.223-15 Section 52.223-15 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. As prescribed in 23.206...

48 CFR 52.223-15 - Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. 52.223-15 Section 52.223-15 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. As prescribed in 23.206...

48 CFR 52.223-15 - Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. 52.223-15 Section 52.223-15 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. As prescribed in 23.206...

48 CFR 52.223-15 - Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. 52.223-15 Section 52.223-15 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL... Provisions and Clauses 52.223-15 Energy Efficiency in Energy-Consuming Products. As prescribed in 23.206...

Marketing Animal-Friendly Products: Addressing the Consumer Social Dilemma with Reinforcement Positioning Strategies.

PubMed

van Riemsdijk, Lenka; Ingenbleek, Paul T M; van Trijp, Hans C M; van der Veen, Gerrita

2017-12-14

This article presents a conceptual framework that aims to encourage consumer animal-friendly product choice by introducing positioning strategies for animal-friendly products. These strategies reinforce the animal welfare with different types of consumption values and can therefore reduce consumers' social dilemma, which is a major barrier to animal-friendly consumer choices. The article suggests how animal-friendly products can use various types of consumption values (functional, sensory, emotional, social, epistemic and situational) to create an attractive position relative to their competitors. It also explains why some consumer segments, such as those with a specific thinking style, may experience a stronger effect of some strategies, giving directions on how to approach different types of consumers. Finally, building on research asserting that animal welfare is a credence product attribute, the article proposes moderating effects of two factors that help consumers to evaluate the credibility of animal welfare claims, namely corporate social responsibility strategy and the role of stakeholders. Here it concludes that companies selling animal-friendly products need to be aware of the impact of their overall strategy on the effectiveness of positioning strategies for individual products and that, to gain consumer trust, they may need to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, such as media or animal-interest organizations.

Linking product design to consumer behavior: the moderating role of consumption experience

PubMed Central

Gilal, Naeem Gul; Zhang, Jing; Gilal, Faheem Gul

2018-01-01

Background Previous investigations of product design broadly link aesthetic, functional, and symbolic designs to sales growth, high turnover, and market share. However, the effect of product design dimensions on consumer willingness-to-buy (WTB) and word-of-mouth (WOM) is virtually ignored by consumer researchers. Similarly, whether the consumption experience can differentiate the effect of the three product design dimensions on WTB and WOM is completely unknown. Using categorization theory as a lens, our study aims to explore the effect of product design dimensions on consumer WTB and WOM directly and indirectly through the moderation of the consumption experience. Methods A convenience sample of (n=357) Chinese and (n=277) Korean shoppers was utilized to test the hypotheses in the fashion apparel industry. Results Our results showed that the aesthetic design was more prominent in capturing consumer WTB for both Chinese and Koreans. Similarly, the aesthetic design was more salient in enhancing WOM for Chinese, whereas the symbolic design was more promising in terms of improving WOM for Koreans. Further, our moderation results demonstrated that the consumption experience could differentiate the effects of the three product design dimensions on consumer WTB and WOM for Chinese. By contrast, the consumption experience could only interact with the aesthetic design to improve WOM for South Koreans. Conclusion To the best of authors’ knowledge, the present study is one of the initial attempts to link three product design dimensions with consumer WTB and WOM in the fashion apparel context and explored whether consumption experience competes or complement with three product design dimensions to shape consumer WTB and WOM for Chinese and Koreans. PMID:29785145

Linking product design to consumer behavior: the moderating role of consumption experience.

PubMed

Gilal, Naeem Gul; Zhang, Jing; Gilal, Faheem Gul

2018-01-01

Previous investigations of product design broadly link aesthetic, functional, and symbolic designs to sales growth, high turnover, and market share. However, the effect of product design dimensions on consumer willingness-to-buy (WTB) and word-of-mouth (WOM) is virtually ignored by consumer researchers. Similarly, whether the consumption experience can differentiate the effect of the three product design dimensions on WTB and WOM is completely unknown. Using categorization theory as a lens, our study aims to explore the effect of product design dimensions on consumer WTB and WOM directly and indirectly through the moderation of the consumption experience. A convenience sample of (n=357) Chinese and (n=277) Korean shoppers was utilized to test the hypotheses in the fashion apparel industry. Our results showed that the aesthetic design was more prominent in capturing consumer WTB for both Chinese and Koreans. Similarly, the aesthetic design was more salient in enhancing WOM for Chinese, whereas the symbolic design was more promising in terms of improving WOM for Koreans. Further, our moderation results demonstrated that the consumption experience could differentiate the effects of the three product design dimensions on consumer WTB and WOM for Chinese. By contrast, the consumption experience could only interact with the aesthetic design to improve WOM for South Koreans. To the best of authors' knowledge, the present study is one of the initial attempts to link three product design dimensions with consumer WTB and WOM in the fashion apparel context and explored whether consumption experience competes or complement with three product design dimensions to shape consumer WTB and WOM for Chinese and Koreans.

Which perceived characteristics make product innovations appealing to the consumer? A study on the acceptance of fruit innovations using cross-cultural consumer segmentation.

PubMed

Onwezen, Marleen C; Bartels, Jos

2011-08-01

In general, fruit consumption in the EU does not meet governments' recommended levels, and innovations in the fruit industry are thought to be useful for increasing fruit consumption. Despite the enormous number of product innovations, the majority of new products in the market fail within the first two years, due to a lack of consumer acceptance. Consumer segmentation may be a useful research tool to increase the success rates of new fruit products. The current study aims to identify consumer segments based on individual importance rankings of fruit choice motives. We conducted a cross-national, online panel survey on fresh fruit innovations in four European countries: the Netherlands (n=251), Greece (n=246), Poland (n=250), and Spain (n=250). Our cluster analysis revealed three homogeneous consumer segments: Average Joe, the Naturally conscious consumer, and the Health-oriented consumer. These consumer segments differed with respect to their importance ratings for fruit choice motives. Furthermore, the willingness to buy specific fruit innovations (i.e., genetically modified, functional food and convenience innovation) and the perceived product characteristics that influence this willingness differed across the segments. Our study could lead to more tailored marketing strategies aimed at increasing consumer acceptance of fruit product innovations based on consumer segmentation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NANOMATERIALS, NANOTECHNOLOGY: APPLICATIONS, CONSUMER PRODUCTS, AND BENEFITS

EPA Science Inventory

Nanotechnology is a platform technology that is finding more and more applications daily. Today over 600 consumer products are available globally that utilize nanomaterials. This chapter explores the use of nanomaterials and nanotechnology in three areas, namely Medicine, Environ...

Firearm Advertising: Product Depiction in Consumer Gun Magazines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saylor, Elizabeth A.; Vittes, Katherine A.; Sorenson, Susan B.

2004-01-01

In contrast to tobacco, alcohol, and other consumer products associated with health risks, we know very little about how firearm manufacturers advertise their products. The authors examined advertisements for firearms in all 27 ad-accepting magazines listed in "Bacon's Magazine Directory" "guns and shooting" category. Sixty-three manufacturers…

Using Electrophysiological Measures to Assess the Consumer Acceptability of Smokeless Tobacco Products.

PubMed

Buzzell, George A; Das, Babita; Cruz-Cano, Raul; Nkongho, Lizette E; Kidanu, Azieb W; Kim, Hyoshin; Clark, Pamela I; McDonald, Craig G

2016-09-01

Adequate evaluation of novel tobacco products must include investigation of consumers' psychological response to such products. Traditionally, subjective scales of product liking have been used to assess consumer acceptability of tobacco products. However, subjective scales may miss cognitive changes that can only be captured by direct neurophysiological assessment. The present investigation explored the viability of using electroencephalography (EEG), in combination with traditional subjective measures, to assess consumer acceptability of five smokeless tobacco products. Given previous work linking product liking to arousal/attentional (executive function) enhancement, we focused on EEG measures of attention/arousal to objectively characterize cognitive changes associated with tobacco product use. During five separate laboratory visits, smokeless tobacco users used Verve discs, Ariva dissolvables, Skoal snuff, Camel snus, or Nicorette lozenges. The N2 and P3b event-related potential components elicited by an oddball task were used to index attentional changes before/after product usage. Additionally, resting state alpha band EEG activity was analyzed before/after product usage to index cortical arousal. Although analyses of the subjective results provided limited inference, analyses of the electrophysiological measures, particularly the alpha suppression measure, revealed robust differences between products. Skoal elicited significantly enhanced alpha suppression compared to all four other products tested. Additionally, alpha suppression was found to correlate positively with subjective measures of satisfaction and psychological reward, but was unrelated to perceived aversion. The present results provide evidence that electrophysiological measures can yield important insights into consumer acceptability of novel tobacco products and are a valuable complement to subjective measures. This study is the first to employ a combination of electrophysiological measures

78 FR 14835 - Investigations: Terminations, Modifications and Rulings: Certain Consumer Electronics and Display...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-07

..., Modifications and Rulings: Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and Products Containing Same AGENCY... the sale within the United States after importation of certain consumer electronics devices and..., Washington; LG Electronics, Inc. of Seoul, South Korea; LG Electronics, Mobilecomm U.S.A., Inc. of San Diego...

24 CFR 3282.362 - Production Inspection Primary Inspection Agencies (IPIAs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... in production which fails to conform to the design or where the design is not specific, to the... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Production Inspection Primary... REGULATIONS Primary Inspection Agencies § 3282.362 Production Inspection Primary Inspection Agencies (IPIAs...

Why Leading Consumer Product Companies Develop Proactive Chemical Management Strategies.

PubMed

Scruggs, Caroline E; Van Buren, Harry J

2016-05-01

Scholars have studied the various pressures that companies face related to socially responsible behavior when stakeholders know the particular social issues under consideration. Many have examined social responsibility in the context of environmental responsibility and the general approaches companies take regarding environmental management. The issue of currently unregulated, but potentially hazardous, chemicals in consumer products is not well understood by the general public, but a number of proactive consumer product companies have voluntarily adopted strategies to minimize use of such chemicals. These companies are exceeding regulatory requirements by restricting from their products chemicals that could harm human or environmental health, despite the fact that these actions are costly. They do not usually advertise the details of their strategies to end consumers. This article uses interviews with senior environmental directors of 20 multinational consumer product companies to investigate why these companies engage in voluntary chemicals management. The authors conclude that the most significant reasons are to achieve a competitive advantage and stay ahead of regulations, manage relationships and maintain legitimacy with stakeholders, and put managerial values into practice. Many of the characteristics related to the case of chemicals management are extendable to other areas of stakeholder management in which risks to stakeholders are either unknown or poorly understood.

Why Leading Consumer Product Companies Develop Proactive Chemical Management Strategies

PubMed Central

Scruggs, Caroline E.; Van Buren, Harry J.

2014-01-01

Scholars have studied the various pressures that companies face related to socially responsible behavior when stakeholders know the particular social issues under consideration. Many have examined social responsibility in the context of environmental responsibility and the general approaches companies take regarding environmental management. The issue of currently unregulated, but potentially hazardous, chemicals in consumer products is not well understood by the general public, but a number of proactive consumer product companies have voluntarily adopted strategies to minimize use of such chemicals. These companies are exceeding regulatory requirements by restricting from their products chemicals that could harm human or environmental health, despite the fact that these actions are costly. They do not usually advertise the details of their strategies to end consumers. This article uses interviews with senior environmental directors of 20 multinational consumer product companies to investigate why these companies engage in voluntary chemicals management. The authors conclude that the most significant reasons are to achieve a competitive advantage and stay ahead of regulations, manage relationships and maintain legitimacy with stakeholders, and put managerial values into practice. Many of the characteristics related to the case of chemicals management are extendable to other areas of stakeholder management in which risks to stakeholders are either unknown or poorly understood. PMID:27471326

16 CFR § 1018.41 - Agency records on advisory committees.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Agency records on advisory committees. § 1018.41 Section § 1018.41 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION GENERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT Records, Annual Reports and Audits § 1018.41 Agency records on advisory committees. (a...

The Extent of Consumer Product Involvement in Paediatric Injuries

PubMed Central

Catchpoole, Jesani; Walker, Sue; Vallmuur, Kirsten

2016-01-01

A challenge in utilising health sector injury data for Product Safety purposes is that clinically coded data have limited ability to inform regulators about product involvement in injury events, given data entry is bound by a predefined set of codes. Text narratives collected in emergency departments can potentially address this limitation by providing relevant product information with additional accompanying context. This study aims to identify and quantify consumer product involvement in paediatric injuries recorded in emergency department-based injury surveillance data. A total of 7743 paediatric injuries were randomly selected from Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit database and associated text narratives were manually reviewed to determine product involvement in the injury event. A Product Involvement Factor classification system was used to categorise these injury cases. Overall, 44% of all reviewed cases were associated with consumer products, with proximity factor (25%) being identified as the most common involvement of a product in an injury event. Only 6% were established as being directly due to the product. The study highlights the importance of utilising injury data to inform product safety initiatives where text narratives can be used to identify the type and involvement of products in injury cases. PMID:27399744

The Extent of Consumer Product Involvement in Paediatric Injuries.

PubMed

Catchpoole, Jesani; Walker, Sue; Vallmuur, Kirsten

2016-07-07

A challenge in utilising health sector injury data for Product Safety purposes is that clinically coded data have limited ability to inform regulators about product involvement in injury events, given data entry is bound by a predefined set of codes. Text narratives collected in emergency departments can potentially address this limitation by providing relevant product information with additional accompanying context. This study aims to identify and quantify consumer product involvement in paediatric injuries recorded in emergency department-based injury surveillance data. A total of 7743 paediatric injuries were randomly selected from Queensland Injury Surveillance Unit database and associated text narratives were manually reviewed to determine product involvement in the injury event. A Product Involvement Factor classification system was used to categorise these injury cases. Overall, 44% of all reviewed cases were associated with consumer products, with proximity factor (25%) being identified as the most common involvement of a product in an injury event. Only 6% were established as being directly due to the product. The study highlights the importance of utilising injury data to inform product safety initiatives where text narratives can be used to identify the type and involvement of products in injury cases.

Consumers' use of written product information.

PubMed

Wiese, Bettina S; Sauer, Jürgen; Rüttinger, Bruno

2004-09-15

Two studies were conducted to investigate the predictive role of person-specific, product-specific, and situation-specific influences on the use of instruction manuals in the field of electrical consumer products. In a laboratory study, 42 participants were observed while putting a vacuum cleaner into operation. Situational primes (i.e., receiving a verbal cue that the packaging contains an instruction manual) increased the probability of the user manual being read. Additional verbal information that the manual contains information on energy-saving behaviours was especially motivating for persons with high environmental concern. Self-report data, collected on a wide range of products, suggest that product complexity is the best predictor of instruction manual use. In a second study with 30 participants, different positions of product labels were compared, i.e. placing the information on the packaging or directly onto the product. Information placed directly onto the product had a significantly higher influence on participants' actual behaviour than providing the same information on the packaging.

Correlation of in vitro challenge testing with consumer use testing for cosmetic products.

PubMed Central

Brannan, D K; Dille, J C; Kaufman, D J

1987-01-01

An in vitro microbial challenge test has been developed to predict the likelihood of consumer contamination of cosmetic products. The challenge test involved inoculating product at four concentrations (30, 50, 70, and 100%) with microorganisms known to contaminate cosmetics. Elimination of these microorganisms at each concentration was followed over a 28-day period. The test was used to classify products as poorly preserved, marginally preserved, or well preserved. Consumer use testing was then used to determine whether the test predicted the risk of actual consumer contamination. Products classified by the challenge test as poorly preserved returned 46 to 90% contaminated after use. Products classified by the challenge test as well preserved returned with no contamination. Marginally preserved products returned with 0 to 21% of the used units contaminated. As a result, the challenge test described can be accurately used to predict the risk of consumer contamination of cosmetic products. PMID:3662517

76 FR 19978 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-11

... Exposure Survey AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The U.S. Consumer....regulations.gov . A copy of the draft survey is available at http://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. CPSC... OMB for review and clearance: Durable Nursery Products Exposure Survey. On August 14, 2008, the...

Life Cycle Assessment and Release Studies for 15 Nanosilver-Enabled Consumer Products: Investigating Hotspots and Patterns of Contribution.

PubMed

Pourzahedi, Leila; Vance, Marina; Eckelman, Matthew J

2017-06-20

Increasing use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products as antimicrobial agents has prompted extensive research toward the evaluation of their potential release to the environment and subsequent ecotoxicity to aquatic organisms. It has also been shown that AgNPs can pose significant burdens to the environment from life cycle emissions associated with their production, but these impacts must be considered in the context of actual products that contain nanosilver. Here, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment for the production of 15 different AgNP-enabled consumer products was performed, coupled with release studies of those same products, thus providing a consistent analytical platform for investigation of potential nanosilver impacts across a range of product types and concentrations. Environmental burdens were assessed over multiple impact categories defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency's Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and Other Environmental Impacts (TRACI 2.1) method. Depending on the product composition and silver loading, the contribution of AgNP synthesis to the overall impacts was seen to vary over a wide range from 1% to 99%. Release studies found that solid polymeric samples lost more silver during wash compared to fibrous materials. Estimates of direct ecotoxicity impacts of AgNP releases from those products with the highest leaching rates resulted in lower impact levels compared to cradle-to-gate ecotoxicity from production for those products. Considering both cradle-to-gate production impacts and nanoparticle release studies, in conjunction with estimates of life cycle environmental and health benefits of nanoparticle incorporation, can inform sustainable nanoenabled product design.

How food marketers can sell smaller portions: Consumer insights and product innovation.

PubMed

Riis, J; Fisher, J O; Rowe, S

2016-08-01

Food portion size has been shown to be an important driver of energy intake. Despite the well acknowledged role of portion control in weight management, large portion sizes remain ubiquitous in the marketplace. Moving consumers towards consumption of smaller portion sizes will require changes in consumer behavior as well as changes in products available to consumers in a variety of settings. This special supplement presents cutting edge research aimed at understanding consumer behavior around portion size and innovations in product design that may promote the selection and consumption of smaller portion sizes. We identify further research that will be needed to translate basic behavioral findings into real world settings and to viable product development. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Leveraging Publicly-Available Consumer Product and Chemical Data in Support of Exposure Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Near-field contact with chemicals in consumer products has been identified as a significant source of human exposure. To predict such exposures, information about chemical occurrence in consumer products is required, but is often not available. The Chemicals and Products Database...

Using Ingredient Lists to Quantitatively Characterize Composition of Consumer Products

EPA Science Inventory

Assessing exposure to substances in consumer products requires data on the composition of the products. This is a challenge since product composition data are rarely available. Many products, however, provide a list of ingredients. In many cases the list is presented in descendin...

Research strategies for safety evaluation of nanomaterials, part VII: evaluating consumer exposure to nanoscale materials.

PubMed

Thomas, Treye; Thomas, Karluss; Sadrieh, Nakissa; Savage, Nora; Adair, Patricia; Bronaugh, Robert

2006-05-01

Considerable media attention has recently been given to novel applications for products that contain nanoscale materials. These products could have utility in several industries that market consumer products, including textiles, sporting equipment, cosmetics, consumer electronics, and household cleaners. Some of the purported benefits of these products include improved performance, convenience, lower cost, as well as other desirable features, when compared to the conventional products that do not contain nanoscale materials. Although there are numerous likely consumer advantages from products containing nanoscale materials, there is very little information available regarding consumer exposure to the nanoscale materials in these products or any associated risks from these exposures. This paper seeks to review a limited subset of products that contain nanoscale materials, assess the available data for evaluating the consumer exposures and potential hazards associated with these products, and discuss the capacity of U.S. regulatory agencies to address the potential risks associated with these products.

Determining Consumer Preference for Furniture Product Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Carolyn S.; Edwards, Kay P.

1974-01-01

The paper describes instruments for determining preferences of consumers for selected product characteristics associated with furniture choices--specifically style, color, color scheme, texture, and materials--and the procedures for administration of those instruments. Results are based on a random sampling of public housing residents. (Author/MW)

Suspect Screening Analysis of Chemicals in Consumer Products.

PubMed

Phillips, Katherine A; Yau, Alice; Favela, Kristin A; Isaacs, Kristin K; McEachran, Andrew; Grulke, Christopher; Richard, Ann M; Williams, Antony J; Sobus, Jon R; Thomas, Russell S; Wambaugh, John F

2018-03-06

A two-dimensional gas chromatography-time-of-flight/mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF/MS) suspect screening analysis method was used to rapidly characterize chemicals in 100 consumer products-which included formulations (e.g., shampoos, paints), articles (e.g., upholsteries, shower curtains), and foods (cereals)-and therefore supports broader efforts to prioritize chemicals based on potential human health risks. Analyses yielded 4270 unique chemical signatures across the products, with 1602 signatures tentatively identified using the National Institute of Standards and Technology 2008 spectral database. Chemical standards confirmed the presence of 119 compounds. Of the 1602 tentatively identified chemicals, 1404 were not present in a public database of known consumer product chemicals. Reported data and model predictions of chemical functional use were applied to evaluate the tentative chemical identifications. Estimated chemical concentrations were compared to manufacturer-reported values and other measured data. Chemical presence and concentration data can now be used to improve estimates of chemical exposure, and refine estimates of risk posed to human health and the environment.

Food and value motivation: Linking consumer affinities to different types of food products.

PubMed

de Boer, Joop; Schösler, Hanna

2016-08-01

This study uses the consumer affinity concept to examine the multiple motives that may shape consumers' relationships with food. The concept was applied in a study on four broad product types in the Netherlands, which cover a wide range of the market and may each appeal to consumers with different affinities towards foods. These product types may be denoted as 'conventional', 'efficient', 'gourmet' and 'pure'. A comparative analysis, based on Higgins' Regulatory Focus Theory, was performed to examine whether food-related value motivations could explain different consumer affinities for these product types. The affinities of consumers were measured by means of a non-verbal, visual presentation of four samples of food products in a nationwide survey (n = 742) among consumers who were all involved in food purchasing and/or cooking. The affinities found could be predicted fairly well from a number of self-descriptions relating to food and eating, which expressed different combinations of type of value motivation and involvement with food. The analysis demonstrated the contrasting role of high and low involvement as well as the potential complementarity of promotion- and prevention-focused value motivation. It is suggested that knowledge of the relationships between product types, consumer affinities and value motivation can help improve the effectiveness of interventions that seek to promote healthy and sustainable diets in developed countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumers' purchase of organic food products. A matter of convenience and reflexive practices.

PubMed

Hjelmar, Ulf

2011-04-01

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the purchase of organic food products by consumers and to explore the main factors driving this process. This paper uses evidence from 16 in-depth interviews with consumers in Denmark carried out in 2008-2009. On the basis of the analysis two broad concepts are suggested: convenience behaviours and reflexive practices. Convenience behaviours are characteristic of pragmatic organic consumers. This type of shopping behaviour requires organic foods to be available in the local supermarket, they have to be clearly visible (preferably with an eco-label), and the price differential vis-à-vis conventional products have to be minimal. The analysis also showed that politically/ethically minded consumers have reflexive practices when purchasing organic food products: health considerations, ethical considerations (animal welfare), political considerations (environmentalism) and quality considerations (taste) play an important part for these consumers. Reflexive shopping practices can be sparked by life events (e.g. having children), "shocking" news about conventional food products and similar events, and news capable of creating a "cognitive dissonance" among consumers. The Danish case illustrates that the government needs to actively implement reforms and promote activities which make organic products a convenient choice for the pragmatic oriented consumer if their market share is to increase substantially. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Release of Nanosilver from Consumer Products Used in the Home

PubMed Central

Benn, Troy; Cavanagh, Bridget; Hristovski, Kiril; Posner, Jonathan D.; Westerhoff, Paul

2016-01-01

Nanosilver has become one of the most widely used nanomaterials in consumer products because of its antimicrobial properties. Public concern over the potential adverse effects of nanosilver's environmental release has prompted discussion of federal regulation. In this paper, we assess several classes of consumer products for their silver content and potential to release nanosilver into water, air, or soil. Silver was quantified in a shirt, a medical mask and cloth, toothpaste, shampoo, detergent, a towel, a toy teddy bear, and two humidifiers. Silver concentrations ranged from 1.4 to 270,000 μg Ag g product−1. Products were washed in 500 mL of tap water to assess the potential release of silver into aqueous environmental matrices (wastewater, surface water, saliva, etc.). Silver was released in quantities up to 45 μg Ag g product−1, and size fractions were both larger and smaller than 100 nm. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the presence of nanoparticle silver in most products as well as in the wash water samples. Four products were subjected to a toxicity characterization leaching procedure to assess the release of silver in a landfill. The medical cloth released an amount of silver comparable to the toxicity characterization limit. This paper presents methodologies that can be used to quantify and characterize silver and other nanomaterials in consumer products. The quantities of silver in consumer products can in turn be used to estimate real-world human and environmental exposure levels. PMID:21284285

Release of silver from nanotechnology-based consumer products for children

EPA Science Inventory

We assessed the potential for children’s exposure to bioavailable silver during the realistic use of selected nanotechnology-based consumer products (plush toy, fabric products, breast milk storage bags, sippy cups, cleaning products, humidifiers, and humidifier accessory). We me...

Investigating Greek consumers' attitudes towards low-fat food products: a segmentation study.

PubMed

Krystallis, Athanasios; Arvanitoyannis, Ioannis S; Kapirti, A

2003-05-01

The present study aims at gaining a first insight into Greek consumers' attitudes towards low-fat food products. Although Greece, and in particular Crete, have enjoyed a great popularity in terms of the Mediterranean diet, there has been an almost complete lack of low-fat-related surveys concerning the Greek food consumer. Using this as a research trigger, the current investigation evolves around the conflict between 'sensory appeal' and 'healthiness' of low-fat products, widely described in the international literature. Other crucial factors examined are consumers' awareness, occasional use and conscious purchase of, and willingness to pay for, food products with the 'low-fat' claim. Overall, the study has the objective to segment the Greek market in terms of users' perceptions of light products and to identify a number of well-described clusters with clear-cut socio-demographic and behavioural profile. Three clusters are identified, comprised of consumers with favourable attitudes towards low-fat foods and willing to pay premiums to purchase them.

Consumer satisfaction with pork meat and derived products in five European countries.

PubMed

Resano, Helena; Perez-Cueto, Federico J A; de Barcellos, Marcia D; Veflen-Olsen, Nina; Grunert, Klaus G; Verbeke, Wim

2011-02-01

This paper investigates consumers' satisfaction level with pork meat and derived products in five European countries. Data were collected through a cross-sectional web-based survey in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, and Poland during January 2008 with a total sample of 2437 consumers. Data included socio-demographics and questions regarding satisfaction with 27 common pork-based products; classified into fresh pork, processed pork and pork meat products. Satisfaction was evaluated in terms of overall satisfaction, as well as satisfaction with health-giving qualities, price, convenience and taste. Logistic regression analyses showed taste as the main determinant of satisfaction, followed by convenience. Healthfulness is not a significant driver of overall satisfaction. Price influences satisfaction with fresh pork more than with processed products. Tasty pork, easy to prepare and consume, with adequate promotion of its healthfulness, and with a good price/quality relationship appears to be the key factor to satisfy pork consumers. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production of Consumer Spaces in the University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Joseph

2016-01-01

With an increasing proliferation of consumer practices within the United States university system, one crucial question often neglected is how spaces of consumption are produced. French Marxist philosopher and sociologist, Henri Lefebvre, provided a nuanced and innovative approach to examining the phenomenon of spatial production in his landmark…

Nanotechnology in the real world: Redeveloping the nanomaterial consumer products inventory

PubMed Central

Kuiken, Todd; Vejerano, Eric P; McGinnis, Sean P; Hochella, Michael F; Rejeski, David; Hull, Matthew S

2015-01-01

Summary To document the marketing and distribution of nano-enabled products into the commercial marketplace, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies created the Nanotechnology Consumer Products Inventory (CPI) in 2005. The objective of this present work is to redevelop the CPI by leading a research effort to increase the usefulness and reliability of this inventory. We created eight new descriptors for consumer products, including information pertaining to the nanomaterials contained in each product. The project was motivated by the recognition that a diverse group of stakeholders from academia, industry, and state/federal government had become highly dependent on the inventory as an important resource and bellweather of the pervasiveness of nanotechnology in society. We interviewed 68 nanotechnology experts to assess key information needs. Their answers guided inventory modifications by providing a clear conceptual framework best suited for user expectations. The revised inventory was released in October 2013. It currently lists 1814 consumer products from 622 companies in 32 countries. The Health and Fitness category contains the most products (762, or 42% of the total). Silver is the most frequently used nanomaterial (435 products, or 24%); however, 49% of the products (889) included in the CPI do not provide the composition of the nanomaterial used in them. About 29% of the CPI (528 products) contain nanomaterials suspended in a variety of liquid media and dermal contact is the most likely exposure scenario from their use. The majority (1288 products, or 71%) of the products do not present enough supporting information to corroborate the claim that nanomaterials are used. The modified CPI has enabled crowdsourcing capabilities, which allow users to suggest edits to any entry and permits researchers to upload new findings ranging from human and environmental exposure data to complete life cycle

Consumers' acceptance and preferences for nutrition-modified and functional dairy products: A systematic review.

PubMed

Bimbo, Francesco; Bonanno, Alessandro; Nocella, Giuseppe; Viscecchia, Rosaria; Nardone, Gianluca; De Devitiis, Biagia; Carlucci, Domenico

2017-06-01

This systematic literature review collects and summarizes research on consumer acceptance and preferences for nutrition-modified and functional dairy products, to reconcile, and expand upon, the findings of previous studies. We find that female consumers show high acceptance for some functional dairy products, such as yogurt enriched with calcium, fiber and probiotics. Acceptance for functional dairy products increases among consumers with higher diet/health related knowledge, as well as with aging. General interest in health, food-neophobia and perceived self-efficacy seem also to contribute shaping the acceptance for functional dairy products. Furthermore, products with "natural" matches between carriers and ingredients have the highest level of acceptance among consumers. Last, we find that brand familiarity drives consumers with low interest in health to increase their acceptance and preference for health-enhanced dairy products, such as probiotic yogurts, or those with a general function claim. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radioactivity of Consumer Products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, David; Jokisch, Derek; Fulmer, Philip

2006-11-01

A variety of consumer products and household items contain varying amounts of radioactivity. Examples of these items include: FiestaWare and similar glazed china, salt substitute, bananas, brazil nuts, lantern mantles, smoke detectors and depression glass. Many of these items contain natural sources of radioactivity such as Uranium, Thorium, Radium and Potassium. A few contain man-made sources like Americium. This presentation will detail the sources and relative radioactivity of these items (including demonstrations). Further, measurements of the isotopic ratios of Uranium-235 and Uranium-238 in several pieces of china will be compared to historical uses of natural and depleted Uranium. Finally, the presenters will discuss radiation safety as it pertains to the use of these items.

75 FR 30783 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Safety Standard...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2009-0064] Agency Information Collection... announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency... the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, and to allow 60 days for...

Consumer Online Search and New-Product Marketing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Ho

2013-01-01

This dissertation contains three essays that study the implications of online search activity for new-product marketing. Using the U.S. motion picture industry as a test case, the first essay examines the dynamic causal relationship between traditional media, consumers' media generation activity, media consumption activity, and market demand…

75 FR 51245 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Durable Nursery...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

... perceptions regarding such products. The survey will gather information on the characteristics and usage... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Durable Nursery Products Exposure Survey AGENCY: Consumer... draft survey regarding ownership and use characteristics of durable infant or toddler products. DATES...

Consumer understanding of sugars claims on food and drink products

PubMed Central

Patterson, N J; Sadler, M J; Cooper, J M

2012-01-01

Consumer understanding of nutrition and health claims is a key aspect of current regulations in the European Union (EU). In view of this, qualitative and quantitative research techniques were used to investigate consumer awareness and understanding of product claims in the UK, focusing particularly on nutrition claims relating to sugars. Both research methods identified a good awareness of product claims. No added sugars claims were generally preferred to reduced sugars claims, and there was a general assumption that sweeteners and other ingredients would be added in place of sugars. However, there was little awareness of the level of sugar reduction and the associated calorie reduction in products when reduced sugars claims were made on pack. In focus groups, participants felt deceived if sugar reduction claims were being made without a significant reduction in calories. This was reinforced in the quantitative research which showed that respondents expected a similar and meaningful level of calorie reduction to the level of sugar reduction. The research also identified consumer confusion around the calorie content of different nutrients, including over-estimation of the calorie content of sugars. This is crucial to consumers' expectations as they clearly link sugar to calories and therefore expect a reduction in sugar content to deliver a reduction in calorie content. PMID:22973161

Consumer knowledge, preference, and perceived quality of dried tomato products in Ghana.

PubMed

Owureku-Asare, Mavis; Ambrose, R P Kingsly; Oduro, Ibok; Tortoe, Charles; Saalia, Firibu K

2017-05-01

Postharvest losses (PHL) are incurred in the tomato value chain in Ghana and solar drying of tomato is a promising technology for reducing the loss. However, there are concerns on the usage, functionality and sensory appeal of the dried products to consumers, compounded with the lack of information and research on dried tomato processing in Ghana. A survey was carried out by administering semistructured questionnaires to 395 randomly selected and willing respondents in the Accra Metropolis. Information was obtained on the socioeconomic profile, consumption pattern, knowledge, and acceptance of tomato processing technologies and assessment of quality attributes important to consumers. Most consumers (74%) preferred tomato powder that is conveniently packaged to retain the characteristic intense taste and the flavor using Friedman's rank mean procedure. The study indicated that consumers were more concerned about good manufacturing practices during the production of solar-dried tomato (48.8%) rather than the quality attributes (8.6%). These findings indicate the need for safe solar drying procedures in order to increase consumer acceptability of solar-dried tomato products in Ghana.

The effect of gender, age and product type on the origin induced food product experience among young consumers in Finland.

PubMed

Kumpulainen, Tommi; Vainio, Annukka; Sandell, Mari; Hopia, Anu

2018-04-01

Locally produced and sourced food products are gaining popularity among consumers. The effect of the expectations induced by the origin of the food was studied with 1491 consumers in two separate studies among different age groups. In order to test the consumer response to the product origin neutral, domestic, and local conditions were used. Consumers evaluated the product's pleasantness, their probability to choose it, the overall quality, and their willingness to pay. To gather information on whether the phenomenon was consistent, independent from the product category, three different types of products were tested (meat, bread, and vegetables). Our results show that a closer origin does not necessarily produce a positive response, but that there are several moderating factors such as gender, age, and product type. Female university students responded equally to domestic and local origins in the case of bread, but for meat products, only those of local origin induced a positive reaction. In this study population, the male respondents only reacted to a local origin in the case of bread, while domestic meat products provided similar results to local origins. Among young men consumers in the 7th-9th grades responded to the local origin of vegetables positively, while others among the youngest consumers, the origin did not induce a significant effect. The results indicate that even when the product is not appealing itself, locality can still increase the perceived quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation exposure from consumer products and miscellaneous sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-01-01

This review of the literature indicates that there is a variety of consumer products and miscellaneous sources of radiation that result in exposure to the U.S. population. A summary of the number of people exposed to each such source, an estimate of the resulting dose equivalents to the exposed population, and an estimate of the average annual population dose equivalent are tabulated. A review of the data in this table shows that the total average annual contribution to the whole-body dose equivalent of the U.S. population from consumer products is less than 5 mrem; about 70 percent of this arisesmore » from the presence of naturally-occurring radionuclides in building materials. Some of the consumer product sources contribute exposure mainly to localized tissues or organs. Such localized estimates include: 0.5 to 1 mrem to the average annual population lung dose equivalent (generalized); 2 rem to the average annual population bronchial epithelial dose equivalent (localized); and 10 to 15 rem to the average annual population basal mucosal dose equivalent (basal mucosa of the gum). Based on these estimates, these sources may be grouped or classified as those that involve many people and the dose equivalent is relative large or those that involve many people but the dose equivalent is relatively small, or the dose equivalent is relatively large but the number of people involved is small.« less

Swedish Consumers' Perception of Food Quality and Sustainability in Relation to Organic Food Production.

PubMed

Bosona, Techane; Gebresenbet, Girma

2018-04-01

Consumers' demand for locally produced and organic foods has increased in Sweden. This paper presents the results obtained from the analysis of data acquired from 100 consumers in Sweden who participated in an online survey during March to June 2016. The objective was to identify consumers' demand in relation to organic food and sustainable food production, and to understand how the consumers evaluate food quality and make buying decisions. Qualitative descriptions, descriptive statistics and Pearson's Chi-square test (with alpha value of p < 0.05 as level of significance), and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used for analysis. About 72% of participants have the perception that organic food production method is more sustainable than conventional methods. Female consumers have more positive attitudes than men towards organic food. However, age difference, household size and income level do not significantly influence the consumers' perception of sustainable food production concepts. Regionality, sustainable methods of production and organic production are the most important parameters to characterize the food as high quality and make buying decisions. On the other hand, product uniformity, appearance, and price were found to be relatively less important parameters. Food buying decisions and food quality were found to be highly related with Pearson's correlation coefficient of r = 0.99.

Determination of fluorotelomer alcohols in selected consumer products and preliminary investigation of their fate in the indoor environment.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoyu; Guo, Zhishi; Folk, Edgar E; Roache, Nancy F

2015-06-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established an ongoing effort to identify the major perfluorocarboxylic acid (PFCA) sources in nonoccupational indoor environments and characterize their transport and fate. This study determined the concentrations of fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), which are the precursors to PFCAs, in fifty-four consumer products collected from the U.S. open market in the years of 2011 and 2013. The products included carpet, commercial carpet-care liquids, household carpet/fabric-care liquids, treated apparel, treated home textiles, treated non-woven medical garments, floor waxes, food-contact paper, membranes for apparel, and thread-sealant tapes. The FTOHs quantified were 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoro-1-octanol (6:2 FTOH), 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoro-1-decanol (8:2 FTOH), and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluoro-1-dodecanol (10:2 FTOH). The content of 6:2 FTOH ranged from non-delectable to 331μgg(-1), 8:2 FTOH from non-delectable to 92μgg(-1), and 10:2 FTOH from non-detectable to 24μgg(-1). In addition, two consumer products from the home textile category were tested in the washing-drying process. One product from the treated apparel category and one from the home textile category were tested in the micro-scale chamber under elevated temperatures. The experimental data show that the washing-drying process with one cycle did not significantly reduce the FTOH concentrations in the tested consumer products. FTOH off-gassing was observed under accelerated aging conditions. Future tests should include air sampling to allow determination of the absolute emission rates at different temperatures. The results of this study should be informative to exposure assessment and risk management. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Consumers' environmental and ethical consciousness and the use of the related food products information: The role of perceived consumer effectiveness.

PubMed

Ghvanidze, Sophie; Velikova, Natalia; Dodd, Tim H; Oldewage-Theron, Wilna

2016-12-01

Consumers can be important active contributors to a sustainable society by selecting food choices that are both healthy and produced respecting environmental and socially ethical standards. The current study investigates five consumer behavioural factors - namely, perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE); environmental conscious behaviour; concerns for ethical food production; health conscious lifestyle; and healthy dietary patterns. The key interest of the study lies in exploring the moderating role of PCE - the extent to which the consumer believes that his/her own efforts can make a difference - in these interrelationships. The empirical analysis was conducted through an online survey of food consumers implemented in three markets - the US, the UK and Germany. Findings indicate that for individuals with higher levels of PCE, who are environmental conscious and ethically concerned, information on food labels relating to environmental and social issues represents value by itself. Interestingly, health and nutrition information on food labels was not perceived valuable by consumers with high PCE. The predictive effects of various socio-demographic variables on PCE, consumer environmental and health consciousness are discussed. Cross-cultural differences are also outlined. The results of this research may contribute to the development of environmental policies and communication strategies of the food industry to enhance perceived consumer effectiveness among consumers. Improved PCE, in turn, may catalyze consumers' environmental behaviour and ethical concerns in relation to consumption of food products with environmental and social information. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumer preference, behavior and perception about meat and meat products: an overview.

PubMed

Font-I-Furnols, Maria; Guerrero, Luis

2014-11-01

Meat and meat products currently represent an important source of protein in the human diet, and their quality varies according to intrinsic and extrinsic parameters that can sometimes be shaped to make a product more desirable. Because consumers are the final step in the production chain, it is useful to identify which factors affect their behavioral patterns. This would allow the meat sector to better satisfy consumer expectations, demands and needs. This paper focuses on features that might influence consumer behavior, preferences and their perception of meat and meat products with respect to psychological, sensory and marketing aspects. This multidisciplinary approach includes evaluating psychological issues such as attitudes, beliefs, and expectations; sensory properties such as appearance, texture, flavor and odor; and marketing-related aspects such as price and brand. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of an aggregate exposure model for substances in consumer products: a case study of diethyl phthalate in personal care products

PubMed Central

Delmaar, Christiaan; Bokkers, Bas; ter Burg, Wouter; Schuur, Gerlienke

2015-01-01

As personal care products (PCPs) are used in close contact with a person, they are a major source of consumer exposure to chemical substances contained in these products. The estimation of realistic consumer exposure to substances in PCPs is currently hampered by the lack of appropriate data and methods. To estimate aggregate exposure of consumers to substances contained in PCPs, a person-oriented consumer exposure model has been developed (the Probabilistic Aggregate Consumer Exposure Model, PACEM). The model simulates daily exposure in a population based on product use data collected from a survey among the Dutch population. The model is validated by comparing diethyl phthalate (DEP) dose estimates to dose estimates based on biomonitoring data. It was found that the model's estimates compared well with the estimates based on biomonitoring data. This suggests that the person-oriented PACEM model is a practical tool for assessing realistic aggregate exposures to substances in PCPs. In the future, PACEM will be extended with use pattern data on other product groups. This will allow for assessing aggregate exposure to substances in consumer products across different product groups. PMID:25352161

Interactive survey of consumer awareness of nanotechnologies and nanoparticles in consumer products in South Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Yu-Ri; Lee, Eun Jeong; Park, Sung Ha; Kwon, Hyo Jin; An, Seong Soo A; Son, Sang Wook; Seo, Young Rok; Pie, Jae-Eun; Yoon, Myoung; Kim, Ja Hei; Kim, Meyoung-Kon

2014-01-01

The purpose of our study was to understand consumers' risk awareness and need for relevant information about nanotechnology and nanoparticles contained in products currently being sold in Korea. One thousand and seven adult consumers (aged 20-50 years) were randomly selected from all over South Korea between November 1 and 9, 2010. We surveyed the origin and degree of their concern and their need for information and education regarding nanomaterials. Analysis of the survey results showed no significant differences in responses by sex, age, and level of education, but significant differences were found in responses based on average monthly household income. Our research showed that consumers have vague expectations for and positive image of nanotechnology and nanoproducts but do not clearly understand what they are. In addition, we found that preparing and disseminating information to consumers is required in order to provide correct information about nanotechnology to the public. A communication system should be established among the multiple stakeholders involved with nanomaterials to address consumer expectations and concerns. Further, a safety evaluation system must be set up, the results of which should be processed by a reliable expert group so they can be disseminated to the public.

78 FR 46578 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-01

... , including any personal information provided. Sensitive personal information, such as account numbers or... to understand the impact of bundled products and services on the financial decision- making of... BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION [Docket No CFPB-2013-0024] Agency Information Collection...

Assessing consumer responses to potential reduced-exposure tobacco products: a review of tobacco industry and independent research methods.

PubMed

Rees, Vaughan W; Kreslake, Jennifer M; Cummings, K Michael; O'Connor, Richard J; Hatsukami, Dorothy K; Parascandola, Mark; Shields, Peter G; Connolly, Gregory N

2009-12-01

Internal tobacco industry documents and the mainstream literature are reviewed to identify methods and measures for evaluating tobacco consumer response. The review aims to outline areas in which established methods exist, identify gaps in current methods for assessing consumer response, and consider how these methods might be applied to evaluate potentially reduced exposure tobacco products and new products. Internal industry research reviewed included published articles, manuscript drafts, presentations, protocols, and instruments relating to consumer response measures were identified and analyzed. Peer-reviewed research was identified using PubMed and Scopus. Industry research on consumer response focuses on product development and marketing. To develop and refine new products, the tobacco industry has developed notable strategies for assessing consumers' sensory and subjective responses to product design characteristics. Independent research is often conducted to gauge the likelihood of future product adoption by measuring consumers' risk perceptions, responses to product, and product acceptability. A model that conceptualizes consumer response as comprising the separate, but interacting, domains of product perceptions and response to product is outlined. Industry and independent research supports the dual domain model and provides a wide range of methods for assessment of the construct components of consumer response. Further research is needed to validate consumer response constructs, determine the relationship between consumer response and tobacco user behavior, and improve reliability of consumer response measures. Scientifically rigorous consumer response assessment methods will provide a needed empirical basis for future regulation of potentially reduced-exposure tobacco products and new products, to counteract tobacco industry influence on consumers, and enhance the public health.

Consumer acceptance of vegetarian sweet potato products intended for space missions.

PubMed

Wilson, C D; Pace, R D; Bromfield, E; Jones, G; Lu, J Y

1998-01-01

Sweet potato is one of the crops selected for NASA's Advanced Life Support Program for potential long-duration lunar/Mars missions. This article presents recipes of products made from sweet potato and determines the consumer acceptability of products containing from 6% to 20% sweet potato on a dry weight basis. These products were developed for use in nutritious and palatable meals for future space explorers. Sensory evaluation (appearance/color, aroma, texture, flavor/taste, and overall acceptability) studies were conducted to determine the consumer acceptability of vegetarian products made with sweet potato using panelists at NASA/Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX. None of these products including the controls, contained any ingredient of animal origin with the exception of sweet potato pie. A 9-point hedonic scale (9 being like extremely and 1 being dislike extremely) was used to evaluate 10 products and compare them to similar commercially available products used as controls. The products tested were pancakes, waffles, tortillas, bread, pie, pound cake, pasta, vegetable patties, doughnuts, and pretzels. All of the products were either liked moderately or liked slightly with the exception of the sweet potato vegetable patties, which were neither liked nor disliked. Mean comparisons of sensory scores of sweet potato recipes and their controls were accomplished by using the Student t-test. Because of their nutritional adequacy and consumer acceptability, these products are being recommended to NASA's Advanced Life Support Program for inclusion in a vegetarian menu plan designed for lunar/Mars space missions.

Involving consumers in product design through collaboration: the case of online role-playing games.

PubMed

Yeh, Shu-Yu

2010-12-01

The release of software attributes to users by software designers for the creation of user-designed forms is regarded as a producer-consumer collaboration, leading consumers to expend significant effort on a specific product. This article identifies such software/product attributes within online role-playing games and then explores how consumers' prior experience affects the evaluation of such attributes. In this article, product attributes comprise customized, content, and interactive externality-sensitive and complementary externality-sensitive attributes, with the value of each attribute being greater for experts than for novices. In Study 1, data were collected and analyzed for the purpose of identifying such features in online role-playing games. The results can also be generalized to convergent products, such as TV games that have been redesigned as online games or mobile games found in Study 2. For the introduction of a convergent product to be successful, our research suggests that the potential market-segment focus should be on knowledgeable consumers who accept such products more readily.

Product involvement and consumer food-elicited emotional associations: Insights from emoji questionnaires.

PubMed

Jaeger, Sara R; Lee, Pui-Yee; Ares, Gastón

2018-04-01

Individual differences in food-related consumer behaviour are well documented, but lack thorough exploration in relation to product-elicited emotional associations. In this research, focus is directed to product involvement as a factor that modulates emotional associations to tasted products (dried fruit, n = 4) and written descriptions of consumption situations (drinking red wine, cooking dinner using seafood). Emoji questionnaires were used (as check-all-that-apply questions: CATA), and across two studies with consumers in New Zealand (n = 352) and China (n = 450), higher levels of involvement were associated with more positive emotional associations. For example, consumers with higher involvement for dried fruit used emoji with positive meanings (e.g., face savouring delicious food (), smiling face with heart-shaped eyes () and smiling face with smiling eyes () more frequently than those with lower levels of involvement. Conversely, emoji with negative or neutral meanings (e.g., confused face (), confounded face (), neutral face ()), were more frequently used by consumers with lower levels of product involvement. The number of significant differences between the samples of dried fruit were lower in the less involved consumer segment, and these consumers, on average, used less emoji to characterise the samples. A similar pattern of results were established for the written stimuli, which were used with Chinese consumers. For example, in the segment with greater involvement with seafood, associations to emoji with positive meanings were higher when responding to the situation "cooking dinner using frozen seafood as one of the ingredients." In the case of "drinking French red wine," the strategy used to define segments (median vs. triadic split of summed involvement scores) additionally influenced the results, and bigger differences were established when comparing more discrete segments (two extreme groups following triadic split). Copyright © 2018

A methodology for evaluating the usability of audiovisual consumer electronic products.

PubMed

Kwahk, Jiyoung; Han, Sung H

2002-09-01

Usability evaluation is now considered an essential procedure in consumer product development. Many studies have been conducted to develop various techniques and methods of usability evaluation hoping to help the evaluators choose appropriate methods. However, planning and conducting usability evaluation requires considerations of a number of factors surrounding the evaluation process including the product, user, activity, and environmental characteristics. In this perspective, this study suggested a new methodology of usability evaluation through a simple, structured framework. The framework was outlined by three major components: the interface features of a product as design variables, the evaluation context consisting of user, product, activity, and environment as context variables, and the usability measures as dependent variables. Based on this framework, this study established methods to specify the product interface features, to define evaluation context, and to measure usability. The effectiveness of this methodology was demonstrated through case studies in which the usability of audiovisual products was evaluated by using the methods developed in this study. This study is expected to help the usability practitioners in consumer electronics industry in various ways. Most directly, it supports the evaluators' plan and conduct usability evaluation sessions in a systematic and structured manner. In addition, it can be applied to other categories of consumer products (such as appliances, automobiles, communication devices, etc.) with minor modifications as necessary.

Dangerous Products, Dangerous Places: An AARP Report on Home Safety and Older Consumers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fise, Mary Ellen R.

This report was written to identify the safety problems confronting older persons and to educate readers about product and home hazards and appropriate preventive measures. It was written for older consumers, their families, policymakers, and manufacturers. Information on the incidence of home accidents and consumer product accidents among the…

Human Factors in Industrial and Consumer Products and Services

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-24

modeling; simulation and intelligent agents; Transportation ; Space and aviation; Telecommunication and web applications; Consumer products; and Customer...the user feedback throughout the product development. Self-explaining and forgiving roads to improve safety Karel Brookhuis, Dick de Waard...in a simulated ambulance dispatcher’s task Ben Mulder, Anje Kruizinga & Dick de Waard University of Groningen, Experimental and Work Psychology

Subsidy or subtraction: how do terrestrial inputs influence consumer production in lakes?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Stuart E.; Solomon, Christopher T.; Weidel, Brian C.

2012-01-01

Cross-ecosystem fluxes are ubiquitous in food webs and are generally thought of as subsidies to consumer populations. Yet external or allochthonous inputs may in fact have complex and habitat-specific effects on recipient ecosystems. In lakes, terrestrial inputs of organic carbon contribute to basal resource availability, but can also reduce resource availability via shading effects on phytoplankton and periphyton. Terrestrial inputs might therefore either subsidise or subtract from consumer production. We developed and parameterised a simple model to explore this idea. The model estimates basal resource supply and consumer production given lake-level characteristics including total phosphorus (TP) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, and consumer-level characteristics including resource preferences and growth efficiencies. Terrestrial inputs diminished primary production and total basal resource supply at the whole-lake level, except in ultra-oligotrophic systems. However, this system-level generalisation masked complex habitat-specific effects. In the pelagic zone, dissolved and particulate terrestrial carbon inputs were available to zooplankton via several food web pathways. Consequently, zooplankton production usually increased with terrestrial inputs, even as total whole-lake resource availability decreased. In contrast, in the benthic zone the dominant, dissolved portion of the terrestrial carbon load had predominantly negative effects on resource availability via shading of periphyton. Consequently, terrestrial inputs always decreased zoobenthic production except under extreme and unrealistic parameterisations of the model. Appreciating the complex and habitat-specific effects of allochthonous inputs may be essential for resolving the effects of cross-habitat fluxes on consumers in lakes and other food webs.

75 FR 17391 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-06

... about product-related deaths, injuries, and illnesses from a variety of sources, including newspapers... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for Office of Management and Budget Review; Comment Request; Follow-Up Activities for Product-Related Injuries...

Does environmental friendliness equal healthiness? Swiss consumers' perception of protein products.

PubMed

Lazzarini, Gianna A; Zimmermann, Jasmin; Visschers, Vivianne H M; Siegrist, Michael

2016-10-01

Food production and consumption have major impacts on the environment. At the same time, changes in human diets worldwide are increasingly leading to health problems. Both issues are highly influenced by consumers' everyday food choices and could be addressed by reducing consumption of meat and other animal products. To promote sustainable food consumption, we need to know how consumers perceive the environmental friendliness and healthiness of food products, on which criteria they base their evaluations of environmental friendliness and healthiness, and how their estimations relate to life cycle assessments and nutrient profiling. We presented 30 protein products, which varied in provenance, production methods, and processing, to 85 participants from Switzerland. They were asked to sort the products once according to their perceived environmental friendliness and once according to their perceived healthiness. The mean distances between the products were compared to the products' life cycle assessments and nutrient profiles. The results showed that perceived environmental friendliness and healthiness are highly correlated. The main predictors of the products' perceived environmental friendliness were product category, presence of an organic label, and provenance; and for perceived healthiness, these predictors were product category, fat content, processing, and presence of an organic label. Environmental friendliness and healthiness estimations were significantly correlated to the life cycle assessments and the nutrient profiles of the products, respectively. Hence, to promote healthy and environmentally friendly food choices, motivators related to environmental friendliness and healthiness could be used in synergy. Awareness about meat's environmental impact should be increased and better information is needed for consumers to make an accurate environmental impact and healthiness assessments of protein products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumer hazards of plastics.

PubMed Central

Wiberg, G S

1976-01-01

The modern consumer is exposed to a wide variety of plastic and rubber products in his day to day life: at home, work, school, shopping, recreation and play, and transport. A large variety of toxic sequellae have resulted from untoward exposures by many different routes: oral, dermal, inhalation, and parenteral. Toxic change may result from the plastic itself, migration of unbound components and additives, chemical decomposition or toxic pyrolysis products. The type of damage may involve acute poisoning, chronic organ damage, reproductive disorders, and carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic episodes. Typical examples for all routes are cited along with the activites of Canadian regulatory agencies to reduce both the incidence and severity of plastic-induced disease. PMID:1026409

78 FR 42935 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request- Follow-Up Activities for Product-Related Injuries

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-18

... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC-2009-0102] Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request-- Follow-Up Activities for Product-Related Injuries AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission... Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission or CPSC) announces that it has submitted to the Office of...

77 FR 10358 - Acceptance of ASTM F963-11 as a Mandatory Consumer Product Safety Standard

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

... Safety. Pursuant to section 106 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, ASTM F963-11 will... INFORMATION: On February 10, 2009, section 106(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION 16 CFR Chapter II Acceptance of ASTM F963-11 as a Mandatory...

Functional or constructive attitudes: Which type drives consumers' evaluation of meat products?

PubMed

Hamlin, Robert

2016-07-01

Consumer attitudes towards meat can be divided up into two types: Functional attitudes which are stable and exist over long periods of time, and constructive attitudes which are ephemeral and usually constructed at the point of sale. This research investigated the temporal and situational stability of meat consumers' attitudes by using the same established functional, multidimensional attitude instrument to generate attitude profiles for the four meat types: chicken/beef/lamb/poultry both as an abstracted construct and as a cue on a range of meat and meat-based products. The results showed that strong attitude profile was generated by the meat types as abstracted constructs, but that this profile broke down completely when the food products carrying the same meat types were evaluated. This result indicates that consumer attitudes may not be temporally or situationally stable, which in turn suggests that consumers' evaluation and choice of meat products may be driven to a greater or lesser extent by constructive rather than functional attitudes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumer Preference and Attitude Regarding Online Food Products in Hanoi, Vietnam.

PubMed

Kim Dang, Anh; Xuan Tran, Bach; Tat Nguyen, Cuong; Thi Le, Huong; Thi Do, Hoa; Duc Nguyen, Hinh; Hoang Nguyen, Long; Huu Nguyen, Tu; Thi Mai, Hue; Dinh Tran, Tho; Ngo, Chau; Thi Minh Vu, Thuc; Latkin, Carl A; Zhang, Melvyn W B; Ho, Roger C M

2018-05-14

This study aimed to examine: (1) how the Internet has changed consumers food-buying behavior and identify its associated factors; (2) consumers' concern about food safety information of online food products. A cross-sectional study was performed from October to December 2015 in Hanoi-a Vietnamese epicenter of food service. One thousand seven hundred and thirty six (1736) customers were randomly chosen from food establishments of 176 communes. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. The majority of participants reported using the Internet to search for food products (81.3%). The most crucial factors influencing food purchases through the Internet were convenience (69.1%) and price (59.3%). Only one-third of participants selected products based on accurate evidence about food safety certification or food origin. The majority of participants were concerned about the expiration date (51.6%), while brand (9.8%) and food licensing information (11.3%) were often neglected. People who were:(1) female, (2) highly influenced by online relationships, and (3) having difficulty in doing usual activities were more likely to look for online food products. These findings produce practical advice to consumers when purchasing their desired food products on the Internet, to online food retailers and to the Government of Vietnam to implement appropriate legislation regarding trading online food products.

Consumer Electronic Product Servicing. Florida Vocational Program Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of South Florida, Tampa. Dept. of Adult and Vocational Education.

This packet contains a program guide and Career Merit Achievement Plan (Career MAP) for the implementation of a consumer electronic product servicing program in Florida secondary and postsecondary schools. The program guide describes the program content and structure, provides a program description, lists job titles under the program, and includes…

Internal cycle modeling and environmental assessment of multiple cycle consumer products.

PubMed

Tsiliyannis, C A

2012-01-01

Dynamic annual flow models incorporating consumer discard and usage loss and featuring deterministic and stochastic end-of-cycle (EOC) return by the consumer are developed for reused or remanufactured products (multiple cycle products, MCPs), including fast and slow cycling, short and long-lived products. It is shown that internal flows (reuse and overall consumption) increase proportionally to the dimensionless internal cycle factor (ICF) which is related to environmental impact reduction factors. The combined reuse/recycle (or cycle) rate is shown capable for shortcut, albeit effective, monitoring of environmental performance in terms of waste production, virgin material extraction and manufacturing impacts of all MCPs, a task, which physical variables (lifetime, cycling frequency, mean or total number of return trips) and conventional rates, via which environmental policy has been officially implemented (e.g. recycling rate) cannot accomplish. The cycle rate is shown to be an increasing (hyperbolic) function of ICF. The impact of the stochastic EOC return characteristics on total reuse and consumption flows, as well as on eco-performance, is assessed: symmetric EOC return has a small, positive effect on performance compared to deterministic, while early shifted EOC return is more beneficial. In order to be efficient, environmental policy should set higher minimum reuse targets for higher trippage MCPs. The results may serve for monitoring, flow accounting and comparative eco-assessment of MCPs. They may be useful in identifying reachable and efficient reuse/recycle targets for consumer products and in planning return via appropriate labelling and digital coding for enhancing environmental performance, while satisfying consumer demand. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the Release of Silver from Nanotechnology-Based Consumer Products for Children

EPA Science Inventory

We assessed the potential for children’s exposure to bioavailable silver during the realistic use of selected nanotechnology-based consumer products (plush toy, fabric products, breast milk storage bags, sippy cups, cleaning products). All products had at least one componen...

Product Safety, It's No Accident. A Consumer Product Safety Monthly Planning Guide for Community Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

A consumer product safety monthly planning guide for community organizations is provided. The material is organized into suggested monthly topics with seasonal emphasis. Each section highlights selected information about how to identify potential hazards associated with categories of products. Each section also includes recommendaitons of ways to…

Models for oral uptake of nanoparticles in consumer products

PubMed Central

Fröhlich, Eleonore; Roblegg, Eva

2012-01-01

Presently, many consumer products contain nano-sized materials (NMs) to improve material properties, product quality and ease of use. NMs in food additives and in cosmetic articles (e.g., tooth paste) may be taken up by the oral route. As adverse effects of environmental nanoparticles, like ultrafine particles, have been reported, consumers worry about potential risks when using products containing NMs. The review focuses on metal and metal oxide NMs as common additives in tooth paste and in food industry and exposure by the oral route. Testing of NMs for oral exposure is very complex because differences in the diet, in mucus secretion and composition, in pH, in gastrointestinal transit time and in gastrointestinal flora influence NM uptake. Acellular (mucus, saliva) and epithelial layer of the orogastrointestinal barrier are described. Expected exposure doses, interaction of the NMs with mucus and permeation through the epithelium as well as in vivo data are mentioned. The role of in vitro models for the study of parameters relevant for ingested NMs is discussed. PMID:22120540

Internal cycle modeling and environmental assessment of multiple cycle consumer products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsiliyannis, C.A., E-mail: anion@otenet.gr

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dynamic flow models are presented for remanufactured, reused or recycled products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Early loss and stochastic return are included for fast and slow cycling products. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The reuse-to-input flow ratio (Internal Cycle Factor, ICF) is determined. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The cycle rate, which is increasing with the ICF, monitors eco-performance. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Early internal cycle losses diminish the ICF, the cycle rate and performance. - Abstract: Dynamic annual flow models incorporating consumer discard and usage loss and featuring deterministic and stochastic end-of-cycle (EOC) return by the consumer are developed for reused or remanufactured products (multiple cycle products, MCPs), including fast andmore » slow cycling, short and long-lived products. It is shown that internal flows (reuse and overall consumption) increase proportionally to the dimensionless internal cycle factor (ICF) which is related to environmental impact reduction factors. The combined reuse/recycle (or cycle) rate is shown capable for shortcut, albeit effective, monitoring of environmental performance in terms of waste production, virgin material extraction and manufacturing impacts of all MCPs, a task, which physical variables (lifetime, cycling frequency, mean or total number of return trips) and conventional rates, via which environmental policy has been officially implemented (e.g. recycling rate) cannot accomplish. The cycle rate is shown to be an increasing (hyperbolic) function of ICF. The impact of the stochastic EOC return characteristics on total reuse and consumption flows, as well as on eco-performance, is assessed: symmetric EOC return has a small, positive effect on performance compared to deterministic, while early shifted EOC return is more beneficial. In order to be efficient, environmental policy should set higher minimum reuse targets for higher trippage MCPs

Calculating the pre-consumer waste footprint: A screening study of 10 selected products.

PubMed

Laurenti, Rafael; Moberg, Åsa; Stenmarck, Åsa

2017-01-01

Knowledge about the total waste generated by the production of consumer goods can help raise awareness among policy-makers, producers and consumers of the benefits of closing loops in a future circular economy, avoiding unnecessary production and production steps and associated generation of large amounts of waste. In strict life cycle assessment practice, information on waste outputs from intermediate industrial processes of material and energy transformation is translated into and declared as potential environmental impacts, which are often not reported in the final results. In this study, a procedure to extract available intermediate data and perform a systematic pre-consumer waste footprint analysis was developed. The pre-consumer waste footprint concept was tested to analyse 10 generic products, which provided some novel and interesting results for the different product categories and identified a number of challenges that need to be resolved in development of the waste footprint concept. These challenges include standardised data declaration on waste in life cycle assessment, with a separation into waste categories illustrating the implicit environmental and scale of significance of waste types and quantities (e.g. hazardous waste, inert waste, waste for recycling/incineration) and establishment of a common definition of waste throughout sectors and nations.

78 FR 13857 - Foreign-Trade Zone 93-Raleigh-Durham, NC; Authorization of Production Activity; Revlon Consumer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-01

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B-77-2012] Foreign-Trade Zone 93--Raleigh-Durham, NC; Authorization of Production Activity; Revlon Consumer Products Corporation (Hair Coloring Products); Oxford, NC On October 10, 2012, Revlon Consumer Products Corporation, the operator of FTZ 93G, submitted a notification of proposed production...

78 FR 65629 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and Order Granting a Waiver to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-01

... representative of consumer behavior. For example, if the number of annual cycles results in greater than a 3-day... Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Decision and Order Granting a Waiver to Whirlpool Corporation From... Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than Automobiles, a program covering most major household...

Risk management measures for chemicals in consumer products: documentation, assessment, and communication across the supply chain.

PubMed

Bruinen de Bruin, Yuri; Hakkinen, Pertti Bert; Lahaniatis, Majlinda; Papameletiou, Demosthenes; Del Pozo, Carlos; Reina, Vittorio; Van Engelen, Jacqueline; Heinemeyer, Gerhard; Viso, Anne Catherine; Rodriguez, Carlos; Jantunen, Matti

2007-12-01

This paper analyzes the way risk management measures (RMMs) for consumer products have been used to date in authority and industry risk assessments. A working concept for consumer product RMMs is developed, aimed at controlling, limiting or avoiding exposures, and helping to insure the safe use (or handling) of a substance as part of a consumer product. Particular focus is placed on new requirements introduced by REACH (registration, evaluation, and authorization of chemicals). A RMMs categorization approach is also developed, dividing consumer product RMMs into those that are product integrated and those that are communicated to consumers. For each of these categories, RMMs for normal use, accidental use or misuse need to be distinguished. The level of detail for documenting, assessing and communicating RMMs across supply chains can vary, depending on the type of the assessment (tiered approach). Information on RMMs was collected from published sources to demonstrate that a taxonomical approach using standard descriptors for RMMs libraries is needed for effective information exchange across supply chains.

Consumer preferences for food product quality attributes from Swedish agriculture.

PubMed

Carlsson, Fredrik; Frykblom, Peter; Lagerkvist, Carl Johan

2005-06-01

This paper employs a choice experiment to obtain consumer preferences and willingness to pay for food product quality attributes currently not available in Sweden. Data were obtained from a large mail survey and estimated with a random parameter logit model. We found evidence for intraproduct differences in consumer preferences for identical attributes, as well as interproduct discrepancies in ranking of attributes. Furthermore, we found evidence of a market failure relating to the potential use of genetically modified animal fodder. Finally, we found support for the idea that a cheap-talk script can alleviate problems of external validity of choice experiments. Our results are useful in forming product differentiation strategies within the food industry, as well as for the formation of food policy.

Measuring consumers' interest in instant fortified pearl millet products: a field experiment in Touba, Senegal.

PubMed

De Groote, Hugo; Kariuki, Sarah W; Traore, Djibril; Taylor, John Rn; Ferruzzi, Mario G; Hamaker, Bruce R

2018-04-01

In Africa, food-processing industries are emerging fast, especially for cereals. New low-cost extrusion cookers give small enterprises an opportunity to enter the market for processed cereal products, in particular instant, fortified and flavoured mixes. Before engaging in the marketing of these products, consumers' interest needs to be assessed. This study used a combination of affective tests and experimental auctions with 200 consumers in Touba, Senegal, to evaluate four new products with conventional pearl millet flour as the control: instant pearl millet flour, instant pearl millet flour with added dry mango and carrot powder (naturally fortified), and the previous products with added conventional chemical micronutrient fortificants. During affective tests, consumers made little distinction between the five products in appearance, aroma, taste and overall appreciation. The experimental auctions showed that, without providing additional information on the products, there was no difference in 'willingness to pay' (WTP) between them. However, after that information is provided, consumers were willing to pay a modest premium for instant flour, and a large premium for added mango and carrot extract and for added micronutrients, but were not willing to pay a premium if those micronutrients came from natural sources. Income increased overall WTP, while education increased WTP for instant flour. There is a potential market in low-income African countries for instant and fortified cereal food products, but likely in the higher income and education groups. The increased cost needs to be compared to the premiums consumers are willing to pay. In the next step, the new and promising products could be tested in pilot markets, with target consumers. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

75 FR 4819 - Consumer Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-29

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 10-121] Consumer Advisory Committee AGENCY: Federal... its Consumer Advisory Committee (``Committee''). The purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to...

75 FR 41863 - Consumer Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-19

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 10-1262] Consumer Advisory Committee AGENCY: Federal... its Consumer Advisory Committee (``Committee''). The purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to...

75 FR 63830 - Consumer Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-18

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 10-1937] Consumer Advisory Committee AGENCY: Federal... its Consumer Advisory Committee (``Committee''). The purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to...

75 FR 33305 - Consumer Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-11

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 10-1032] Consumer Advisory Committee AGENCY: Federal... its Consumer Advisory Committee (``Committee''). The purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to...

Postreinforcement Pause in Grocery Shopping: Comparing Interpurchase Times across Products and Consumers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliveira-Castro, Jorge M.; James, Victoria K.; Foxall, Gordon R.

2007-01-01

Purchase probability as a function of interpurchase time was examined through comparison of findings from laboratory experiments on reinforcement schedules and from marketing investigations of consumers' interpurchase time. Panel data, based on a sample of 80 consumers who purchased nine supermarket food products during 16 weeks, were used. For…

75 FR 61490 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; National Consumer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-05

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0502... on Understanding the Risks and Benefits of FDA-Regulated Medical Products AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing an opportunity...

77 FR 71167 - Foreign-Trade Zone 59-Lincoln, Nebraska, Authorization of Production Activity, Novartis Consumer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-29

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Foreign-Trade Zones Board [B-64-2012] Foreign-Trade Zone 59--Lincoln, Nebraska, Authorization of Production Activity, Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. (Pharmaceutical and Related Preparations Production), Lincoln, Nebraska Novartis Consumer Health, Inc. submitted a notification of proposed...

77 FR 5801 - Consumer Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-06

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 12-105] Consumer Advisory Committee AGENCY: Federal... agenda of its Consumer Advisory Committee (Committee). The purpose of the Committee is to make... the participation of all consumers in proceedings before the Commission. DATES: The next meeting of...

Interactive survey of consumer awareness of nanotechnologies and nanoparticles in consumer products in South Korea

PubMed Central

Kim, Yu-Ri; Lee, Eun Jeong; Park, Sung Ha; Kwon, Hyo Jin; An, Seong Soo A; Son, Sang Wook; Seo, Young Rok; Pie, Jae-Eun; Yoon, Myoung; Kim, Ja Hei; Kim, Meyoung-Kon

2014-01-01

Background The purpose of our study was to understand consumers’ risk awareness and need for relevant information about nanotechnology and nanoparticles contained in products currently being sold in Korea. Methods One thousand and seven adult consumers (aged 20–50 years) were randomly selected from all over South Korea between November 1 and 9, 2010. We surveyed the origin and degree of their concern and their need for information and education regarding nanomaterials. Results Analysis of the survey results showed no significant differences in responses by sex, age, and level of education, but significant differences were found in responses based on average monthly household income. Our research showed that consumers have vague expectations for and positive image of nanotechnology and nanoproducts but do not clearly understand what they are. In addition, we found that preparing and disseminating information to consumers is required in order to provide correct information about nanotechnology to the public. Conclusion A communication system should be established among the multiple stakeholders involved with nanomaterials to address consumer expectations and concerns. Further, a safety evaluation system must be set up, the results of which should be processed by a reliable expert group so they can be disseminated to the public. PMID:25565822

Consumer and purchasing agent response to terms used to describe forest products from southeast Alaska

Treesearch

Allen M. Brackley; Valerie Barber

2007-01-01

This study surveys 204 consumers and purchasing agents and reports their reaction to terms used to describe forest products from southeast Alaska. Although 67 percent of the respondents would purchase products from old-growth trees, purchasing agents were more likely to refuse to purchase such products (negative response from 12 percent of consumers vs. 29 percent for...

Analysing the consumer behaviour and the influence of brand loyalty in purchasing sportswear products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erdumlu, N.; Saricam, C.; Tufekyapan, M.; Cetinkaya, M.; Donmez, AC

2017-10-01

Brand loyalty is an important term that defines the relationship between customer and it is important for the retailers to have a large loyal customer base. Specifically, sportswear products seem to be one of the most convenient apparel product categories to develop loyalty for the consumers. In this study, it was aimed to analyse the profile of sportswear consumers and their loyalty towards the leading sportswear retailers in Turkey. For this aim, a survey was conducted among 190 participants aged between 18 and 40, and the socio-demographic characteristics of the consumers were explored. The results revealed that more than half of the participants (54.74%) identified themselves as loyal customers in terms of sportswear products. The loyal consumers stated that they would continue to buy from these brands in the future and recommend to others. Expressing the reason for loyalty, the majority of the participant related their loyalty to the satisfying products offered by this brand. However, the participants seem likely to switch to the other brands if the other brands offer attractive promotions.

The Michigan Consumer Protection Act of 1976. Consumer Education Training Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Monsma, Charles

This guide for secondary teachers is designed to identify and illustrate specified illegal practices identified in the Michigan Consumer Protection Act of 1976. The guide also explains procedures that a consumer or law-enforcement agency can take to enforce the provisions of this law. Since the act is a broad one, students learn not only about…

Incorporation of Consumer Products in the Teaching of Analytical Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lieu, Van T.; Kalbus, Gene E.

1988-01-01

Describes eight experiments involving the use of common consumer products that could be incorporated into quantitative and instrumental analysis laboratories. Discusses these activities in terms of illustration of principles, awareness, and critical thinking. (CW)

Ethical review of human experimentation in the consumer products industry.

PubMed

Steadman, J H

1998-04-01

Ethical review of human experimentation in the consumer products industry is important and provides instructive parallels and contrasts with clinical medical research. The procedures used in Unilever NV/plc are described. A central body sets standards for and monitors compliance with ethical review of human studies throughout Unilever. Guidance has been produced on many topics including issues applying generally to human experimentation and more specifically to the consumer products sector. Deficiencies and inconsistencies in the procedures for ethical review and the care of subjects during the conduct of studies have been identified and corrected. Appropriate uniform standards have been achieved across all Unilever operations. All human experimentation in the industry needs adequate ethical review. Although the methods used by individual companies may differ, procedures must ensure uniform high standards across a global industry.

Quarternary Amines as Nitrosamine Precursors: A Role for Consumer Products?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nitrosamine formation is associated with wastewater-impacted water supplies, but the specific precursors within municipal wastewater effluents have not been identified. Quaternary amines are significant constituents of consumer products, including shampoos, detergents and fabric softeners. Experimen...

Ethical and epistemic issues in direct-to-consumer drug advertising: where is patient agency?

PubMed

Womack, Catherine A

2013-05-01

Arguments for and against direct-to-consumer drug advertising (DTCA) center on two issues: (1) the epistemic effects on patients through access to information provided by the ads; and (2) the effects of such information on patients' abilities to make good choices in the healthcare marketplace. Advocates argue that DTCA provides useful information for patients as consumers, including information connecting symptoms to particular medical conditions, information about new drug therapies for those conditions. Opponents of DTCA point out substantial omissions in information provided by the ads and argue that the framing of the ads may mislead patients about the indications, uses, and effectiveness of the drugs advertised. They also suggest that DTCA has a number of potentially negative effects on the doctor-patient relationship. The standard arguments appear to assume a simplistic correlation-more information means more agency for patients. However, empirical studies on medical decision making suggest that this relationship is much more complex and nuanced. I examine recent research on ways in which patients are vulnerable with respect to DTCA. In order to address the complex issues of information acquisition and consumer decision-making in the health care marketplace, the focus should not be simply on what information patients need in order to make medical decisions, but also on the conditions under which patients actually are able to make medical decisions requiring complex medication information. This requires examining both the cognitive limitations of patients with respect to drug information and investigating patients' preferences and needs in a variety of medical contexts.

Consumer evaluations of processed meat products reformulated to be healthier - A conjoint analysis study.

PubMed

Shan, Liran C; De Brún, Aoife; Henchion, Maeve; Li, Chenguang; Murrin, Celine; Wall, Patrick G; Monahan, Frank J

2017-09-01

Recent innovations in processed meats focus on healthier reformulations through reducing negative constituents and/or adding health beneficial ingredients. This study explored the influence of base meat product (ham, sausages, beef burger), salt and/or fat content (reduced or not), healthy ingredients (omega 3, vitamin E, none), and price (average or higher than average) on consumers' purchase intention and quality judgement of processed meats. A survey (n=481) using conjoint methodology and cluster analysis was conducted. Price and base meat product were most important for consumers' purchase intention, followed by healthy ingredient and salt and/or fat content. In reformulation, consumers had a preference for ham and sausages over beef burgers, and for reduced salt and/or fat over non reduction. In relation to healthy ingredients, omega 3 was preferred over none, and vitamin E was least preferred. Healthier reformulations improved the perceived healthiness of processed meats. Cluster analyses identified three consumer segments with different product preferences. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

16 CFR 1115.5 - Reporting of failures to comply with a voluntary consumer product safety standard relied upon by...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... voluntary consumer product safety standard relied upon by the Commission under section 9 of the CPSA. 1115.5 Section 1115.5 Commercial Practices CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY ACT REGULATIONS SUBSTANTIAL PRODUCT HAZARD REPORTS General Interpretation § 1115.5 Reporting of failures to comply...

Functional food. Product development, marketing and consumer acceptance--a review.

PubMed

Siró, István; Kápolna, Emese; Kápolna, Beáta; Lugasi, Andrea

2008-11-01

It was mainly the advances in understanding the relationship between nutrition and health that resulted in the development of the concept of functional foods, which means a practical and new approach to achieve optimal health status by promoting the state of well-being and possibly reducing the risk of disease. Functional foods are found virtually in all food categories, however products are not homogeneously scattered over all segments of the growing market. The development and commerce of these products is rather complex, expensive and risky, as special requirements should be answered. Besides potential technological obstacles, legislative aspects, as well as consumer demands need to be taken into consideration when developing functional food. In particular, consumer acceptance has been recognized as a key factor to successfully negotiate market opportunities. This paper offers a brief overview of the current functional food market situation in USA, Japan and some European countries completed with some comments on functional food future potential. It explores the main challenges of such product development focusing on the different factors determining the acceptance of functional food. Furthermore it discusses some prominent types of these food products currently on the market.

Consumer product in vitro digestion model: Bioaccessibility of contaminants and its application in risk assessment.

PubMed

Brandon, Esther F A; Oomen, Agnes G; Rompelberg, Cathy J M; Versantvoort, Carolien H M; van Engelen, Jacqueline G M; Sips, Adrienne J A M

2006-03-01

This paper describes the applicability of in vitro digestion models as a tool for consumer products in (ad hoc) risk assessment. In current risk assessment, oral bioavailability from a specific product is considered to be equal to bioavailability found in toxicity studies in which contaminants are usually ingested via liquids or food matrices. To become bioavailable, contaminants must first be released from the product during the digestion process (i.e. become bioaccessible). Contaminants in consumer products may be less bioaccessible than contaminants in liquid or food. Therefore, the actual risk after oral exposure could be overestimated. This paper describes the applicability of a simple, reliable, fast and relatively inexpensive in vitro method for determining the bioaccessibility of a contaminant from a consumer product. Different models, representing sucking and/or swallowing were developed. The experimental design of each model can be adjusted to the appropriate exposure scenarios as determined by the risk assessor. Several contaminated consumer products were tested in the various models. Although relevant in vivo data are scare, we succeeded to preliminary validate the model for one case. This case showed good correlation and never underestimated the bioavailability. However, validation check needs to be continued.

16 CFR § 1500.230 - Guidance for lead (Pb) in consumer products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... protect children from hazardous exposure to lead in consumer products. 1 The Commission identifies the... its experience with products that have exposed children to potentially hazardous amounts of lead. 1... requests manufacturers to eliminate the use of lead that may be accessible to children from products used...

Light quality and efficiency of consumer grade solid state lighting products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dam-Hansen, Carsten; Corell, Dennis Dan; Thorseth, Anders; Poulsen, Peter Behrensdorff

2013-03-01

The rapid development in flux and efficiency of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) has resulted in a flooding of the lighting market with Solid State Lighting (SSL) products. Many traditional light sources can advantageously be replaced by SSL products. There are, however, large variations in the quality of these products, and some are not better than the ones they are supposed to replace. A lack of quality demands and standards makes it difficult for consumers to get an overview of the SSL products. Here the results of a two year study investigating SSL products on the Danish market are presented. Focus has been on SSL products for replacement of incandescent lamps and halogen spotlights. The warm white light and good color rendering properties of these traditional light sources are a must for lighting in Denmark and the Nordic countries. 266 SSL replacement lamps have been tested for efficiency and light quality with respect to correlated color temperature and color rendering properties. This shows a trade-off between high color rendering warm white light and energy efficiency. The lumen and color maintenance over time has been investigated and results for products running over 11000 h will be presented. A new internet based SSL product selection tool will be shown. Here the products can be compared on efficiency, light quality parameters, thus providing a better basis for the selection of SSL products for consumers.

76 FR 72439 - Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and Products Containing Same; Receipt of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-23

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [DN 2858] Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and.... International Trade Commission has received a complaint entitled In Re Certain Consumer Electronics and Display... importation of certain consumer electronics and display devices and products containing same. The complaint...

Consumer preference for chicken breast may be more affected by information on organic production than by product sensory properties.

PubMed

Napolitano, F; Castellini, C; Naspetti, S; Piasentier, E; Girolami, A; Braghieri, A

2013-03-01

Conventional chicken from a fast-growing strain (CC), organic chicken from a slow-growing strain (OSG), and organic chicken from a fast-growing strain (OFG) were used to assess descriptive sensory differences between organic and conventional breasts, to verify whether differences were perceived by consumers and to evaluate the effect of information about organic production on liking. A conventional quantitative-descriptive analysis was performed by a trained panel of 10 members on breast slices (1 cm thick) grilled at 300°C. A 150-member consumer panel (from southern, central, and northern Italy) rated CC, OSG, and OFG breasts according to 3 types of evaluation: tasting without information (perceived liking), information without tasting (expected liking), and tasting with information (actual liking). Breasts from different sources were clearly discriminated by the trained panel as meat from CC was perceived more tender than OFG (P < 0.05) and OSG (P < 0.001), more fibrous than OFG (P < 0.05) and OSG (P < 0.001), and leaving more residue than OFG (P < 0.05) and OSG (P < 0.001), whereas OSG was assessed as less juicy before swallowing than OFG and CC (P < 0.05) and less fibrous than OFG (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed by consumers for perceived liking. However, consumer expected liking scores were higher for organic than for conventional products (P < 0.001) and actual liking of organic breasts moved toward the expectancy. In particular, actual liking scores were higher than perceived liking in blind conditions (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01 for OFG and OSG, respectively). We conclude that trained panelists were able to discriminate chicken breasts from different sources, whereas untrained consumers were not. However, consumer liking was markedly affected by the information given on the organic production system, thus providing a tool to differentiate the product in an increasingly competitive market.

Characterization and Prediction of Chemical Functions and Weight Fractions in Consumer Products

EPA Science Inventory

Assessing exposures from the thousands of chemicals in commerce requires quantitative information on the chemical constituents of consumer products. Unfortunately, gaps in available composition data prevent assessment of exposure to chemicals in many products. Here we propose fil...

78 FR 20899 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-08

... BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION [Docket No. CFPB-2013-0008] Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. ACTION: Notice and request for comment. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Consumer Financial...

Household use of insecticide consumer products in a dengue-endemic area in México.

PubMed

Loroño-Pino, María Alba; Chan-Dzul, Yamili N; Zapata-Gil, Rocio; Carrillo-Solís, Claudia; Uitz-Mena, Ana; García-Rejón, Julián E; Keefe, Thomas J; Beaty, Barry J; Eisen, Lars

2014-10-01

To evaluate the household use of insecticide consumer products to kill mosquitoes and other insect pests, as well as the expenditures for using these products, in a dengue-endemic area of México. A questionnaire was administered to 441 households in Mérida City and other communities in Yucatán to assess household use of insecticide consumer products. A total of 86.6% of surveyed households took action to kill insect pests with consumer products. The most commonly used product types were insecticide aerosol spray cans (73.6%), electric plug-in insecticide emitters (37.4%) and mosquito coils (28.3%). Mosquitoes were targeted by 89.7% of households using insecticide aerosol spray cans and >99% of households using electric plug-in insecticide emitters or mosquito coils. Products were used daily or every 2 days in most of the households for insecticide aerosol spray cans (61.4%), electric plug-in insecticide emitters (76.2%) and mosquito coils (82.1%). For all products used to kill insect pests, the median annual estimated expenditure per household that took action was 408 Mexican pesos ($MXN), which corresponded to approximately 31 $US. These numbers are suggestive of an annual market in excess of 75 million $MXN (>5.7 million $US) for Mérida City alone. Mosquitoes threaten human health and are major nuisances in homes in the study area in México. Households were found to have taken vigorous action to kill mosquitoes and other insect pests and spent substantial amounts of money on insecticide consumer products. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Consumer perception of dry-cured sheep meat products: Influence of process parameters under different evoked contexts.

PubMed

de Andrade, Juliana Cunha; Nalério, Elen Silveira; Giongo, Citieli; de Barcellos, Marcia Dutra; Ares, Gastón; Deliza, Rosires

2017-08-01

The development of high-quality air-dried cured sheep meat products adapted to meet consumer demands represent an interesting option to add value to the meat of adult animals. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of process parameters on consumer choice of two products from sheep meat under different evoked contexts, considering product concepts. A total of 375 Brazilian participants completed a choice-based conjoint task with three 2-level variables for each product: maturation time, smoking, and sodium reduction for dry-cured sheep ham, and natural antioxidant, smoking, and sodium reduction for sheep meat coppa. A between-subjects experimental design was used to evaluate the influence of consumption context on consumer choices. All the process parameters significantly influenced consumer choice. However, their relative importance was affected by evoked context. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Firearm advertising: product depiction in consumer gun magazines.

PubMed

Saylor, Elizabeth A; Vittes, Katherine A; Sorenson, Susan B

2004-10-01

In contrast to tobacco, alcohol, and other consumer products associated with health risks, we know very little about how firearm manufacturers advertise their products. The authors examined advertisements for firearms in all 27 ad-accepting magazines listed in Bacon's Magazine Directory "guns and shooting" category. Sixty-three manufacturers spent an estimated $1,195,680 on firearm advertising during the month studied. Annual advertising costs ranged widely; manufacturers spent an estimated $28.16 in advertising per firearm produced. Firearms generally were presented as a part of a lifestyle. Self-protection was noted infrequently in the advertisements. By contrast, attributes of the gun, typically technological characteristics, were noted in almost every advertisement.

Advancing Models and Data for Characterizing Exposures to Chemicals in Consumer Products

EPA Science Inventory

EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) is leading several efforts to develop data and methods for estimating population chemical exposures related to the use of consumer products. New curated chemical, ingredient, and product use information are being collected fro...

Colour and fat content as intrinsic cues for consumers attitudes towards meat product quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ristić, M.; Troeger, K.; Đinović-Stojanović, J.; Knežević, N.; Damnjanović, M.

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate consumers’ attitudes towards sensory properties of chicken, royal and beef salami, meat products from Zlatiborac Meat Company. Sensory evaluation was performed by Serbian consumers (n=1018) in four retail stores (Delhaize) in Belgrade. Consumers were asked for their preference concerning the colour and fat of three selected salami and then completed questionnaire of socio-demographic information including eating behaviour. Selected smoked meat products were evaluated in the DLG Test Center Food, Germany. Consumers, at all education levels and in all age groups, evaluated colour as good and fat as sufficient with a significantly (p<0.05) higher percentage in comparison with other offered answers. All smoked products passed the DLG tests and received “DLG award winner” medals in Gold (73%) or Silver (27%).

16 CFR 1500.88 - Exemptions from lead limits under section 101 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 101 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act for certain electronic devices. 1500.88 Section... from lead limits under section 101 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act for certain electronic devices. (a) The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) provides for specific lead limits...

Fragranced consumer products: effects on asthmatics.

PubMed

Steinemann, Anne

2018-01-01

Fragranced consumer products, such as cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and personal care products, can emit a range of air pollutants and trigger adverse health effects. This study investigates the prevalence and types of effects of fragranced products on asthmatics in the American population. Using a nationally representative sample ( n  = 1137), data were collected with an on-line survey of adults in the USA, of which 26.8% responded as being medically diagnosed with asthma or an asthma-like condition. Results indicate that 64.3% of asthmatics report one or more types of adverse health effects from fragranced products, including respiratory problems (43.3%), migraine headaches (28.2%), and asthma attacks (27.9%). Overall, asthmatics were more likely to experience adverse health effects from fragranced products than non-asthmatics (prevalence odds ratio [POR] 5.76; 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.34-7.64). In particular, 41.0% of asthmatics report health problems from air fresheners or deodorizers, 28.9% from scented laundry products coming from a dryer vent, 42.3% from being in a room cleaned with scented products, and 46.2% from being near someone wearing a fragranced product. Of these effects, 62.8% would be considered disabling under the definition of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Yet 99.3% of asthmatics are exposed to fragranced products at least once a week. Also, 36.7% cannot use a public restroom if it has an air freshener or deodorizer, and 39.7% would enter a business but then leave as quickly as possible due to air fresheners or some fragranced product. Further, 35.4% of asthmatics have lost workdays or a job, in the past year, due to fragranced product exposure in the workplace. More than twice as many asthmatics would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and health care professionals, hotels, and airplanes were fragrance-free rather than fragranced. Results from this study point to relatively simple and cost-effective ways to

Australian Consumers' Awareness and Acceptance of Insects as Food.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Kerry; Muhlhausler, Beverly; Motley, Crystal; Crump, Anna; Bray, Heather; Ankeny, Rachel

2018-04-19

Insects have long been consumed as part of the diets of many Asian, African, and South American cultures. However, despite international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations advocating the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of entomophagy, attitudinal barriers persist in Western societies. In Australia, the indigenous ‘bush tucker’ diet comprising witchetty grubs, honey ants, and Bogong moths is quite well known; however, in most Australian locales, the consumption of insects tends to occur only as a novelty. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the awareness and acceptance of insects as food. An online survey of 820 consumers found that 68% of participants had heard of entomophagy, but only 21% had previously eaten insects; witchetty grubs, ants, grasshoppers, and crickets were the most commonly tasted insects. Taste, appearance, safety, and quality were identified as the factors that were most likely to influence consumer willingness to try eating insects, but consumer attitudes towards entomophagy were underpinned by both food neophobia (i.e., reluctance to eat new or novel foods) and prior consumption of insects. Neophobic consumers were far less accepting of entomophagy than neophilic consumers, while consumers who had previously eaten insects were most accepting of insects as food. Incorporating insects into familiar products (e.g., biscuits) or cooked meals also improved their appeal. Collectively, these findings can be used by the food industry to devise production and/or marketing strategies that overcome barriers to insect consumption in Australia.

76 FR 56454 - Consumer Advisory Committee Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-13

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [DA 11-1493] Consumer Advisory Committee Meeting AGENCY: Federal... its Consumer Advisory Committee (Committee). The purpose of the Committee is to make recommendations to the Commission regarding consumer issues within the jurisdiction of the Commission and to...

Consumer-based optimization of a third-generation product made from peanut and rice flour.

PubMed

Choi, I-D; Phillips, R D; Resurreccion, A V A

2007-09-01

Indirectly puffed snacks were produced by an extrusion process with partially defatted (12% fat) peanut flour (30%, 40%, 50%) at different levels of screw speed (200, 300, 400 rpm) and feed rate (4, 5, 6 kg/h). Extrudates were dried to obtain half-products (11% to 12% MC) followed by puffing with deep-fat frying. The puffed snack prototypes were subjected to consumer acceptance test. Consumers rated higher than 6.0 (= like slightly) for all products produced within the experimental factor ranges on the attributes of crispness and texture, whereas consumer scores for appearance, color, flavor, and overall liking were lower than 6.0 for the product containing 50% peanut flour regardless of screw speed and feed rate. The product extruded with 50% peanut flour at screw speed of 400 rpm and feed rate of 6 kg/h received the lowest score of 5.5 on overall liking in a 9-point hedonic score. Predicted regression models indicated that feed rate had the largest effect on consumer attributes followed by peanut flour and screw speed. From the superimposed contour plot of individual contour plot of consumer attributes, the optimum region was identified as the area beginning at the 42.0% to 43.0% peanut flour and 4.0 kg/h feed rates, rising to a maximum at 45% peanut flour and 4.6 kg/h feed rates and decreasing to the 33.0% to 34.0% peanut flour and 6.0 kg/h feed rates. Verification confirmed the ability of predictive regression models to identify peanut-based snacks, which would be scored higher than 6.0 by consumer evaluation.

Tobacco industry consumer research on smokeless tobacco users and product development.

PubMed

Mejia, Adrienne B; Ling, Pamela M

2010-01-01

Since 2006, RJ Reynolds (RJR) and Philip Morris have both introduced new smokeless "snus" tobacco products. We analyzed previously secret tobacco industry documents describing the history of RJR and Philip Morris's consumer research, smokeless product development, and marketing strategies. We found that RJR had invested in smokeless research, development, and marketing since 1968. RJR first targeted low-income males through sampling and sponsorship at fishing, rodeo, and baseball events, and through advertising portraying the user as "hard working." In the early 1990s, Philip Morris and RJR hoped to attract more urban, female smokeless users. The current "snus" campaigns appear to appeal to these targeted consumers and smokers in smoke-free environments. These efforts may expand the tobacco market and undermine smoking cessation.

Characterization of silver nanoparticles in selected consumer products and its relevance for predicting children's potential exposures.

PubMed

Tulve, Nicolle S; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B; Vance, Marina E; Rogers, Kim; Mwilu, Samuel; LeBouf, Ryan F; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Willis, Robert; Thomas, Treye A; Marr, Linsey C

2015-05-01

Due to their antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used in consumer products intended for use by children or in the home. Children may be especially affected by the normal use of consumer products because of their physiological functions, developmental stage, and activities and behaviors. Despite much research to date, children's potential exposures to AgNPs are not well characterized. Our objectives were to characterize selected consumer products containing AgNPs and to use the data to estimate a child's potential non-dietary ingestion exposure. We identified and cataloged 165 consumer products claiming to contain AgNPs that may be used by or near children or found in the home. Nineteen products (textile, liquid, plastic) were selected for further analysis. We developed a tiered analytical approach to determine silver content, form (particulate or ionic), size, morphology, agglomeration state, and composition. Silver was detected in all products except one sippy cup body. Among products in a given category, silver mass contributions were highly variable and not always uniformly distributed within products, highlighting the need to sample multiple areas of a product. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of AgNPs. Using this data, a child's potential non-dietary ingestion exposure to AgNPs when drinking milk formula from a sippy cup is 1.53 μg Ag/kg. Additional research is needed to understand the number and types of consumer products containing silver and the concentrations of silver in these products in order to more accurately predict children's potential aggregate and cumulative exposures to AgNPs. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

77 FR 61513 - Information Disclosure Under Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-10

... CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION 16 CFR Part 1101 Information Disclosure Under Section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act CFR Correction 0 In Title 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1000 to End, revised as of January 1, 2012, on page 147, in Sec. 1101.25 (a) and (b), the words ``5...

Characterization of silver nanoparticles in selected consumer products and its relevance for predicting children's potential exposures

EPA Science Inventory

Due to their antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used in consumer products intended for use by children or in the home. Children may be especially affected by the normal use of consumer products because of their phy...

What Are the Main Drivers of Young Consumers Purchasing Traditional Food Products? European Field Research.

PubMed

Vlontzos, George; Kyrgiakos, Leonidas; Duquenne, Marie Noelle

2018-02-12

In this research, the attitude of European young adults (age 18 to 30 years) regarding their consumption of local and traditional products was examined. The survey was conducted on a sample of 836 consumers from seven European countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark and France). Data collection was made by distributing a developed questionnaire through social media and university mail services. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify consumer perception comparing the overall sample with two subsets (consumers from Eastern and Western European countries). Six major factors were revealed: consumer behavior, uncertainty about health issues, cost, influence of media and friends and availability in store. Young adults had a positive attitude to local and traditional food products, but they expressed insecurity about health issues. Cost factor had less of an influence on interviewees from Eastern European countries than those from the overall sample (3rd and 5th factor accordingly). Influence of close environment was a different factor in Eastern countries compared to Western ones, for which it was common to see an influence from media. Females and older people (25-30 years old) have fewer doubts about Traditional Food Products, while media have a high influence on consumers' decisions. The aim of this survey was to identify the consumer profiles of young adults and create different promotion strategies of local and traditional products among the two groups of countries.

The Effects of Consumer Education on Consumer Search.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fast, Janet; And Others

1989-01-01

A study investigated the relationship between selected consumer and marketplace characteristics and consumers' prepurchase allocation of search time among information sources (product test reports; dealer sales representatives; advertisements; family and friends). The household production model proved useful; written educational materials appeared…

Development of a Harmonized Database of Reported and Predicted Consumer Product Ingredient Information

EPA Science Inventory

Near-field exposure to chemicals in consumer products has been identified as a significant source of exposure for many chemicals. Quantitative data on product chemical composition and weight fraction is a key parameter for characterizing this exposure. While data on product compo...

Household use of insecticide consumer products in a dengue endemic area in México

PubMed Central

Loroño-Pino, María Alba; Chan-Dzul, Yamili N.; Zapata-Gil, Rocio; Carrillo-Solís, Claudia; Uitz-Mena, Ana; García-Rejón, Julián E.; Keefe, Thomas J.; Beaty, Barry J.; Eisen, Lars

2014-01-01

Objectives To evaluate household use of insecticide consumer products to kill mosquitoes and other insect pests, as well as the expenditures for using these products, in a dengue endemic area in México. Methods A questionnaire was administered to 441 households in Mérida City or other communities in Yucatán State to assess household use of insecticide consumer products. Results Most (86.6%) households took action to kill insect pests with consumer products. Among those households, the most commonly used product types were insecticide aerosol spray cans (73.6%), electric plug-in insecticide emitters (37.4%), and mosquito coils (28.3%). Mosquitoes were targeted by 89.7% of households using insecticide aerosol spray cans and >99% of households using electric plug-in insecticide emitters or mosquito coils. During the part of the year when a given product type was used, the frequency of use was daily or every 2 days in most of the households for insecticide aerosol spray cans (61.4%), electric plug-in insecticide emitters (76.2%), and mosquito coils (82.1%). For all products used to kill insect pests, the median annual estimated expenditure per household that took action was 408 Mexican pesos ($MXN), which corresponded to ∼31 $U.S. These numbers are suggestive of an annual market in excess of 75 million $MXN (>5.7 million $U.S.) for Mérida City alone. Conclusion Mosquitoes threaten human health and are major nuisances in homes in the study area in México. Households were found to have taken vigorous action to kill mosquitoes and other insect pests and spent substantial amounts of money on insecticide consumer products. PMID:25040259

16 CFR 610.2 - Centralized source for requesting annual file disclosures from nationwide consumer reporting...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... provide a consumer report to a third party relating to a consumer, regardless of whether the consumer report is owned by that nationwide consumer reporting agency or by an associated consumer reporting... agency for the purpose of providing consumer reports, provided that the nationwide consumer reporting...

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR MANUFACTURED NANOPARTICLES USED IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS (RAMNUC)

EPA Science Inventory

Most recent scientific efforts have focused on examining toxicities of manufactured nano-particles (MNPs) only in source materials. By not evaluating MNPs at the point of exposure, these efforts fail to address the relevant question of whether or not consumer-product-derived M...

Fragranced consumer products: effects on asthmatic Australians.

PubMed

Steinemann, Anne; Wheeler, Amanda J; Larcombe, Alexander

2018-01-01

Exposure to fragranced consumer products, such as air fresheners and cleaning supplies, is associated with adverse health effects such as asthma attacks, breathing difficulties, and migraine headaches. This study investigated the prevalence and types of health problems associated with exposure to fragranced products among asthmatic Australians. Nationally representative cross-sectional data were obtained in June 2016 with an online survey of adult Australians ( n  = 1098), of which 28.5% were medically diagnosed with asthma or an asthma-like condition. Nationally, 55.6% of asthmatics, and 23.9% of non-asthmatics, report adverse health effects after exposure to fragranced products. Specifically, 24.0% of asthmatics report an asthma attack. Moreover, 18.2% of asthmatics lost workdays or a job in the past year due to fragranced products in the workplace. Over 20% of asthmatics are unable to access public places and restrooms that use air fresheners. Exposure to fragranced products is associated with health problems, some potentially serious, in an estimated 2.2 million asthmatic adult Australians. Asthmatics were proportionately more affected than non-asthmatics (prevalence odds ratio 3.98; 95% confidence interval 3.01-5.24). Most asthmatics would prefer workplaces, healthcare facilities, and environments that are fragrance-free, which could help reduce adverse effects.

76 FR 81789 - Consumer Leasing (Regulation M); Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-29

... BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION 12 CFR Part 1013 [Docket No. CFPB-2011-0026] RIN 3170-AA06 Consumer Leasing (Regulation M); Correction AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. ACTION...). The interim final rule established a new Regulation M (Consumer Leasing) in accordance with the...

Sustainable sheep production and consumer preference trends: compatibilities, contradictions, and unresolved dilemmas.

PubMed

Montossi, F; Font-i-Furnols, M; del Campo, M; San Julián, R; Brito, G; Sañudo, C

2013-12-01

There are increasing concerns of society towards the consumption of animal products which have been produced and transformed in a sustainable manner. This trend influences consumer purchasing decision making, particularly in developed countries. On the other hand, in the next years, the pressure to increase the volume and efficiency of meat production will be much higher to cope with the expected unsatisfied demand. At least in part, current and future technologies could contribute to solve this challenge. However, the use of some of these innovations could have a negative effect on consumer preferences. There is no consensus in our society about this dilemma. The objective of this paper is to review the scientific evidence related to these topics and to analyze and discuss the effect of some of the extrinsic and intrinsic factors linked with the sheep industry which could affect the acceptability of lamb meat by consumers. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 2902.6 - Providing product information to Federal agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Providing product information to Federal agencies. 2902.6 Section 2902.6 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) OFFICE OF ENERGY POLICY AND NEW USES, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNATING BIOBASED PRODUCTS FOR...

Health motivation and product design determine consumers' visual attention to nutrition information on food products.

PubMed

Visschers, Vivianne H M; Hess, Rebecca; Siegrist, Michael

2010-07-01

In the present study we investigated consumers' visual attention to nutrition information on food products using an indirect instrument, an eye tracker. In addition, we looked at whether people with a health motivation focus on nutrition information on food products more than people with a taste motivation. Respondents were instructed to choose one of five cereals for either the kindergarten (health motivation) or the student cafeteria (taste motivation). The eye tracker measured their visual attention during this task. Then respondents completed a short questionnaire. Laboratory of the ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Videos and questionnaires from thirty-two students (seventeen males; mean age 24.91 years) were analysed. Respondents with a health motivation viewed the nutrition information on the food products for longer and more often than respondents with a taste motivation. Health motivation also seemed to stimulate deeper processing of the nutrition information. The student cafeteria group focused primarily on the other information and did this for longer and more often than the health motivation group. Additionally, the package design affected participants' nutrition information search. Two factors appear to influence whether people pay attention to nutrition information on food products: their motivation and the product's design. If the package design does not sufficiently facilitate the localization of nutrition information, health motivation can stimulate consumers to look for nutrition information so that they may make a more deliberate food choice.

Consumer attitude towards sodium reduction in meat products and acceptability of fermented sausages with reduced sodium content.

PubMed

Guàrdia, M D; Guerrero, L; Gelabert, J; Gou, P; Arnau, J

2006-07-01

Lowering salt content in meat products is possible from a technological and sensorial point of view, although little information is available about the consumers' attitude and acceptance of these products. Attitude towards low salt meat products, following the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) proposed by Ajzen, was evaluated by 392 consumers. Acceptability of small calibre fermented sausages with 50% molar substitution of NaCl by six different mixtures of KCl (0-50%) and K-lactate (0-50%) and the control (22g NaCl/kg) was determined by 98 consumers. The preference of the previous best two treatments was compared to the batch control by 279 consumers. In general consumers had a positive attitude towards low salt meat products, being higher for women than for men. Women showed stronger ideas and higher Perceived Control on the Behaviour towards reduced sodium meat products than men. Smokers showed lower intense beliefs than non-smokers. Consumers with a basic level of education were more affected by what other people important for them thought they should do. The final model obtained using the Theory of Planned Behaviour showed a good predictive capacity (R(2)=0.60) and a good internal consistency. Regarding the acceptability study, batches with substitution levels of 50% and 40% by K-lactate, showed lower overall acceptance than the control batch. Significant differences in acceptability were found regarding the gender and place of residence of the consumers. The preference study showed no differences between the batch control and batches with 50% KCl and 40% KCl + 10% of K-lactate substitution levels. According to these results and from a sensorial point of view, it is possible to reduce NaCl content in small calibre fermented sausages by 50% and obtain a product acceptable for consumers.

Tobacco Industry Consumer Research on Smokeless Tobacco Users and Product Development

PubMed Central

Mejia, Adrienne B.

2010-01-01

Since 2006, RJ Reynolds (RJR) and Philip Morris have both introduced new smokeless “snus” tobacco products. We analyzed previously secret tobacco industry documents describing the history of RJR and Philip Morris's consumer research, smokeless product development, and marketing strategies. We found that RJR had invested in smokeless research, development, and marketing since 1968. RJR first targeted low-income males through sampling and sponsorship at fishing, rodeo, and baseball events, and through advertising portraying the user as “hard working.” In the early 1990s, Philip Morris and RJR hoped to attract more urban, female smokeless users. The current “snus” campaigns appear to appeal to these targeted consumers and smokers in smoke-free environments. These efforts may expand the tobacco market and undermine smoking cessation. PMID:19910355

A study of the nonprescription drug consumer's understanding of the ranitidine product label and actual product usage patterns in the treatment of episodic heartburn.

PubMed

Ciociola, A A; Sirgo, M A; Pappa, K A; McGuire, J A; Fung, K

2001-01-01

A study of the consumer's understanding of the product label instructions and the resulting product use were conducted to support the switch of a product from prescription to nonprescription status. H2 receptor antagonists have recently been approved for nonprescription use. This study evaluated the consumer's understanding of the product label for ranitidine hydrochloride (Zantac 75) and the product usage pattern in the treatment of episodic heartburn. Our objectives were to evaluate each aspect of the communication of labeled indications, contraindications, and directions for use of two label formats (old and new) for a new nonprescription preparation of ranitidine (Zantac) and to evaluate nonprescription consumers' use of ranitidine 75-mg tablets (as Zantac 75) in a medically unsupervised, at-home setting to observe whether these consumers used the product appropriately and followed directions as written on the package label. Adult male and female consumers (n = 1405) in a shopping mall environment who were attracted to a poster asking, "Do you have stomach problems?" were recruited for the label comprehension phase (two different label formats) and the 3-week usage phase if after reading the Zantac 75 package label they decided the product was appropriate for them. No instructions regarding the use of Zantac 75 were provided beyond what was printed on the package label. Subjects recorded use in a diary and tablet counts were performed at the end of the study period. A medical history was also taken at this time and an assessment of product use was performed by a physician. In at least 84% of all subjects, both formats were effective in the communication of label objectives for the contraindication against concurrent prescription stomach ulcer medication, maximum daily dose, and maximum duration of dosing at maximum daily doses. The direction to take one tablet per dose was adhered to by 90% of consumers, and 90% of consumers followed the instructions to take no

Use of consumer insight in the new product development process in the meat sector.

PubMed

Grunert, Klaus G; Verbeke, Wim; Kügler, Jens O; Saeed, Faiza; Scholderer, Joachim

2011-11-01

Successful new product development requires input from the market throughout the product development process, from identification of opportunities via screening of ideas, development of concepts, development of physical prototypes and to launch. Drawing on work done in the EU FP6 projects PROSAFEBEEF and Q-PORKCHAINS and a Danish project, all dealing with new product development in the meat sector, it is shown how the use of consumer insight techniques can a) support the identification of market opportunities, b) make sure that technologies applied are acceptable to consumers, c) aid the selection and optimisation of new product concepts and related communication, and d) be used to test product prototypes before final launch. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Issue Papers To Consumer Protection in Postsecondary Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1974

This document is intended to present background information on the basic consumer protection issues in postsecondary education. Topics discussed are: (1) recruitment practices of postsecondary schools; (2) the role of a state agency in consumer protection; (3) consumer rights, responsibilities and redress of consumer protection; (4) advertising…

77 FR 14422 - Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and Products Containing Same; Notice of Receipt...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-09

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [DN 2882] Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and... the U.S. International Trade Commission has received a complaint entitled Certain Consumer Electronics... importation of certain consumer electronics and display devices and products containing same. The complaint...

Effects of carbon fibers on consumer products

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wise, R. A.; Lovett, C. D.

1980-01-01

The potential effects of carbon fibers on consumer products such as dishwashers, microwave ovens, and smoke detectors were investigated. The investigation was divided into two categories to determine the potential faults and hazards that could occur if fibers should enter the electrical circuits of the selected appliances. The categories were a fault analysis and a hazard analysis. Hazards considered were fire, flood, physical harm, explosion, and electrical shock. Electrical shock was found to be a possible occurrence related to carbon fibers. Faults were considered to be any effect on the performance of an appliance which would result in complaint or require service action.

5 CFR 1215.29 - Use of credit reporting agencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... reported to a credit reporting agency. (b) Debts may be reported to consumer or commercial reporting agencies. Consumer reporting agencies are defined in 31 U.S.C. 3701(a)(3) pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(12... Section 1215.29 Administrative Personnel MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDURES DEBT...

Korean Ministry of Environment's web-based visual consumer product exposure and risk assessment system (COPER).

PubMed

Lee, Hunjoo; Lee, Kiyoung; Park, Ji Young; Min, Sung-Gi

2017-05-01

With support from the Korean Ministry of the Environment (ME), our interdisciplinary research staff developed the COnsumer Product Exposure and Risk assessment system (COPER). This system includes various databases and features that enable the calculation of exposure and determination of risk caused by consumer products use. COPER is divided into three tiers: the integrated database layer (IDL), the domain specific service layer (DSSL), and the exposure and risk assessment layer (ERAL). IDL is organized by the form of the raw data (mostly non-aggregated data) and includes four sub-databases: a toxicity profile, an inventory of Korean consumer products, the weight fractions of chemical substances in the consumer products determined by chemical analysis and national representative exposure factors. DSSL provides web-based information services corresponding to each database within IDL. Finally, ERAL enables risk assessors to perform various exposure and risk assessments, including exposure scenario design via either inhalation or dermal contact by using or organizing each database in an intuitive manner. This paper outlines the overall architecture of the system and highlights some of the unique features of COPER based on visual and dynamic rendering engine for exposure assessment model on web.

Meeting Consumers' Information Needs: Putting Research to Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steketee, Drew

The Consumer Information Center is a federal program which encourages federal agencies to develop and release consumer information to the public. It also promotes consumer awareness and access to information through the "Consumer Information Catalog" and a mail order distribution operation. Through research, the Center can learn the…

Determination of the effect of brand and product identification on consumer palatability ratings of ground beef patties.

PubMed

Wilfong, A K; McKillip, K V; Gonzalez, J M; Houser, T A; Unruh, J A; Boyle, E A E; O'Quinn, T G

2016-11-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of brand and product identification on consumer palatability ratings of ground beef patties. Six treatments were used in the study: 90/10 Certified Angus Beef (CAB) ground sirloin, 90/10 ground beef, 80/20 CAB ground chuck, 80/20 ground chuck, 80/20 ground beef, and 73/27 CAB ground beef. Ground beef was processed into 151.2-g patties using a patty former with 2 consecutively formed patties assigned to blind consumer testing and the following 2 assigned to informed testing. Following cooking to 74°C, patties were cut into quarters and served to consumers. Consumers ( = 112) evaluated samples in 2 rounds for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, texture liking, and overall liking. Each trait was also rated as either acceptable or unacceptable. In the first round of testing, samples were blind evaluated, with no information about the treatments provided to consumers, but in the second round, product type and brand were disclosed prior to sample evaluation. Additionally, texture profile and shear force analyses were performed on patties from each treatment. Few differences were observed for palatability traits during blind consumer testing; however, during informed testing, 90/10 CAB ground sirloin was rated greatest ( < 0.05) for all palatability traits other than juiciness. Also, 90/10 CAB ground sirloin had increased ( < 0.05; (consumer informed score - consumer blind score)/consumer blind score) ratings for tenderness (17.4%), juiciness (36.5%), flavor liking (23.3%), texture liking (18.2%), and overall liking (24.7%) due to brand disclosure. Increased ( < 0.05) ratings were found for CAB products for multiple traits due to treatment disclosure, whereas the only non-CAB-branded product that received increased ( < 0.05) ratings during informed testing was 90/10 ground beef for tenderness and juiciness. Texture results indicated that decreased fat level increased hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and

The role of product design in consumers' choices in the individual insurance market.

PubMed

Marquis, M Susan; Buntin, Melinda Beeuwkes; Escarce, José J; Kapur, Kanika

2007-12-01

To evaluate the role of health plan benefit design and price on consumers' decisions to purchase health insurance in the nongroup market and their choice of plan. Administrative data from the three largest nongroup insurers in California and survey data about those insured in the nongroup market and the uninsured in California. We fit a nested logit model to examine the effects of plan characteristics on consumer choice while accounting for substitutability among certain groups of products. Product choice is quite sensitive to price. A 10 percent decrease in the price of a product would increase its market share by about 20 percent. However, a 10 percent decrease in prices of all products would only increase overall market participation by about 4 percent. Changes in the generosity of coverage will also affect product choice, but have only small effects on overall participation. A 20 percent decrease in the deductible or maximum out-of-pocket payment of all plans would increase participation by about 0.3-0.5 percent. Perceived information search costs and other nonprice barriers have substantial effects on purchase of nongroup coverage. Modest subsidies will have small effects on purchase in the nongroup market. New product designs with higher deductibles are likely to be more attractive to healthy purchasers, but the new benefit designs are likely to have only small effects on market participation. In contrast, consumer education efforts have a role to play in helping to expand coverage.

Consumer Preference and Attitude Regarding Online Food Products in Hanoi, Vietnam

PubMed Central

Kim Dang, Anh; Xuan Tran, Bach; Tat Nguyen, Cuong; Thi Le, Huong; Thi Do, Hoa; Duc Nguyen, Hinh; Hoang Nguyen, Long; Huu Nguyen, Tu; Thi Mai, Hue; Dinh Tran, Tho; Ngo, Chau; Thi Minh Vu, Thuc; Latkin, Carl A.; Zhang, Melvyn W.B.

2018-01-01

This study aimed to examine: (1) how the Internet has changed consumers food-buying behavior and identify its associated factors; (2) consumers’ concern about food safety information of online food products. A cross-sectional study was performed from October to December 2015 in Hanoi—a Vietnamese epicenter of food service. One thousand seven hundred and thirty six (1736) customers were randomly chosen from food establishments of 176 communes. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using structured questionnaires. The majority of participants reported using the Internet to search for food products (81.3%). The most crucial factors influencing food purchases through the Internet were convenience (69.1%) and price (59.3%). Only one-third of participants selected products based on accurate evidence about food safety certification or food origin. The majority of participants were concerned about the expiration date (51.6%), while brand (9.8%) and food licensing information (11.3%) were often neglected. People who were:(1) female, (2) highly influenced by online relationships, and (3) having difficulty in doing usual activities were more likely to look for online food products. These findings produce practical advice to consumers when purchasing their desired food products on the Internet, to online food retailers and to the Government of Vietnam to implement appropriate legislation regarding trading online food products. PMID:29757954

The Development of a Bi-Lingual Assessment Instrument to Measure Agentic and Communal Consumer Motives in English and French

PubMed Central

Friedman, Mike; Bartier, Anne-Laure; Lown, Josh; Hopwood, Christopher J.

2016-01-01

Consumer behavior is driven, in part, by the degree to which goods and services appeal to underlying motives for agency and communion. The purpose of this research was to develop a brief individual differences measure of these motivations for use in behavioral research and theoretical and applied consumer psychology and marketing studies. We employed a bi-lingual scale development procedure to create the 10-item Agentic and Communal Consumer Motivation Inventory (ACCMI) in English and French. Two studies show that the ACCMI is language invariant, demonstrates convergent and discriminant validity with consumer, motivational, and interpersonal constructs, and predicts evaluations of products described in agentic and communal terms, respectively, in both languages. The general conclusion of this research is that agency and communion provide a useful framework for understanding and studying consumer buying motivations. Discussion focuses on the relevance of motivational factors for studying human behavior and the applied utility of the ACCMI. PMID:27563295

The Development of a Bi-Lingual Assessment Instrument to Measure Agentic and Communal Consumer Motives in English and French.

PubMed

Friedman, Mike; Bartier, Anne-Laure; Lown, Josh; Hopwood, Christopher J

2016-01-01

Consumer behavior is driven, in part, by the degree to which goods and services appeal to underlying motives for agency and communion. The purpose of this research was to develop a brief individual differences measure of these motivations for use in behavioral research and theoretical and applied consumer psychology and marketing studies. We employed a bi-lingual scale development procedure to create the 10-item Agentic and Communal Consumer Motivation Inventory (ACCMI) in English and French. Two studies show that the ACCMI is language invariant, demonstrates convergent and discriminant validity with consumer, motivational, and interpersonal constructs, and predicts evaluations of products described in agentic and communal terms, respectively, in both languages. The general conclusion of this research is that agency and communion provide a useful framework for understanding and studying consumer buying motivations. Discussion focuses on the relevance of motivational factors for studying human behavior and the applied utility of the ACCMI.

Nutritional properties and consumer evaluation of donkey bresaola and salami: comparison with conventional products.

PubMed

Marino, R; Albenzio, M; Della Malva, A; Muscio, A; Sevi, A

2015-03-01

Nutritional properties and consumer evaluation were performed in bresaola and salami from donkey meat compared with respective conventional products. Donkey bresaola and salami showed higher content of protein and lower content of fat than beef bresaola and pork salami. Significant differences in the unsaturation level of fatty acids were found. Particularly, donkey meat products showed lower saturated fatty acids, higher polyunsatured fatty acid content and better nutritional indices than conventional beef bresaola and pork salami. Furthermore, donkey meat products, especially bresaola, showed the highest content of essential amino acids. Both donkey meat products resulted to be more tender than conventional products, in addition donkey bresaola showed also higher consumer acceptability. Our investigation demonstrates the possibility of processing donkey meat into products comparable to traditional ones with a high nutritional value. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EPHECT III: Health risk assessment of exposure to household consumer products.

PubMed

Trantallidi, M; Dimitroulopoulou, C; Wolkoff, P; Kephalopoulos, S; Carrer, P

2015-12-01

In the framework of the EU EPHECT project (Emissions, Exposure Patterns and Health Effects of Consumer Products in the EU), irritative and respiratory effects were assessed in relation to acute (30-min) and long-term (24-h) inhalation exposure to key and emerging indoor air pollutants emitted during household use of selected consumer products. A detailed Health Risk Assessment (HRA) was performed for five selected pollutants of respiratory health relevance, namely acrolein, formaldehyde, naphthalene, d-limonene and α-pinene. For each pollutant, the Critical Exposure Limit (CEL) was compared to indoor air concentrations and exposure estimates for the use of 15 selected consumer products by two population groups (housekeepers and retired people) in the four geographical regions of Europe (North, West, South, East), which were derived previously based on microenvironmental modelling. For the present HRA, health-based CELs were derived for certain compounds in case indoor air quality guidelines were not available by the World Health Organization for end-points relevant to the current study. For each pollutant, the highest indoor air concentrations in each microenvironment and exposure estimates across home microenvironments during the day were lower than the corresponding acute and long-term CELs. However, considerable contributions, especially to acute exposures, were obtained in some cases, such as formaldehyde emissions resulting from single product use of a floor cleaning agent (82% CEL), a candle (10% CEL) and an electric air freshener (17% CEL). Regarding multiple product use, the case of 30-min formaldehyde exposure reaching 34% CEL when eight product classes were used across home microenvironments, i.e. all-purpose/kitchen/floor cleaning agents, furniture/floor polish, combustible/electric air fresheners, and perfume, needs to be highlighted. Such estimated values should be evaluated with caution, as these may be attributed to the exposure scenarios

Characterization of silver nanoparticles in selected consumer products and its relevance for predicting children’s potential exposures

PubMed Central

Tulve, Nicolle S.; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B.; Vance, Marina E.; Rogers, Kim; Mwilu, Samuel; LeBouf, Ryan F.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Willis, Robert; Thomas, Treye A.; Marr, Linsey C.

2015-01-01

Due to their antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are used in consumer products intended for use by children or in the home. Children may be especially affected by the normal use of consumer products because of their physiological functions, developmental stage, and activities and behaviors. Despite much research to date, children’s potential exposures to AgNPs are not well characterized. Our objectives were to characterize selected consumer products containing AgNPs and to use the data to estimate a child’s potential non-dietary ingestion exposure. We identified and cataloged 165 consumer products claiming to contain AgNPs that may be used by or near children or found in the home. Nineteen products (textile, liquid, plastic) were selected for further analysis. We developed a tiered analytical approach to determine silver content, form (particulate or ionic), size, morphology, agglomeration state, and composition. Silver was detected in all products except one sippy cup body. Among products in a given category, silver mass contributions were highly variable and not always uniformly distributed within products, highlighting the need to sample multiple areas of a product. Electron microscopy confirmed the presence of AgNPs. Using this data, a child’s potential non-dietary ingestion exposure to AgNPs when drinking milk formula from a sippy cup is 1.53 μg Ag/kg. Additional research is needed to understand the number and types of consumer products containing silver and the concentrations of silver in these products in order to more accurately predict children’s potential aggregate and cumulative exposures to AgNPs. PMID:25747543

From electronic consumer products to e-wastes: Global outlook, waste quantities, recycling challenges.

PubMed

Tansel, Berrin

2017-01-01

Advancements in technology, materials development, and manufacturing processes have changed the consumer products and composition of municipal solid waste (MSW) since 1960s. Increasing quantities of discarded consumer products remain a major challenge for recycling efforts, especially for discarded electronic products (also referred as e-waste). The growing demand for high tech products has increased the e-waste quantities and its cross boundary transport globally. This paper reviews the challenges associated with increasing e-waste quantities. The increasing need for raw materials (especially for rare earth and minor elements) and unregulated e-waste recycling operations in developing and underdeveloped counties contribute to the growing concerns for e-waste management. Although the markets for recycled materials are increasing; there are major challenges for development of the necessary infrastructure for e-waste management and accountability as well as development of effective materials recovery technologies and product design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Made with Renewable Energy: How and Why Companies are Labeling Consumer Products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker Brannan, D.; Heeter, J.; Bird, L.

Green marketing--a marketing strategy highlighting the environmental attributes of a product, often through the use of labels or logos--dates back to the 1970s. It did not proliferate until the 1990s, however, when extensive market research identified a rapidly growing group of consumers with a heightened concern for the environment. This group expressed not only a preference for green products but also a willingness to pay a premium for such products. The response was a surge in green marketing that lasted through the early 1990s. This report discusses the experience of companies that communicate to consumers that their products are 'mademore » with renewable energy.' For this report, representatives from 20 companies were interviewed and asked to discuss their experiences marketing products produced using renewable energy. The first half of this report provides an overview of the type of companies that have labeled products or advertised them as being made with renewable energy. It also highlights the avenues companies use to describe their use of renewable energy. The second half of the report focuses on the motivations for making on-product claims about the use of renewable energy and the challenges in doing so.« less

Signalling product healthiness through symbolic package cues: Effects of package shape and goal congruence on consumer behaviour.

PubMed

van Ooijen, Iris; Fransen, Marieke L; Verlegh, Peeter W J; Smit, Edith G

2017-02-01

Three studies show that product packaging shape serves as a cue that communicates healthiness of food products. Inspired by embodiment accounts, we show that packaging that simulates a slim body shape acts as a symbolic cue for product healthiness (e.g., low in calories), as opposed to packaging that simulates a wide body shape. Furthermore, we show that the effect of slim package shape on consumer behaviour is goal dependent. Whereas simulation of a slim (vs. wide) body shape increases choice likelihood and product attitude when consumers have a health-relevant shopping goal, packaging shape does not affect these outcomes when consumers have a hedonic shopping goal. In Study 3, we adopt a realistic shopping paradigm using a shelf with authentic products, and find that a slim (as opposed to wide) package shape increases on-shelf product recognition and increases product attitude for healthy products. We discuss results and implications regarding product positioning and the packaging design process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What Are the Main Drivers of Young Consumers Purchasing Traditional Food Products? European Field Research

PubMed Central

Kyrgiakos, Leonidas

2018-01-01

In this research, the attitude of European young adults (age 18 to 30 years) regarding their consumption of local and traditional products was examined. The survey was conducted on a sample of 836 consumers from seven European countries (Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark and France). Data collection was made by distributing a developed questionnaire through social media and university mail services. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify consumer perception comparing the overall sample with two subsets (consumers from Eastern and Western European countries). Six major factors were revealed: consumer behavior, uncertainty about health issues, cost, influence of media and friends and availability in store. Young adults had a positive attitude to local and traditional food products, but they expressed insecurity about health issues. Cost factor had less of an influence on interviewees from Eastern European countries than those from the overall sample (3rd and 5th factor accordingly). Influence of close environment was a different factor in Eastern countries compared to Western ones, for which it was common to see an influence from media. Females and older people (25–30 years old) have fewer doubts about Traditional Food Products, while media have a high influence on consumers’ decisions. The aim of this survey was to identify the consumer profiles of young adults and create different promotion strategies of local and traditional products among the two groups of countries. PMID:29439536

The Public Health Challenge of Consumer Non-Compliance to Toy Product Recalls and Proposed Solutions

PubMed Central

Yu, Xiayang

2018-01-01

This paper addresses the public health issue of toy product recalls in the United States, an under-addressed topic in scholarly literature, yet highly relevant to the prevention of pediatric injuries. Toy-related injuries led to 274,000 emergency room visits and seven fatalities in 2016 in the United States, and toy-related injury rates have remained stable over the last five years despite declining incidences of recalls. While dangerous toys not being recalled and the misuse of “safe” products are possible contributing factors, consumer non-response to recall notices also contributes to unintentional child injury from dangerous toys. We discuss the process of recalling toys, and the role of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in that process. We also review potential factors behind significant consumer non-response to recall notifications, citing economic and psychological theories as explanations for the actions of multiple stakeholders in the recall process. We close by proposing reforms at the regulatory, consumer, and retailer levels that might boost compliance with recall notifications and ultimately reduce injury morbidity and mortality. PMID:29562602

Nursing home consumer complaints and their potential role in assessing quality of care.

PubMed

Stevenson, David G

2005-02-01

State survey agencies collect and investigate consumer complaints for care in nursing homes and other health care settings. Complaint investigations play a key role in quality assurance, because they can respond to concerns of consumers and families. This study uses 5 years of nursing home complaints data from Massachusetts (1998-2002) to investigate whether complaints might be used to assess nursing home quality of care. The investigator matches facility-level complaints data with On-Line Survey Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data and Minimum Data Set Quality Indicator (MDS QI) data to evaluate the association between consumer complaints, facility and resident characteristics, and other nursing home quality measures. Consumer complaints varied across facility characteristics in ways consistent with the nursing home quality literature. Complaints were consistently and significantly associated with survey deficiencies, the presence of a serious survey deficiency, and nurse aide staffing. Complaints were not significantly associated with nurse staffing, and associations with 6 MDS QIs were mixed. The number of complaints was significantly predictive of survey deficiencies identified at the subsequent inspection. Nursing home consumer complaints provide a supplemental tool with which to differentiate nursing homes on quality. Despite limitations, complaints data have potential strengths when used in combination with other quality measures. The potential of using consumer complaints to assess nursing home quality of care should be evaluated in states beyond Massachusetts. Evaluating consumer complaints also might be a productive area of inquiry for other health care settings such as hospitals and home health agencies.

Modeling population exposures to silver nanoparticles present in consumer products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royce, Steven G.; Mukherjee, Dwaipayan; Cai, Ting; Xu, Shu S.; Alexander, Jocelyn A.; Mi, Zhongyuan; Calderon, Leonardo; Mainelis, Gediminas; Lee, KiBum; Lioy, Paul J.; Tetley, Teresa D.; Chung, Kian Fan; Zhang, Junfeng; Georgopoulos, Panos G.

2014-11-01

Exposures of the general population to manufactured nanoparticles (MNPs) are expected to keep rising due to increasing use of MNPs in common consumer products (PEN 2014). The present study focuses on characterizing ambient and indoor population exposures to silver MNPs (nAg). For situations where detailed, case-specific exposure-related data are not available, as in the present study, a novel tiered modeling system, Prioritization/Ranking of Toxic Exposures with GIS (geographic information system) Extension (PRoTEGE), has been developed: it employs a product life cycle analysis (LCA) approach coupled with basic human life stage analysis (LSA) to characterize potential exposures to chemicals of current and emerging concern. The PRoTEGE system has been implemented for ambient and indoor environments, utilizing available MNP production, usage, and properties databases, along with laboratory measurements of potential personal exposures from consumer spray products containing nAg. Modeling of environmental and microenvironmental levels of MNPs employs probabilistic material flow analysis combined with product LCA to account for releases during manufacturing, transport, usage, disposal, etc. Human exposure and dose characterization further employ screening microenvironmental modeling and intake fraction methods combined with LSA for potentially exposed populations, to assess differences associated with gender, age, and demographics. Population distributions of intakes, estimated using the PRoTEGE framework, are consistent with published individual-based intake estimates, demonstrating that PRoTEGE is capable of capturing realistic exposure scenarios for the US population. Distributions of intakes are also used to calculate biologically relevant population distributions of uptakes and target tissue doses through human airway dosimetry modeling that takes into account product MNP size distributions and age-relevant physiological parameters.

Functional and organic eggs as an alternative to conventional production: a conjoint analysis of consumers' preferences.

PubMed

Mesías, Francisco J; Martínez-Carrasco, Federico; Martínez, José M; Gaspar, Paula

2011-02-01

In the current context of growing consumer demand for foodstuffs that are healthy and safe and that are obtained in a manner respectful to the welfare of animals, the analysis of consumer preferences towards attributes of this type takes on particular importance. These trends are especially clear in the case of the consumption of eggs because of their strong negative association with cholesterol levels and their extremely intensive systems of production. The introduction of variants that are more in harmony with current consumer demands represents an interesting market alternative. The present study was aimed at investigating the preferences of Spanish consumers for these alternative types of egg that are entering the market. The survey was conducted with 361 consumers from October 2007 to March 2008. The conjoint analysis allowed us to estimate the relative importance of the main attributes that affect consumer preferences for eggs and to distinguish segments of consumers with similar preference profiles. It was found that price is the most important attribute determining consumer preferences, followed by the hens' feed and their rearing conditions. It was also found that only some groups of consumers are willing to pay the premium necessary for alternative methods of production. 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

Development of a Consumer Product Ingredient Database for Chemical ExposureScreening and Prioritization

EPA Science Inventory

Consumer products are a primary source of chemical exposures, yet little structured information is available on the chemical ingredients of these products and the concentrations at which ingredients are present. To address this data gap, we created a database of chemicals in cons...

The Role of Product Design in Consumers' Choices in the Individual Insurance Market

PubMed Central

Marquis, M Susan; Buntin, Melinda Beeuwkes; Escarce, José J; Kapur, Kanika

2007-01-01

Objective To evaluate the role of health plan benefit design and price on consumers' decisions to purchase health insurance in the nongroup market and their choice of plan. Data Sources and Study Setting Administrative data from the three largest nongroup insurers in California and survey data about those insured in the nongroup market and the uninsured in California. Study Design We fit a nested logit model to examine the effects of plan characteristics on consumer choice while accounting for substitutability among certain groups of products. Principal Findings Product choice is quite sensitive to price. A 10 percent decrease in the price of a product would increase its market share by about 20 percent. However, a 10 percent decrease in prices of all products would only increase overall market participation by about 4 percent. Changes in the generosity of coverage will also affect product choice, but have only small effects on overall participation. A 20 percent decrease in the deductible or maximum out-of-pocket payment of all plans would increase participation by about 0.3–0.5 percent. Perceived information search costs and other nonprice barriers have substantial effects on purchase of nongroup coverage. Conclusions Modest subsidies will have small effects on purchase in the nongroup market. New product designs with higher deductibles are likely to be more attractive to healthy purchasers, but the new benefit designs are likely to have only small effects on market participation. In contrast, consumer education efforts have a role to play in helping to expand coverage. PMID:17995560

Emission characteristics of VOCs emitted from consumer and commercial products and their ozone formation potential.

PubMed

Dinh, Trieu-Vuong; Kim, Su-Yeon; Son, Youn-Suk; Choi, In-Young; Park, Seong-Ryong; Sunwoo, Young; Kim, Jo-Chun

2015-06-01

The characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from several consumer and commercial products (body wash, dishwashing detergent, air freshener, windshield washer fluid, lubricant, hair spray, and insecticide) were studied and compared. The spray products were found to emit the highest amount of VOCs (~96 wt%). In contrast, the body wash products showed the lowest VOC contents (~1.6 wt%). In the spray products, 21.6-96.4 % of the VOCs were propane, iso-butane, and n-butane, which are the components of liquefied petroleum gas. Monoterpene (C10H16) was the dominant component of the VOCs in the non-spray products (e.g., body wash, 53-88 %). In particular, methanol was present with the highest amount of VOCs in windshield washer fluid products. In terms of the number of carbon, the windshield washer fluids, lubricants, insecticides, and hair sprays comprised >95 % of the VOCs in the range C2-C5. The VOCs in the range C6-C10 were predominantly found in the body wash products. The dishwashing detergents and air fresheners contained diverse VOCs from C2 to C11. Besides comprising hazardous VOCs, VOCs from consumer products were also ozone precursors. The ozone formation potential of the consumer and commercial spray products was estimated to be higher than those of liquid and gel materials. In particular, the hair sprays showed the highest ozone formation potential.

Perception of oyster-based products by French consumers. The effect of processing and role of social representations.

PubMed

Debucquet, Gervaise; Cornet, Josiane; Adam, Isabelle; Cardinal, Mireille

2012-12-01

The search for new markets in the seafood sector, associated with the question of the continuity of raw oyster consumption over generations can be an opportunity for processors to extend their ranges with oyster-based products. The twofold aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of processing and social representation on perception of oyster-based products by French consumers and to identify the best means of development in order to avoid possible failure in the market. Five products with different degrees of processing (cooked oysters in a half-shell, hot preparation for toast, potted oyster, oyster butter and oyster-based soup) were presented within focus groups and consumer tests, at home and in canteens with the staff of several companies in order to reach consumers with different ages and professional activities. The results showed that social representation had a strong impact and that behaviours were contrasted according to the initial profile of the consumer (traditional raw oyster consumers or non-consumers) and their age distribution (younger and older people). The degree of processing has to be adapted to each segment. It is suggested to develop early exposure to influence the food choices and preferences of the youngest consumers on a long-term basis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the California Safer Consumer Products Regulation and the impact on consumers and product manufacturers.

PubMed

Cowan, Dallas M; Kingsbury, Tony; Perez, Angela L; Woods, Tyler A; Kovochich, Michael; Hill, Denise S; Madl, Amy K; Paustenbach, Dennis J

2014-02-01

Chemistry enables more than 95% of products in the marketplace. Over the past 20 years, various entities began to generate inventories of chemicals ("chemical watch lists") potentially associated with human or environmental health risks. Some lists included thousands of chemicals, while others listed only a few chemistries with limited properties or toxicological endpoints (e.g., neurotoxicants). Enacted on October 1, 2013, the California Safer Consumer Products Regulation (SCP) utilized data from chemical inventory lists to create one master list. This paper aims to discuss the background and requirements of this regulation. Additionally, we wanted to understand the universe of Candidate Chemicals identified by the Regulation. Data from all 23 chemical lists identified in the SCP Regulation were entered into a database. The most prevalent chemicals among the ∼2900 chemicals are identified, including the most prevalent chemical, lead, appearing on 65% of lists, followed by DEHP (52%), perchloroethylene (48%), and benzene (48%). Our results indicated that the most prevalent Candidate Chemicals were either persistent, bioaccumulative, carcinogenic, or reprotoxic. This regulation will have wide-ranging impact in California and throughout the global supply chain, which is highlighted through selected examples and case studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization and prediction of chemical functions and weight fractions in consumer products.

PubMed

Isaacs, Kristin K; Goldsmith, Michael-Rock; Egeghy, Peter; Phillips, Katherine; Brooks, Raina; Hong, Tao; Wambaugh, John F

2016-01-01

Assessing exposures from the thousands of chemicals in commerce requires quantitative information on the chemical constituents of consumer products. Unfortunately, gaps in available composition data prevent assessment of exposure to chemicals in many products. Here we propose filling these gaps via consideration of chemical functional role. We obtained function information for thousands of chemicals from public sources and used a clustering algorithm to assign chemicals into 35 harmonized function categories (e.g., plasticizers, antimicrobials, solvents). We combined these functions with weight fraction data for 4115 personal care products (PCPs) to characterize the composition of 66 different product categories (e.g., shampoos). We analyzed the combined weight fraction/function dataset using machine learning techniques to develop quantitative structure property relationship (QSPR) classifier models for 22 functions and for weight fraction, based on chemical-specific descriptors (including chemical properties). We applied these classifier models to a library of 10196 data-poor chemicals. Our predictions of chemical function and composition will inform exposure-based screening of chemicals in PCPs for combination with hazard data in risk-based evaluation frameworks. As new information becomes available, this approach can be applied to other classes of products and the chemicals they contain in order to provide essential consumer product data for use in exposure-based chemical prioritization.

41 CFR 101-26.602 - Fuels and packaged petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. 101-26.602 Section 101-26.602... Logistics Agency. (a) Agencies shall be governed by the provisions of this § 101-26.602 in satisfying... petroleum products from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. (b) The Defense Logistics Agency has been...

41 CFR 101-26.602 - Fuels and packaged petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. 101-26.602 Section 101-26.602... Logistics Agency. (a) Agencies shall be governed by the provisions of this § 101-26.602 in satisfying... petroleum products from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. (b) The Defense Logistics Agency has been...

41 CFR 101-26.602 - Fuels and packaged petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. 101-26.602 Section 101-26.602... Logistics Agency. (a) Agencies shall be governed by the provisions of this § 101-26.602 in satisfying... petroleum products from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. (b) The Defense Logistics Agency has been...

41 CFR 101-26.602 - Fuels and packaged petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. 101-26.602 Section 101-26.602... Logistics Agency. (a) Agencies shall be governed by the provisions of this § 101-26.602 in satisfying... petroleum products from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. (b) The Defense Logistics Agency has been...

41 CFR 101-26.602 - Fuels and packaged petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... petroleum products obtained from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. 101-26.602 Section 101-26.602... Logistics Agency. (a) Agencies shall be governed by the provisions of this § 101-26.602 in satisfying... petroleum products from or through the Defense Logistics Agency. (b) The Defense Logistics Agency has been...

16 CFR 0.17 - Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Bureau of Consumer Protection. 0.17 Section... ORGANIZATION § 0.17 Bureau of Consumer Protection. The Bureau investigates unfair or deceptive acts or..., and international agencies and organizations in consumer protection enforcement and regulatory matters...

Protection for the Consumer; Business Education: 6463.07.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finora, Daniel

This course is designed to acquaint the student with the functions, criticisms, costs, and consumer analysis of advertising; Federal and State regulations of industry operation and advertising; Federal, State, and city agencies for consumer protection; private and business-sponsored organizations for consumer protection; and rights and…

Litter P content drives consumer production in detritus-based streams spanning an experimental N:P gradient.

PubMed

Demi, Lee M; Benstead, Jonathan P; Rosemond, Amy D; Maerz, John C

2018-02-01

Ecological stoichiometry theory (EST) is a key framework for predicting how variation in N:P supply ratios influences biological processes, at molecular to ecosystem scales, by altering the availability of C, N, and P relative to organismal requirements. We tested EST predictions by fertilizing five forest streams at different dissolved molar N:P ratios (2, 8, 16, 32, 128) for two years and tracking responses of macroinvertebrate consumers to the resulting steep experimental gradient in basal resource stoichiometry (leaf litter %N, %P, and N:P). Nitrogen and P content of leaf litter, the dominant basal resource, increased in all five streams following enrichment, with steepest responses in litter %P and N:P ratio. Additionally, increases in primary consumer biomass and production occurred in all five streams following N and P enrichment (averages across all streams: biomass by 1.2×, production by 1.6×). Patterns of both biomass and production were best predicted by leaf litter N:P and %P and were unrelated to leaf litter %N. Primary consumer production increased most in streams where decreases in leaf litter N:P were largest. Macroinvertebrate predator biomass and production were also strongly positively related to litter %P, providing robust experimental evidence for the primacy of P limitation at multiple trophic levels in these ecosystems. However, production of predatory macroinvertebrates was not related directly to primary consumer production, suggesting the importance of additional controls for macroinvertebrates at upper trophic positions. Our results reveal potential drivers of animal production in detritus-based ecosystems, including the relative importance of resource quality vs. quantity. Our study also sheds light on the more general impacts of variation in N:P supply ratio on nutrient-poor ecosystems, providing strong empirical support for predictions that nutrient enrichment increases food web productivity whenever large elemental imbalances

78 FR 31897 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; CPSC Table Saw...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-28

... Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) survey about their usage of, and opinions about, the modular blade... Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request; CPSC Table Saw User Survey AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety... comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on a survey of table saw users to...

The experience of agency in sequence production with altered auditory feedback.

PubMed

Couchman, Justin J; Beasley, Robertson; Pfordresher, Peter Q

2012-03-01

When speaking or producing music, people rely in part on auditory feedback - the sounds associated with the performed action. Three experiments investigated the degree to which alterations of auditory feedback (AAF) during music performances influence the experience of agency (i.e., the sense that your actions led to auditory events) and the possible link between agency and the disruptive effect of AAF on production. Participants performed short novel melodies from memory on a keyboard. Auditory feedback during performances was manipulated with respect to its pitch contents and/or its synchrony with actions. Participants rated their experience of agency after each trial. In all experiments, AAF reduced judgments of agency across conditions. Performance was most disrupted (measured by error rates and slowing) when AAF led to an ambiguous experience of agency, suggesting that there may be some causal relationship between agency and disruption. However, analyses revealed that these two effects were probably independent. A control experiment verified that performers can make veridical judgments of agency. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Consumer products and activities associated with dental injuries to children treated in United States emergency departments, 1990-2003.

PubMed

Stewart, Gregory B; Shields, Brenda J; Fields, Sarah; Comstock, R Dawn; Smith, Gary A

2009-08-01

Describe the association of consumer products and activities with dental injuries among children 0-17 years of age treated in United States emergency departments. A retrospective analysis of data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, 1990-2003. There was an average of 22 000 dental injuries annually among children <18 years of age during the study period, representing an average annual rate of 31.6 dental injuries per 100 000 population. Children with primary dentition (<7 years) sustained over half of the dental injuries recorded, and products/activities associated with home structures/furniture were the leading contributors. Floors, steps, tables, and beds were the consumer products within the home most associated with dental injuries. Outdoor recreational products/activities were associated with the largest number of dental injuries among children with mixed dentition (7-12 years); almost half of these were associated with the bicycle, which was the consumer product associated with the largest number of dental injuries. Among children with permanent teeth (13- to 17-year olds), sports-related products/activities were associated with the highest number of dental injuries. Of all sports, baseball and basketball were associated with the largest number of dental injuries. To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate dental injuries among children using a national sample. We identified the leading consumer products/activities associated with dental injuries to children with primary, mixed, and permanent dentition. Knowledge of these consumer products/activities allows for more focused and effective prevention strategies.

77 FR 21584 - Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and Products Containing Same; Institution of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-10

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Inv. No. 337-TA-836] Certain Consumer Electronics and Display... electronics and display devices and products containing same by reason of infringement of certain claims of U... importation, or the sale within the United States after importation of certain consumer electronics and...

The Community is Your Classroom in Consumer Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fetterman, Elsie

1975-01-01

The article discusses a few of the consumer education resources (outside speakers, field trips, newspapers and other media, consumer organizations, credit bureaus, Federal and State agencies, and the Consumer Resource Directory) that are available to teachers in most communities and offers suggestions on how to effectively use them. (BP)

The voice of the customer--Part 2: Benchmarking battery chargers against the Consumer's Ideal Product.

PubMed

Bauer, S M; Lane, J P; Stone, V I; Unnikrishnan, N

1998-01-01

The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Technology Evaluation and Transfer is exploring how the end users of assistive technology devices define the ideal device. This work is called the Consumer Ideal Product program. In this work, end users identify and establish the importance of a broad range of product design features, along with the related product support and service provided by manufacturers and vendors. This paper describes a method for systematically transforming end-user defined requirements into a form that is useful and accessible to product designers, manufacturers, and vendors. In particular, product requirements, importance weightings, and metrics are developed from the Consumer Ideal Product battery charger outcomes. Six battery charges are benchmarked against these product requirements using the metrics developed. The results suggest improvements for each product's design, service, and support. Overall, the six chargers meet roughly 45-75% of the ideal product's requirements. Many of the suggested improvements are low-cost changes that, if adopted, could provide companies a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Development of Product Categories Linking Ingredient Data and Consumer Habits and Practices for Exposure Prediction

EPA Science Inventory

Consumer product categorizations in models of near-field (residential) exposures to must provide a bridge between habits and practices information (Why is the product used? Who uses the product? How much do they use? How often do they use it?) and product ingredients (What chemic...

76 FR 57682 - Petition Requesting Regulations Restricting Cadmium in Children's Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-16

... Requesting Regulations Restricting Cadmium in Children's Products AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission...'') has received a petition requesting standards restricting cadmium in children's products, especially... to begin drafting a proposed rule unless a voluntary standard for cadmium in children's jewelry is...

Risk assessment of consuming agricultural products irrigated with reclaimed wastewater: An exposure model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Ginneken, Meike; Oron, Gideon

2000-09-01

This study assesses health risks to consumers due to the use of agricultural products irrigated with reclaimed wastewater. The analysis is based on a definition of an exposure model which takes into account several parameters: (1) the quality of the applied wastewater, (2) the irrigation method, (3) the elapsed times between irrigation, harvest, and product consumption, and (4) the consumers' habits. The exposure model is used for numerical simulation of human consumers' risks using the Monte Carlo simulation method. The results of the numerical simulation show large deviations, probably caused by uncertainty (impreciseness in quality of input data) and variability due to diversity among populations. There is a 10-orders of magnitude difference in the risk of infection between the different exposure scenarios with the same water quality. This variation indicates the need for setting risk-based criteria for wastewater reclamation rather than single water quality guidelines. Extra data are required to decrease uncertainty in the risk assessment. Future research needs to include definition of acceptable risk criteria, more accurate dose-response modeling, information regarding pathogen survival in treated wastewater, additional data related to the passage of pathogens into and in the plants during irrigation, and information regarding the behavior patterns of the community of human consumers.

Developing a rich definition of the person/residence to support models of consumer product usage

EPA Science Inventory

Characterizing interindividual variation in combined chemical exposures from the use of consumer products is a challenge because of the complexity of these exposures. There are many products commercially available and individuals use combinations of products dictated by their spe...

Consumer use and understanding of labelling information on edible marijuana products sold for recreational use in the states of Colorado and Washington.

PubMed

Kosa, Katherine M; Giombi, Kristen C; Rains, Caroline B; Cates, Sheryl C

2017-05-01

In 2014, the states of Colorado and Washington began allowing retail sales of marijuana for recreational use. The regulatory agencies in these states have implemented specific labelling requirements for edible marijuana products sold for recreational use to help address concerns such as delayed activation time, accidental ingestion, and proper dosing. We conducted 12 focus groups with 94 adult consumers and nonconsumers of edibles in Denver and Seattle to collect information on their use and understanding of labelling information on edible marijuana products sold for recreational use. Specifically, we asked participants about the usefulness, attractiveness, ease of comprehension, relevancy, and acceptability of the label information. Some focus group participants look for and read specific information, such as the potency profile and serving size statement, but do not read or were unfamiliar with other labelling features. The focus groups revealed that participants have some concerns about the current labelling of edibles. In particular, participants were concerned that there is too much information on the labels so consumers may not read the label, there is no obvious indication that the product contains marijuana (e.g., a Universal Symbol), and the information on consumption advice is not clear. Participants in both locations suggested that education in a variety of formats, such as web- and video-based education, would be useful in informing consumers about the possible risks of edibles. The focus group findings suggest that improvements are needed in the labelling of edibles to prevent unintentional ingestion among adult nonusers and help ensure proper dosing and safe consumption among adult users. These findings, along with lessons learned from Colorado and Washington, can help inform the labelling of edibles as additional states allow the sale of edibles for recreational use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of broiler production system practices on consumer perceptions of animal welfare.

PubMed

de Jonge, Janneke; van Trijp, Hans C M

2013-12-01

This research explores the extent to which different farm management practices influence the perceived animal friendliness of broiler production systems, and how this differs between individuals. Using a conjoint design with paired comparisons, respondents evaluated broiler production systems that were described on the basis of 7 animal welfare-related practices. It was found that practices in the area of outdoor access, stocking density, and day-night rhythm were overall perceived to have a larger impact on perceptions of animal friendliness than other practices, such as transport duration or the type of breed used. However, individuals differed regarding the extent to which they believed the different farm management practices influenced the animal friendliness of the production system. Differences between individuals regarding their knowledge about and familiarity with livestock farming, degree of anthropomorphism, and their moral beliefs regarding animal welfare partly explained the relative importance individuals attached to farm management practices. The obtained insight into which welfare-related farm management practices, in consumers' minds, most strongly contribute to animal welfare, and the existence of differences between consumers, can be helpful in the development of animal welfare-based certification schemes that are appealing to consumers, as well as the positioning of welfare concepts in the market.

Consumer attitude and purchase intention towards processed meat products with natural compounds and a reduced level of nitrite.

PubMed

Hung, Yung; de Kok, Theo M; Verbeke, Wim

2016-11-01

This study investigates consumer attitude and purchase intention towards processed meat products with added natural compounds and a reduced level of nitrite. The rationale for such innovation relates to nitrite's negative health image as a chemical additive among consumers, versus the perception of compounds from fruits and vegetables as being natural and healthy. Cross-sectional data were collected through online questionnaires on knowledge about, interest in, attitude and intentions towards such new type of processed meat products in Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy and Germany (n=2057). Consumers generally had limited knowledge about nitrite being added to meat products. Yet, they expressed favourable attitudes and purchase intentions towards the new processed meat products. Purchase intention associated positively with: attitude; preference for natural over chemical additives; perceived harmfulness of chemical additives; risk importance; domain specific innovativeness; awareness of nitrite added; education; general health interest; and processed meat consumption frequency. Consumers from Italy and Germany had a lower level of purchase intention compared to Belgium. Four consumer segments were identified based on attitude and purchase intention: 'enthusiasts' (39.3% of the sample), 'accepters' (11.9%), 'half-hearted' (42.3%) and 'uninterested' (6.6%). This study provides valuable insight for further product development and effective tailoring of marketing communication strategies of innovative processed meat products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumer Attitudes Toward Animal Welfare-Friendly Products and Willingness to Pay: Exploration of Mexican Market Segments.

PubMed

Miranda-de la Lama, Genaro C; Estévez-Moreno, Laura X; Villarroel, Morris; Rayas-Amor, Adolfo A; María, Gustavo A; Sepúlveda, Wilmer S

2018-04-03

The study aim was to identify consumer segmentation based on nonhuman animal welfare (AW) attitudes and their relationship with demographic features and willingness to pay (WTP) for welfare-friendly products (WFP) in Mexico. Personal interviews were conducted with 843 Mexican consumers who stated they purchased most of the animal products in their home. Respondents were selected using a quota sampling method with age, gender, education, and origin as quota control variables. The multivariate analysis suggested there were three clusters or consumer profiles labeled "skeptical," "concerned," and "ethical," which helped explain the association between AW attitudes, some demographic variables, and WTP for WFP. This study is one of the first to address consumer profiling in Latin America, and the findings could have implications for the commercialization of WFP. Hence, customers should receive information to consider welfare innovations when deciding to purchase animal products. The growth of the WFP food market establishes an element of a far more multifaceted phenomenon of sustainable consumption and support of a new paradigm called responsible marketing in emerging markets such as Mexico.

Comparison of static and dynamic sensory product characterizations based on check-all-that-apply questions with consumers.

PubMed

Alcaire, Florencia; Antúnez, Lucía; Vidal, Leticia; Zorn, Shari; Giménez, Ana; Castura, John C; Ares, Gastón

2017-07-01

The aim of the present work was to compare static and dynamic sensory product characterizations based on check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions with consumers. Three studies involving a total of 310 consumers were carried out. In each study, a between-subjects experimental design was used to compare static sensory characterizations obtained using CATA questions with dynamic characterizations over a relatively short time period using temporal CATA (TCATA). Three different product categories were evaluated (orange juice, strawberry yogurt, and vanilla milk desserts) using 6-11 sensory terms. TCATA data were analysed as CATA considering fixed time periods throughout the evaluation. CATA and TCATA were compared in terms of frequency of use of the terms, sample discrimination, and sample and term configurations. Asking consumers to continuously select the attributes that applied to describe a product and to deselect those that no longer applied during the evaluation period did not substantially modify the average citation proportion of terms or the maximum citation proportion for individual terms for liquid and semi-solid products with a relatively fast oral preparatory phase. Although both methodologies provided similar information, additional insights on how similarities and differences among samples evolved during consumption were obtained with TCATA in the case of products that experience large temporal changes or attributes with strong time-dependency. CATA provided similar information as TCATA for sensory attributes that did not change substantially during the evaluation period. Results from the present work suggest that static and dynamic product sensory characterizations using CATA questions with consumers provide complementary information about consumer experiences with food products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advancing Consumer Product Composition and Chemical Use Information to Facilitate Risk-Based Decision Making

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation describes EPA efforts to collect, model, and measure publically available consumer product data for use in exposure assessment. The development of the ORD Chemicals and Products database will be described, as will machine-learning based models for predicting ch...

Predictors of Competitive Employment among Consumers with Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Use Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biegel, David E.; Stevenson, Lauren D.; Beimers, David; Ronis, Robert J.; Boyle, Patrick

2010-01-01

Objectives: This study examines consumer and agency level predictors of competitive employment for consumers with co-occurring disorders. Methods: The study sample included 191 consumers from mental health agencies receiving Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment services, including a subgroup which was referred for Supported Employment Services.…

The Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation Team and Product Characterization Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zanoni, Vicki; Pagnutti, Mary; Ryan, Robert E.; Snyder, Greg; Lehman, William; Roylance, Spencer

2003-01-01

The Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) team is a collaborative interagency group focused on the characterization of commercial remote sensing data products. The team members - the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) - each have a vested interest in the purchase and use of commercial imagery to support government research and operational applications. For both research and applications, commercial products must be well characterized for precision, accuracy, and repeatability. Since commercial systems are built and operated with no government insight or oversight, the JACIE team provides an independent product characterization of delivered image and image-derived end products. End product characterization differs from the systems calibration approach that is typically used with government systems, where detailed system design information is available. The product characterization approach addresses three primary areas of product performance: geopositional accuracy, image quality, and radiometric accuracy. The JACIE team utilizes well-characterized test sites to support characterization activities. To characterize geopositional accuracy, the team utilizes sites containing several "photo-identifiable" targets and compares their precisely known locations with those defined by the commercial image product. In the area of image quality, spatial response is characterized using edge targets and pulse targets to measure edge response and to estimate image modulation transfer function. Additionally, imagery is also characterized using the National Imagery Interpretability Rating Scale, a means of quantifying the ability to identify certain targets (e.g., rail-cars, airplanes) within an image product. Radiometric accuracy is characterized using reflectance-based vicarious calibration methods at several uniform sites. Each JACIE agency performs an aspect of

Consumer exposure to certain ingredients of cosmetic products: The case for tea tree oil.

PubMed

Rieder, Bernhard O

2017-10-01

Reliable exposure data are essential to evaluate the safety of ingredients in cosmetics. The study reported here was carried out on behalf of the Australian Tea Tree Industry Association in order to support safety assessment of TTO in consumer cosmetic products. Data regarding the use of TTO-containing cosmetic products were collected through a web-survey among 2535 qualified users of validated TTO-containing cosmetics in 5 European countries. Data regarding the percentage of TTO present in the individual products (TTO-inclusion) were collected from the suppliers of those products. Beyond TTO exposure-measures there were several significant findings: One is a special "TTO-effect" for several categories of TTO-containing cosmetic products showing a positive correlation between consumers' strength of TTO-orientation and frequency of product use, combined with a negative correlation between frequency of product use and amount of product used per application. Another is significant differences regarding the intensity of product use between TTO-containing cosmetics and respective types of products in general. Thus it seems not to be appropriate to evaluate the toxicological safety of certain ingredients of cosmetic products from exposure data on "generic" types of cosmetic products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 51246 - Petition Requesting Regulations Restricting Cadmium in Children's Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

... Restricting Cadmium in Children's Products AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY... standards restricting cadmium in children's products, especially toy metal jewelry. The Commission invites... cadmium by weight which could be ingested by children be declared a banned hazardous substance. If the...

Sensory profiling and consumer acceptability of new dark cocoa bars containing Tuscan autochthonous food products.

PubMed

Cantini, Claudio; Salusti, Patrizia; Romi, Marco; Francini, Alessandra; Sebastiani, Luca

2018-03-01

A new set of cocoa bars named Toscolata ® were developed containing top-quality extra virgin olive oil, dried apples cultivars, and chestnut flour. The present work has been conducted to define the sensory profile of these products through tasting by trained experts and consumers to study the acceptability, preference, and quality perception. The four sensorial profiles of the bars differed in the level of persistence, bitterness, aromaticity, acidity, astringency, and tastiness. In particular, the sour attribute could be traced to the presence of dried apple. Bars containing apple and chestnut flour obtained higher acceptance ratings, compared to those with extra virgin olive oil. The bar with chestnut flour was preferred by consumers who considered it to be sweeter due to the presence of natural sugars, which lowered the bitter sensation of cocoa. These results showed that the selection of the preferred bar by consumers was mainly based on the level of bitterness and, in particular, elderly consumers expressed a strong preference for the sweetest product. As far as we know, this is the first study comparing the results of a panel of expert tasters with that of consumers in the tasting of dark chocolate.

Consumers' willingness to buy innovative traditional food products: The case of extra-virgin olive oil extracted by ultrasound.

PubMed

Roselli, Luigi; Cicia, Gianni; Cavallo, Carla; Del Giudice, Teresa; Carlucci, Domenico; Clodoveo, Maria Lisa; De Gennaro, Bernardo C

2018-06-01

Innovation is fundamental for all agri-food companies to increase competitiveness, however the industrial process of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) has changed very little over the last few decades. As it is a traditional food product (TFP), the main obstacle to innovation is precisely its traditional nature. According to the literature, any innovation regarding TFPs should be considered in terms of the specific product, and market success mainly depends upon the perceptions and traits of consumers. The present study evaluated the willingness of consumers to buy an innovative EVOO obtained by ultrasound extraction (ultrasonic EVOO) through an ordered logit model. The sample was composed by 961 EVOO consumers. The average age of respondents was 39 and the majority were female (55.4%). At first, the respondents reacted almost equally to the idea of buying ultrasonic EVOO, with 49% of the sample stating they were not willing to buy the product and 51% stating that they were willing to. The major insight from our study is that consumers who are the most willing to buy the product are those who formed a positive quality perception after being introduced to the key characteristics of the new product. In addition, the willingness to buy seems to be higher for consumers who prefer EVOO with a fruity flavour and without a sweet taste, for consumers who attach great importance to the taste of food and with a higher than average educational level. This predominant role of consumers' perception in the case of innovative TFPs should, thus, be researched further. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 3.12 - Reporting of consumer debts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Reporting of consumer debts. 3.12 Section 3.12... and Compromise of Claims § 3.12 Reporting of consumer debts. (a) Notice. In demand letters to debtors... the delinquent consumer debt to credit reporting agencies after 60 days; (2) The specific information...

7 CFR 3.12 - Reporting of consumer debts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Reporting of consumer debts. 3.12 Section 3.12... and Compromise of Claims § 3.12 Reporting of consumer debts. (a) Notice. In demand letters to debtors... the delinquent consumer debt to credit reporting agencies after 60 days; (2) The specific information...

Materialism, status consumption, and consumer independence.

PubMed

Goldsmith, Ronald Earl; Clark, Ronald A

2012-01-01

Materialism influences many people. We focus on two aspects of this influence: reactions to prestige products and to the influence of others. A study of 187 U.S. student consumers shows that materialism is positively related to buying products that confer status. In contrast, materialism is negatively related to consumer independence, an enduring tendency to pay minimal attention to the prescribed norms of other consumers and to make product and brand decisions according to personal preferences. Consuming products for status is also negatively related to consumer independence. Moreover, the association between materialism and consumer independence is completely mediated by consuming for status. Materialism urges consumers to be status conscious so that they follow social norms in purchasing, but seeking status through goods is avoided by less materialistic, independent consumers. A second study (n = 258) also using student consumers confirmed these results.

Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions.

PubMed

Steinemann, Anne

2016-01-01

Fragranced consumer products, such as cleaning supplies, air fresheners, and personal care products, are a primary source of indoor air pollutants and personal exposure. Previous research indicates that fragranced products can trigger adverse health effects, with implications for workplaces and public places. This is the first study to examine the multiple dimensions of exposures related to fragranced products and effects in the US population. The study investigated the prevalence and types of fragranced product exposures, associated health effects, awareness of product emissions, and preferences for fragrance-free policies and environments. Data were collected using an online survey with a nationally representative population ( n  = 1136) of adults in the USA. Overall, 34.7 % of the population reported health problems, such as migraine headaches and respiratory difficulties, when exposed to fragranced products. Further, 15.1 % have lost workdays or a job due to fragranced product exposure in the workplace. Also, 20.2 % would enter a business but then leave as quickly as possible if they smell air fresheners or some fragranced product. Over 50 % of the population would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, hotels, and airplanes were fragrance-free. While prior research found that common fragranced products, even those called green and organic, emitted hazardous air pollutants, more than two thirds of the population were not aware of this, and over 60 % would not continue to use a fragranced product if they knew it emitted such pollutants. Results from this study provide strong evidence that fragranced products can trigger adverse health effects in the general population. The study also indicates that reducing exposure to fragranced products, such as through fragrance-free policies, can provide cost-effective and relatively simple ways to reduce risks and improve air quality and health.

77 FR 66935 - Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-08

... FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 64 [CG Docket No. 02-278; FCC 12-21] Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule; correction...: Karen Johnson, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Consumer Policy Division, at (202) 418- 7706 or...

Enhancing the economic value and consumer preferences of commercial mondol stingray (Himantura gerardi) leather creative products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahubawa, L.; Pertiwiningrum, A.; Rahmadian, Y.

2018-03-01

The research objectives were to design, assess the economic value and consumer preference level of stingray leather products. The research method included a product design, analysis of economic value and consumer preferences. Mondol stingray (Himantura gerardi) leather, with a length of 50 cm and width of 30 cm, were processed into ID card wallet, man and women’s wallet and key holder. The number of respondents involved to analyze the preference level is 75 respondents (students, lecturers and employees of Universitas Gadjah Mada). Indicators of consumer preferences were model, color, price and purchasing power. The price of ID card wallet is Rp. 450,000; women wallet is Rp. 650,000 and a key holder is Rp. 300,000. Consumer preferences on ID card wallet were as follow: 84 % stated very interesting model; 83 % stated very interesting color; 61 % stated cheap and 53 % had enough. Consumer preferences of women’s wallet were as follow: 81 % stated very interesting model; 84 % stated very interesting color; 56 % stated cheap and 57 % had enough. Consumer preferences on key holder were as follow: 49 % stated interesting model; 72 % stated very interesting color; 61 % stated cheap and 57 % had enough.

76 FR 24761 - Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-02

... Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and Commercial and...) Certification. Each manufacturer, before distributing in commerce any basic model of a covered product or.... EERE-2010-BT-CE-0014] RIN 1904-AC23 Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and...

77 FR 26605 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-04

... about the accuracy of information contained in a consumer report based on a direct request from a... Integrity of Information Furnished to Consumer Reporting Agencies under Section 312 of the Fair and Accurate... Accuracy and Integrity of Information Furnished to Consumer Reporting Agencies under Section 312 of the...

Regulation of prescription drug promotion: direct-to-consumer advertising.

PubMed

Baylor-Henry, M; Drezin, N A

1998-01-01

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulating the information on prescription drugs disseminated by sponsors to health care providers and consumers to ensure that it is truthful and not misleading, and that it presents a fair balance of benefit and risk information. Thus the public health is both protected and promoted by the dissemination of honest, accurate information about regulated products. This paper discusses the regulatory requirements for promotional materials for prescription drugs and the standards used by the FDA to evaluate these materials. It also discusses the agency's views on direct-to-consumer advertising, the enforcement actions that are available to the FDA, the process used by the FDA to determine what action should be taken and when, and what remedies are available.

Toward a sustainability label for food products: an analysis of experts' and consumers' acceptance.

PubMed

Engels, Stéphanie V; Hansmann, Ralf; Scholz, Roland W

2010-01-01

The recent proliferation of standards and labels for organic, fair-trade, locally produced, and healthy food products risks creating confusion among consumers. This study presents a standardized approach to developing a comprehensive sustainability label that incorporates ecological, economic, and social values. The methodology is based on an extension of modular life-cycle assessment to non-environmental sustainability criteria. Interviews with a wide range of experts (n=65) and a consumer survey (n=233) were conducted to analyze the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the approach. Responses indicated that a comprehensive sustainability label could considerably influence consumption patterns and facilitate cross-product comparisons. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Indoor fine particles: the role of terpene emissions from consumer products.

PubMed

Sarwar, Golam; Olson, David A; Corsi, Richard L; Weschler, Charles J

2004-03-01

Consumer products can emit significant quantities of terpenes, which can react with ozone (O3). Resulting byproducts include compounds with low vapor pressures that contribute to the growth of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). The focus of this study was to evaluate the potential for SOA growth, in the presence of O3, following the use of a lime-scented liquid air freshener, a pine-scented solid air freshener, a lemon-scented general-purpose cleaner, a wood floor cleaner, and a perfume. Two chamber experiments were performed for each of these five terpene-containing agents, one at an elevated O3 concentration and-the other at a lower O3 concentration. Particle number and mass concentrations increased and O3 concentrations decreased during each experiment. Experiments with terpene-based air fresheners produced the highest increases in particle number and mass concentrations. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that homogeneous reactions between O3 and terpenes from various consumer products can lead to increases in fine particle mass concentrations when these products are used indoors. Particle increases can occur during periods of elevated outdoor O3 concentrations or indoor O3 generation, coupled with elevated terpene releases. Human exposure to fine particles can be reduced by minimizing indoor terpene concentrations or O3 concentrations.

[Innovative medicinal products: the new criteria of the Italian Medicines Agency.

PubMed

Mammarella, Federica; Tafuri, Giovanni

2018-05-01

The Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), which has the dual function of a regulatory and a reimbursement authority, has recently established new criteria to define innovative medicinal products. Indeed, the decision making process to grant the innovative status is based on the evaluation of the unmet medical need, the added therapeutic value compared to existing therapeutic options and the overall quality of clinical evidence, which is assessed based on the GRADE system. Following this evaluation, if a medicinal product is granted the status of "full innovativeness" for a specific therapeutic indication, its manufacturer can access dedicated yearly funds amounting to 500 million Euros each, depending on the type of medicine (one fund for oncology, the other for all other innovative medicinal products). Alternatively, the product can be granted the status of "conditional innovativeness" which allows immediate access to all Regional formularies, with no additional re-assessments at the local level. The third possible outcome is that no innovativeness is recognized. Starting from January 2018, a full report explaining the rationale for the Agency Committee's decision is made publicly available on the AIFA's website.

"Worse but Ours," or "Better but Theirs?" - The Role of Implicit Consumer Ethnocentrism (ICE) in Product Preference.

PubMed

Maison, Dominika; Maliszewski, Norbert

2016-01-01

The goal of this project was to investigate whether consumer ethnocentrism is purely conscious mechanism based on ideology, as suggested by Shimp and Sharma (1987), or rather is an automatic, unconscious process. The aim of the project was an introduction of the Implicit Consumer Ethnocentrism (ICE) concept, measured by the Implicit Association Test (IAT). The goal of the four studies conducted was to investigate the following issues: (a) whether ICE - an automatic mechanism underlying the preference for local products over foreign - this could be observed next to the more ideologically based classic consumer ethnocentrism; (b) what happens when the consumer's automatic preference for local products (ICE) is confronted by objective evidence of the superiority of foreign products or by the inferiority of local products. It was assumed that ICE could be reduced when foreign products were associated with a higher level of competence than local products, and this could explain the preference for foreign products over local often observed in less developed countries. In study 1 the ICE for different product categories of existing brands was tested, and in study 2 the ICE was measured in the context of non-existent brands. Both studies showed a strong in-group brand preference and confirmed the existence of new phenomena - ICE. The results of studies 3 and 4 again indicated a strong, automatic in-group brand favoritism effect as measured by IAT - participants preferred local brands over foreign. However, the inclusion of well-known foreign brands associated with high competence reduced the IAT effect (in-group preference).

Effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles derived from consumer products on the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

EPA Science Inventory

Increased manufacture of TiO2 nano-products has caused concern about the potential toxicity of these products to the environment and in public health. Identification and confirmation of the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles derived from consumer products as opposed to industrial TiO...

Consumer and Commercial Products, Group IV: Control Techniques Guidelines in Lieu of Regulations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has determined that control techniques guidelines (CTGs) will be substantially as effective as regulations in reducing volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in ozone nonattainment areas for certain consumer and commercial product categories.

Consumers' and workers' perspectives about consumer-directed services in the United States.

PubMed

Swaine, Jamie G; Parish, Susan L; Igdalsky, Leah; Powell, Robyn M

2016-07-01

Consumer direction is a service delivery model that shifts decision-making from agencies to the individuals they serve. Using government funding, consumers hire, supervise, and schedule their own staff and maintain control over the delivery of their services. This study sought to understand the process of consumer direction as well as the experiences and perspectives of both the consumers and employees. The study also sought to better understand if and how consumer direction allows the consumer to direct his or her life, the impact consumer direction may have on the individual's health and health care, and how employment in consumer directed programs impacts the workers providing direct care services. This qualitative study included interviews with consumers (N = 20) and workers (N = 15) in Virginia, a southern state in the US. Semi-structured phone interviews were conducted by one member of the research team and transcribed and coded for themes by the research team using grounded theory methodology. Consumers reported greater control over their services and increased access to health care, compared to what they previously received with traditional services. Conversely, consumers reported challenges in managing their staff and fulfilling the role of an employer. Employees reported a lack of training prior to starting their jobs, as well as an inability to live off on low hourly wages. Still, the majority of employees reported job satisfaction and fulfillment. Policymakers should expand and strengthen the consumer directed program. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The influence of an online auction's product price and e-retailer reputation on consumers' perception, attitude, and behavioral intention.

PubMed

Wu, Wann-Yih; Huang, Po-Ching; Fu, Chen-Su

2011-06-01

Online auctions combine the conventional auction model with information technology. However, information asymmetry within such auctions causes risks and uncertainties that influence consumer purchase intentions. In this study, a 2 (product price: high vs. low) × 2 (e-retailer reputation: high vs. low) experimental design was used to understand whether the product price and e-retailer reputation will influence consumers' perceived risk, attitude toward the website and purchase intention. The results of this study indicate that perceived risk negatively influences consumer attitude toward the website and online purchase intention, while consumer attitude toward the website positively influences purchase intention. Moreover, involvement moderates the influence of product price and e-retailer reputation only on social risk but does not have a significant effect on consumer attitude toward the website. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of online auction users' behavior. Finally, the managerial implications, limitations and future research directions are also provided. © 2011 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology © 2011 The Scandinavian Psychological Associations.

Consumers' perceptions toward 3 different fermented dairy products: Insights from focus groups, word association, and projective mapping.

PubMed

Esmerino, Erick A; Ferraz, Juliana P; Filho, Elson R Tavares; Pinto, Letícia P F; Freitas, Mônica Q; Cruz, Adriano G; Bolini, Helena M A

2017-11-01

Yogurts, fermented milk beverages, and fermented milks have great similarity and are widely accepted by Brazilian population, but the factors that influence their choice and consumption are unknown. In this sense, the present study aimed to identify the main aspects involved in consumers' perception of 3 different products, comparing the findings by using the 2 fast qualitative methods, word association and projective mapping, and a standard method, focus group. The tasks were performed by different participants through graphic stimuli (word association and projective mapping) and focus interviews (focus group). Results showed that all the 3 methodologies identified numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors that influence the consumer choices regarding fermented dairy products. Major dimensions were closely related to the sensory aspects, emotional factors, perception of benefits, and composition, among others. It is noteworthy that the stimuli related to fermented milk beverages evoked rejecting responses, possibly due to the dissociation between information and consumers' expectation. Although minor differences were observed between the number and type of dimensions that were obtained, similar conclusions can be drawn from all 3 sensory methods, which shows the relevance of qualitative and projective methods for investigation of consumers' perception. These findings can help dairy companies to provide subsidies and guidelines for the reformulation of their products, marketing strategies, and improvement in the communication between producers and consumers from different fermented dairy products. Copyright © 2017 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exploring consumer pathways and patterns of use for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Background: Humans may be exposed to thousands of chemicals through contact in the workplace, home, and via air, water, food, and soil. A major challenge is estimating exposures to these chemicals, which requires understanding potential exposure routes directly related to how chemicals are used. Objectives: We aimed to assign “use categories” to a database of chemicals, including ingredients in consumer products, to help prioritize which chemicals will be given more scrutiny relative to human exposure potential and target populations. The goal was to identify (a) human activities that result in increased chemical exposure while (b) simplifying the dimensionality of hazard assessment for risk characterization. Methods: Major data sources on consumer- and industrial-process based chemical uses were compiled from multiple countries, including from regulatory agencies, manufacturers, and retailers. The resulting categorical chemical use and functional information are presented through the Chemical/Product Categories Database (CPCat). Results: CPCat contains information on 43,596 unique chemicals mapped to 833 terms categorizing their usage or function. Examples presented demonstrate potential applications of the CPCat database, including the identification of chemicals to which children may be exposed (including those that are not identified on product ingredient labels), and prioritization of chemicals for toxicity screening. The CPCat database is availabl

Change of behaviour when selecting food products in a supermarket environment after reminding consumers about weight management.

PubMed

Saarela, Anna-Maria

2014-05-01

The aim was to explore how the behaviour of consumers changed while they selected food in a supermarket environment after they were reminded about weight management. This investigation was carried out from the perspective of selection criteria, reading of package labels, nutritional quality of the products selected and time taken to select a product. The subjects, who were actively watching their weight, participated in two consecutive tasks in a supermarket. They were given a shopping list of eleven food categories and asked to think aloud while selecting from each category a product they usually buy and a product they would use for weight management. The data (n 792 selections) were collected through interviews and a verbal analysis protocol combined with wireless audio-visual observation. Thirty-six consumers were recruited from a sample of 367 supermarket customers. Kuopio, Finland. The subjects' behaviour changed radically after they were reminded about weight management. In the first selection, taste and familiarity were the main food selection criteria while in the latter selection the energy/fat content predominated. Consequently, the nutritional quality of products improved greatly because subjects read package labels twice as much in the latter selection. The time taken to select a product increased significantly, on average, from 23 (sd 10) to 60 (sd 51) s/product (P = 0·000). Only by reminding consumers about weight management was there a significant impact on their food selection behaviour. Marketing communication should be developed which quickly and easily promotes consumers' awareness of healthy food in supermarkets.

Consumer perception of meat quality and implications for product development in the meat sector-a review.

PubMed

Grunert, Klaus G; Bredahl, Lone; Brunsø, Karen

2004-02-01

In the first part of the paper, the Total Food Quality Model is used as a frame of reference for analysing the way in which consumers perceive meat quality, drawing mainly on European studies involving beef and pork. The way in which consumers form expectations about quality at the point of purchase, based on their own experience and informational cues available in the shopping environment, is described, as well as the way in which quality is experienced in the home during and after meal preparation. The relationship between quality expectations and quality experience and its implications for consumer satisfaction and repeat purchase intent is addressed. In the second part of the paper, and building on the insights obtained on subjective quality perception, possibilities for consumer-oriented product development in the meat sector are addressed. Issues dealt with here are branding, differentiation by taste, healthiness and convenience, and by process characteristics like organic production and animal welfare.

Acrylamide in food products - eating habits and consumer awareness among Medical School students.

PubMed

Kowalska, Małgorzata; Żbikowska, Anna; Onacik-Gür, Sylwia; Kowalska, Dorota

2017-12-23

Acrylamide is formed in several foods during high-temperature processing. In view of reports written about the neurotoxic, genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of acrylamide, it was considered that the presence of this substance in food products might pose a risk for human health. Currently, according to EU Commission recommendations, the content of acrylamide in food should be monitored. The aim of this work was to analyze the food preferences of youth and students from medical schools in Radom, central-eastern Poland, as the most frequent precipitantsas in the field of food products that may be a significant source of acrylamide in the diet. Furthermore, an attempt was made to determine the level of knowledge of the population in the field of acrylamide. The research was conducted by questionnaire. The study was based on the answers of 227 respondents. The survey was carried out by direct contact with an interviewer from February - June 2012. Analysis of the study population shows that women consume more coffee than men. In addition, adults over 25 years old consumed the largest quantity of coffee; it can therefore be assumed that it is a significant source of acrylamide in their bodies. However, even young people under 17 declared that they consume coffee every day (20%). Due to the adverse effects of this compound it is important to reduce the level of acrylamide in food products. A few people in the population (7%) had heard of acrylamide previously, but none of them had any knowledge of its occurrence and formation. It is necessary to take strong action to change attitudes towards acrylamide and attempt to introduce ways to reduce this compound in the diet, for example, by appropriate selection of products in the daily diet and appropriate means of thermal preparation of products at home.

Cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay as affected by information about organic production.

PubMed

Napolitano, Fabio; Braghieri, Ada; Piasentier, Edi; Favotto, Saida; Naspetti, Simona; Zanoli, Raffaele

2010-08-01

The present study aimed to assess the effect of information about organic production on Pecorino cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay. Mean scores of perceived liking were similar for organic cheese (OC) and conventional cheese (CC). Expected liking scores were higher for OC than for CC (P<0.001). For OC the expected liking was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (negative disconfirmation), whereas for CC the expected liking was significantly lower (P<0.001) than the perceived liking expressed in blind conditions (positive disconfirmation). Consumers assimilated their liking for OC in the direction of expectations, as the difference actual vs. perceived liking was significant (P<0.001). However the assimilation was not complete, as also the difference actual liking vs. expected liking was significant (P<0.001). Consumers showed a willingness to pay OC (mean+/-se=4.20+/-0.13 euro/100 g) higher than the local retail price for conventional (1.90 euro/100 g) and even organic cheese (3.00 euro/100 g). We conclude that the information about organic farming can be a major determinant of cheese liking and consumer willingness to pay, thus providing a potential tool for product differentiation, particularly for small scale and traditional farms.

Online purchasing creates opportunities to lower the life cycle carbon footprints of consumer products

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Isley, Steven C.; Stern, Paul C.; Carmichael, Scott P.

A major barrier to transitions to environmental sustainability is that consumers lack information about the full environmental footprints of their purchases. Sellers' incentives do not support reducing the footprints unless customers have such information and are willing to act on it. We explore the potential of modern information technology to lower this barrier by enabling firms to inform customers of products' environmental footprints at the point of purchase and easily offset consumers' contributions through bundled purchases of carbon offsets. Using online stated choice experiments, we evaluated the effectiveness of several inexpensive features that firms in four industries could implement withmore » existing online user interfaces for consumers. These examples illustrate the potential for firms to lower their overall carbon footprints while improving customer satisfaction by lowering the 'soft costs' to consumers of pro-environmental choices. Lastly, opportunities such as these likely exist wherever firms possess environmentally relevant data not accessible to consumers or when transaction costs make pro-environmental action difficult.« less

Online purchasing creates opportunities to lower the life cycle carbon footprints of consumer products

DOE PAGES

Isley, Steven C.; Stern, Paul C.; Carmichael, Scott P.; ...

2016-08-30

A major barrier to transitions to environmental sustainability is that consumers lack information about the full environmental footprints of their purchases. Sellers' incentives do not support reducing the footprints unless customers have such information and are willing to act on it. We explore the potential of modern information technology to lower this barrier by enabling firms to inform customers of products' environmental footprints at the point of purchase and easily offset consumers' contributions through bundled purchases of carbon offsets. Using online stated choice experiments, we evaluated the effectiveness of several inexpensive features that firms in four industries could implement withmore » existing online user interfaces for consumers. These examples illustrate the potential for firms to lower their overall carbon footprints while improving customer satisfaction by lowering the 'soft costs' to consumers of pro-environmental choices. Lastly, opportunities such as these likely exist wherever firms possess environmentally relevant data not accessible to consumers or when transaction costs make pro-environmental action difficult.« less

Online purchasing creates opportunities to lower the life cycle carbon footprints of consumer products.

PubMed

Isley, Steven C; Stern, Paul C; Carmichael, Scott P; Joseph, Karun M; Arent, Douglas J

2016-08-30

A major barrier to transitions to environmental sustainability is that consumers lack information about the full environmental footprints of their purchases. Sellers' incentives do not support reducing the footprints unless customers have such information and are willing to act on it. We explore the potential of modern information technology to lower this barrier by enabling firms to inform customers of products' environmental footprints at the point of purchase and easily offset consumers' contributions through bundled purchases of carbon offsets. Using online stated choice experiments, we evaluated the effectiveness of several inexpensive features that firms in four industries could implement with existing online user interfaces for consumers. These examples illustrate the potential for firms to lower their overall carbon footprints while improving customer satisfaction by lowering the "soft costs" to consumers of proenvironmental choices. Opportunities such as these likely exist wherever firms possess environmentally relevant data not accessible to consumers or when transaction costs make proenvironmental action difficult.

Consumers' attitudes towards GM Free products in a European Region. The case of the Prefecture of Drama-Kavala-Xanthi in Greece.

PubMed

Tsourgiannis, L; Karasavvoglou, A; Florou, G

2011-10-01

This study aims to identify the factors that affect consumers purchasing behaviour towards food products that are free from Genetic Modified Organism (GM Free) in a European Region and more precisely in the Prefecture of Drama-Kavala-Xanthi. Field interviews conducted in a random selected sample consisted of 337 consumers in the cities of Drama, Kavala, Xanthi, in November and December of 2009. Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted in order to identify the factors that affect people in preferring consuming products that are GM Free. The factors that influence people in the study area to buy GM Free products are: (a) products' certification as GM Free or organic products, (b) interest about the protection of the environment and nutrition value, (c) marketing issues, and (d) price and quality. Furthermore, cluster and discriminant analysis identified two groups of consumers: (a) those are influenced by the product price, quality and marketing aspects and (b) those are interested in product's certification and environmental protection. Non parametric statistical bivariate techniques were performed to profile the identified groups of consumers regarding their personal characteristics and some other factors affecting their buying behaviour. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

What do consumers want?

PubMed

Apple, W

1992-01-01

A consumers' advocate discusses the needs of the consumer in evaluating dental products. Although commending the roles of the FDA and ADA in evaluating products, numerous questions are raised and recommendations made concerning advertising claims.

Overview of the European Medicines Agency's Development of Product-Specific Bioequivalence Guidelines.

PubMed

Sullivan, Jane O'; Blake, Kevin; Berntgen, Michael; Salmonson, Tomas; Welink, Jan

2017-12-05

The European Medicines Agency's (EMA) product-specific bioequivalence guidelines outline harmonized regulatory requirements for studies to demonstrate bioequivalence for products that may have particular needs due to their pharmacokinetics, in addition to those outlined in general guidance. As such they are potentially very useful to the pharmaceutical industry in the development of generic medicinal products and to regulatory authorities for harmonized decision-making. Since their introduction in 2013, EMA product-specific bioequivalence guidelines continue to increase in number, and as of June 2017, encompass a number of different pharmacotherapeutic groups and pharmaceutical forms. This article further elucidates the processes involved for stakeholders and reviews the Agency's experience with the development of these guidelines, including the scientific issues witnessed with their advancement. A comparison with the United States Food and Drug Administration approach to similar guidelines is also provided. © 2017 The Authors Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics.

Epidemiology of infant ocular and periocular injuries from consumer products in the United States, 2001-2008.

PubMed

Chen, Allison J; Linakis, James G; Mello, Michael J; Greenberg, Paul B

2013-06-01

To quantify and characterize eye injuries related to consumer products in the infant population (0-12 months) treated in United States hospital emergency departments during the period from 2001 to 2008. This study is a descriptive analysis of consumer-product related eye injury data derived from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a probability sample of 100 hospitals nationwide with 24-hour emergency departments. Narrative data were used to assign each case with the consumer products (CPs) causing the eye injury. The proportions of eye injury visits were calculated by age, sex, diagnosis, disposition, locale of incident, and CP categories. We examined the US Consumer Product Safety Commission National Electronic Injury Surveillance System data for all nonfatal eye injuries (853 cases) in the infant population (0-12 months) treated in US emergency departments from 2001 to 2008. These data can be used to project national, annual, weighted estimates of nonfatal injury treated in US emergency departments. There were an estimated 21,271 visits to US emergency departments by patients aged 0-12 months for CP-related eye injuries during the study period. Of these, 63% involved infants aged 9-12 months and 54% involved male patients; 78% of all injuries occurred at home. The CPs causing the most eye injuries belonged to the categories of chemical (46%) and household items (24%). Contusions and abrasions were the leading eye injuries diagnoses (37%). This study suggests that most CP-related infant eye injuries in the United States occur at home and are predominantly caused by chemicals and household products. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Effective dose evaluation of NORM-added consumer products using Monte Carlo simulations and the ICRP computational human phantoms.

PubMed

Lee, Hyun Cheol; Yoo, Do Hyeon; Testa, Mauro; Shin, Wook-Geun; Choi, Hyun Joon; Ha, Wi-Ho; Yoo, Jaeryong; Yoon, Seokwon; Min, Chul Hee

2016-04-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential hazard of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) added consumer products. Using the Monte Carlo method, the radioactive products were simulated with ICRP reference phantom and the organ doses were calculated with the usage scenario. Finally, the annual effective doses were evaluated as lower than the public dose limit of 1mSv y(-1) for 44 products. It was demonstrated that NORM-added consumer products could be quantitatively assessed for the safety regulation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Expert Panels, Consumers, and Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehfeldt, Thomas K.

2000-01-01

Studied the attributes, properties, and consumer acceptance of antiperspirant products through responses of 400 consumers (consumer data), expert panel data, and analytical data about the products. Results show how the Rasch model can provide the tool necessary to combine data from several sources. (SLD)

Product variety in Australian snacks and drinks: how can the consumer make a healthy choice?

PubMed

Walker, Karen Z; Woods, Julie L; Rickard, Cassie A; Wong, Carrie K

2008-10-01

To estimate the proportion of snack food and beverage choices available to an Australian consumer. A survey of product Nutrition Information Panels (NIP) and product labels on snack foods and beverages offered for sale. Data on nutrient content were compared with criteria from different nutrient profile systems to estimate the proportion of items conforming to a choice. A large supermarket in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. A consumer could choose from 1,070 different snack foods and 863 different drinks. Flavour variety was more common in snacks (maximum thirteen per product) while variation in container size was more common for drinks (up to ten per product). Recommended serving size for snacks varied greatly (1822 % of snack foods presented for sale could be deemed by multiple criteria. Similarly, only 14 healthy healthier' snack foods and beverages, e.g. by reformulation of many products by the food industry and their presentation in smaller, standardised portion-size packaging.

Consumer preferences regarding the introduction of new organic products. The case of the Mediterranean sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) in Italy.

PubMed

Mauracher, C; Tempesta, T; Vecchiato, D

2013-04-01

The introduction of new products on the market poses several challenges; in particular, whether the characteristics of the proposed product will be judged positively by potential consumers. This paper analyses the preferences of consumers regarding the introduction on the Italian market of a new product: organic Mediterranean sea bass. The aim of this study is to assess the importance given by consumers to four main characteristics of sea bass (country of origin, size, production method - organic or conventional - and price) so as to be able to formulate marketing strategies. We applied a choice experiment (CE) in order to define not only the ordinal ranking of preferences but also the willingness to pay (WTP) for the key characteristics of the newly-introduced product. We found that consumers show a higher WTP for the sea bass country of origin than for the breeding method used. Our results suggest that while organic aquaculture might be a new and important strategy for diversification, if suitable communication, either from a public policy or commercial perspective, and labelling/certification are not taken into consideration, the added value of the production method might not be perceived by the final consumers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanomaterials in consumer products: a challenging analytical problem.

PubMed

Contado, Catia

2015-01-01

Many products used in everyday life are made with the assistance of nanotechnologies. Cosmetic, pharmaceuticals, sunscreen, powdered food are only few examples of end products containing nano-sized particles (NPs), generally added to improve the product quality. To evaluate correctly benefits vs. risks of engineered nanomaterials and consequently to legislate in favor of consumer's protection, it is necessary to know the hazards connected with the exposure levels. This information implies transversal studies and a number of different competences. On analytical point of view the identification, quantification and characterization of NPs in food matrices and in cosmetic or personal care products pose significant challenges, because NPs are usually present at low concentration levels and the matrices, in which they are dispersed, are complexes and often incompatible with analytical instruments that would be required for their detection and characterization. This paper focused on some analytical techniques suitable for the detection, characterization and quantification of NPs in food and cosmetics products, reports their recent application in characterizing specific metal and metal-oxide NPs in these two important industrial and market sectors. The need of a characterization of the NPs as much as possible complete, matching complementary information about different metrics, possible achieved through validate procedures, is what clearly emerges from this research. More work should be done to produce standardized materials and to set-up methodologies to determine number-based size distributions and to get quantitative date about the NPs in such a complex matrices.

Nanomaterials in consumer products: a challenging analytical problem

PubMed Central

Contado, Catia

2015-01-01

Many products used in everyday life are made with the assistance of nanotechnologies. Cosmetic, pharmaceuticals, sunscreen, powdered food are only few examples of end products containing nano-sized particles (NPs), generally added to improve the product quality. To evaluate correctly benefits vs. risks of engineered nanomaterials and consequently to legislate in favor of consumer's protection, it is necessary to know the hazards connected with the exposure levels. This information implies transversal studies and a number of different competences. On analytical point of view the identification, quantification and characterization of NPs in food matrices and in cosmetic or personal care products pose significant challenges, because NPs are usually present at low concentration levels and the matrices, in which they are dispersed, are complexes and often incompatible with analytical instruments that would be required for their detection and characterization. This paper focused on some analytical techniques suitable for the detection, characterization and quantification of NPs in food and cosmetics products, reports their recent application in characterizing specific metal and metal-oxide NPs in these two important industrial and market sectors. The need of a characterization of the NPs as much as possible complete, matching complementary information about different metrics, possible achieved through validate procedures, is what clearly emerges from this research. More work should be done to produce standardized materials and to set-up methodologies to determine number-based size distributions and to get quantitative date about the NPs in such a complex matrices. PMID:26301216

Consumer purchasing behaviour towards fish and seafood products. Patterns and insights from a sample of international studies.

PubMed

Carlucci, Domenico; Nocella, Giuseppe; De Devitiis, Biagia; Viscecchia, Rosaria; Bimbo, Francesco; Nardone, Gianluca

2015-01-01

The present systematic review was performed to assess consumer purchasing behaviour towards fish and seafood products in the wide context of developed countries. Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar engines were used to search the existing literature and a total of 49 studies were identified for inclusion. These studies investigated consumer purchasing behaviour towards a variety of fish and seafood products, in different countries and by means of different methodological approaches. In particular, the review identifies and discusses the main drivers and barriers of fish consumption as well as consumers' preferences about the most relevant attributes of fish and seafood products providing useful insights for both practitioners and policy makers. Finally, main gaps of the existing literature and possible trajectories for future research are also discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does race matters in consumers' stated preferences for water and carbon footprints labelled food products? Insights from black and white South Africans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owusu-Sekyere, Enoch; Jordaan, Henry

2017-04-01

In recent years, governments, policy-makers, and managers of private food companies and agribusinesses are interested in understanding how consumers will react to environmentally sustainable attributes and information on food product labels. This study examines consumers' stated preferences for water and carbon footprints labelled food products from the viewpoint of black and white South Africans. Discrete choice experimental data was collected from black and white consumers to possibly assess cross-ethnic variations in preferences for environmentally sustainable products. Two widely purchased livestock products were chosen for the choice experiment. We found that consumers' preferences for environmentally sustainable attributes vary significantly between black and white South Africans. Our findings revealed that there are profound heterogeneous consumer segments within black and white respondents. The heterogeneity within both sub-samples is better explained at the segment level, rather than at individual level. For both product categories, the findings revealed that there are more distinct consumer segments among black respondents, relative to white respondents. The black respondents consist of water sustainability advocates, carbon reduction advocates, keen environmentalist and environmental neutrals. The white respondents entail keen environmentalist, environmental cynics, and environmental neutrals. The inherent significant variations in preferences for environmentally sustainable attributes across segments and racial groups would help in formulating feasible, and segment-specific environmental sustainability policies and marketing strategies aimed at changing consumers' attitude towards environmentally sustainable products. Demographic targeting of consumer segments, sustainability awareness and segment-specific educational campaigns meant to enhance subjective and objective knowledge on environmental sustainability are important tools for food companies and

Predicting Exposure to Consumer-Products Using Agent-Based Models Embedded with Needs-Based Artificial Intelligence and Empirically -Based Scheduling Models

EPA Science Inventory

Information on human behavior and consumer product use is important for characterizing exposures to chemicals in consumer products and in indoor environments. Traditionally, exposure-assessors have relied on time-use surveys to obtain information on exposure-related behavior. In ...

76 FR 58006 - Consumer Health IT Pledge Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-19

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Consumer Health IT Pledge Program AGENCY: Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HHS. ACTION: Notice of availability for Consumer Health IT Pledge Program. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services' Office of the National...

Nanosized aerosols from consumer sprays: experimental analysis and exposure modeling for four commercial products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lorenz, Christiane; Hagendorfer, Harald; von Goetz, Natalie; Kaegi, Ralf; Gehrig, Robert; Ulrich, Andrea; Scheringer, Martin; Hungerbühler, Konrad

2011-08-01

Consumer spray products are already on the market in the cosmetics and household sector, which suggest by their label that they contain engineered nanoparticles (ENP). Sprays are considered critical for human health, because the lungs represent a major route for the uptake of ENP into the human body. To contribute to the exposure assessment of ENP in consumer spray products, we analyzed ENP in four commercially available sprays: one antiperspirant, two shoe impregnation sprays, and one plant-strengthening agent. The spray dispersions were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) and (scanning-) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM). Aerosols were generated by using the original vessels, and analyzed by scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and (S)TEM. On the basis of SMPS results, the nanosized aerosol depositing in the respiratory tract was modeled for female and male consumers. The derived exposure levels reflect a single spray application. We identified ENP in the dispersions of two products (shoe impregnation and plant spray). Nanosized aerosols were observed in three products that contained propellant gas. The aerosol number concentration increased linearly with the sprayed amount, with the highest concentration resulting from the antiperspirant. Modeled aerosol exposure levels were in the range of 1010 nanosized aerosol components per person and application event for the antiperspirant and the impregnation sprays, with the largest fraction of nanosized aerosol depositing in the alveolar region. Negligible exposure from the application of the plant spray (pump spray) was observed.

UK bovine carcass meat consumed as burgers, sausages and other meat products: by birth cohort and gender.

PubMed

Cooper, J D; Bird, S M

2002-01-01

The most likely human exposure to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is dietary, through beef mechanically recovered meat (MRM) and head meat used in burgers, sausages and other meat products. The majority, reportedly 90% of beef MRM and 80% of head meat, was used in burgers. To enable quantification of UK dietary exposure to BSE, we quantified bovine carcass meat consumed as burgers, sausages and other meat products by birth cohort, gender and calendar period (1980-1989, 1990-1996). Synthesis of dietary data (cross-sectional National Dietary and Nutrition Surveys, and serial National Food Surveys and Realeat Surveys) to simulate weekly consumption by one-thousandth of the UK population in each year from 1980 to 1996. In 1980-1989, the highest number of consumers (per 7 days) of all three food groups was in the 1940-1969 birth cohort - averaging 3.7 million male consumers of burgers, 2.6 million of sausages and 8.5 million of other meat products. The post-1969 birth cohort had the next highest number of consumers of burgers (1.8 million males). In 1990-1996, consumer numbers declined for the two older cohorts, most strikingly for burgers (down to 2.5 million males in the 1940-1969 cohort). The 1940-1969 cohort retained the highest number of consumers of sausages and other meat products, and second place for burgers. Male consumption was higher, even in the pre-1940 birth cohort where, for demographic reasons, female consumers outnumbered males. In the post-1969 birth cohort, female consumption of bovine carcass meat weight as burgers increased from 68 tonnes in 1980-1989 to 81 tonnes in 1990-1996, and male consumption increased more markedly (by 41%) from 84 tonnes to 119 tonnes; and similarly for other meat products. Properly marshalled age-group and gender-specific consumption data contribute to a clearer understanding of the demography of those who were at risk of dietary exposure to BSE and of when their exposure intensity was greatest. Other countries may

77 FR 52744 - Food and Drug Administration/European Medicines Agency Orphan Product Designation and Grant Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-30

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2012-N-0001] Food and Drug Administration/European Medicines Agency Orphan Product Designation and Grant Workshop AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice of meeting. The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Orphan Products Development...

Consuming Anomie: Children and Global Commercial Culture. Research Note

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langer, Beryl

2005-01-01

This article locates George Herbert Meads account of self-formation in the context of global consumer capitalism, in which the "generalized other" is constructed as a desiring consumer. It argues for a sociology of consumer childhood that, via Mead, takes children's agency as a given and explores the implications of their interaction with the…

75 FR 61361 - Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-05

.... EERE-2010-BT-CE-0014] RIN 1904-AC24 Energy Conservation Program: Certification, Compliance, and Enforcement for Consumer Products and Commercial and Industrial Equipment Correction In proposed rule document...

Consumer acceptance of reformulated food products: A systematic review and meta-analysis of salt-reduced foods.

PubMed

Jaenke, Rachael; Barzi, Federica; McMahon, Emma; Webster, Jacqui; Brimblecombe, Julie

2017-11-02

Food product reformulation is promoted as an effective strategy to reduce population salt intake and address the associated burden of chronic disease. Salt has a number of functions in food processing, including impacting upon physical and sensory properties. Manufacturers must ensure that reformulation of foods to reduce salt does not compromise consumer acceptability. The aim of this systematic review is to determine to what extent foods can be reduced in salt without detrimental effect on consumer acceptability. Fifty studies reported on salt reduction, replacement or compensation in processed meats, breads, cheeses, soups, and miscellaneous products. For each product category, levels of salt reduction were collapsed into four groups: <40%, 40-59%, 60-79% and ≥80%. Random effects meta-analyses conducted on salt-reduced products showed that salt could be reduced by approximately 40% in breads [mean change in acceptability for reduction <40% (-0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.62, 0.08; p = 0.13)] and approximately 70% in processed meats [mean change in acceptability for reductions 60-69% (-0.18, 95% CI -0.44, 0.07; p = 0.15)] without significantly impacting consumer acceptability. Results varied for other products. These results will support manufacturers to make greater reductions in salt when reformulating food products, which in turn will contribute to a healthier food supply.

Using Your Daily Newspaper for Consumer Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukens, Chris

One of a series prepared by the Hawaii Newspaper Agency, this teaching guide offers suggestions on using the daily newspaper for consumer education and provides ideas on how to make students consumer conscious through experience gained in the classroom. It sets up problems relevant to students (adult or younger) in their lives outside the…

Measuring spatial variation in secondary production and food quality using a common consumer approach in Lake Erie

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, James H.; Richardson, William B.; Evans, Mary Anne; Schaeffer, Jeff; Wynne, Timothy; Bartsch, Michelle; Bartsch, Lynn; Nelson, J. C.; Vallazza, Jon M.

2016-01-01

Lake Erie is a large lake straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada that has become increasingly eutrophic in recent years. Eutrophication is particularly focused in the shallow western basin. The western basin of Lake Erie is hydrodynamically similar to a large estuary, with riverine inputs from the Detroit and Maumee Rivers mixing together and creating gradients in chemical and physical conditions. This study was driven by two questions: How does secondary production and food quality for consumers vary across this large mixing zone? and Are there correlations between cyanobacterial abundance and secondary production or food quality for consumers? Measuring spatial and temporal variation in secondary production and food quality is difficult for a variety of logistical reasons, so here a common consumer approach was used. In a common consumer approach, individuals of a single species are raised under similar conditions until placed in the field across environmental gradients of interest. After some period of exposure, the response of that common consumer is measured to provide an index of spatial variation in conditions. Here, a freshwater mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) was deployed at 32 locations that spanned habitat types and a gradient in cyanobacterial abundance in the western basin of Lake Erie to measure spatial variation in growth (an index of secondary production) and fatty acid (FA) content (an index of food quality). We found secondary production was highest within the Maumee rivermouth and lowest in the open waters of the lake. Mussel tissues in the Maumee rivermouth also included more eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic fatty acids (EPA and DPA, respectively), but fewer bacterial FAs, suggesting more algae at the base of the food web in the Maumee rivermouth compared to open lake sites. The satellite-derived estimate of cyanobacterial abundance was not correlated to secondary production, but was positively related to EPA and DPA content in the

Consumers' Perceptions of Edible Marijuana Products for Recreational Use: Likes, Dislikes, and Reasons for Use.

PubMed

Giombi, Kristen C; Kosa, Katherine M; Rains, Carrie; Cates, Sheryl C

2018-03-21

Edible marijuana products have become extremely popular in states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use. The goal of this research was to provide a better understanding of consumer perceptions of edible marijuana products, including why they prefer edibles relative to other forms of marijuana (e.g., smoking) and their concerns regarding the consumption of edibles. We conducted eight focus groups (four groups in Denver, Colorado, and four groups in Seattle, Washington) in February 2016 with 62 adult consumers of edibles. Focus group transcripts were coded in QSR NVivo 10.0 qualitative analysis software, and coding reports identified trends across participants. Most participants preferred edibles to smoking marijuana because there is no smell from smoke and no secondhand smoke. Other reasons participants like edibles included convenience, discreetness, longer-lasting highs, less intense highs, and edibles' ability to aid in relaxation and reduce anxiety more so than smoking marijuana. Concerns and dislikes about edibles included delayed effects, unexpected highs, the unpredictability of the high, and inconsistency of distribution of marijuana in the product. No participants in either location mentioned harmful health effects from consuming edibles as a concern. Conclusions/Importance: The present study was qualitative in nature and provides a good starting point for further research to quantify through surveys how consumers understand and use edibles. Such information will help guide policy makers and regulators as they establish regulations for edibles. Also, such research can help inform educational campaigns on proper use of edibles for recreational purposes.

Consumer preferences for sustainable aquaculture products: Evidence from in-depth interviews, think aloud protocols and choice experiments.

PubMed

Risius, Antje; Janssen, Meike; Hamm, Ulrich

2017-06-01

Fish from aquaculture is becoming more important for human consumption. Sustainable aquaculture procedures were developed as an alternative to overcome the negative environmental impacts of conventional aquaculture procedures and wild fisheries. The objective of this contribution is to determine what consumers expect from sustainable aquaculture and whether they prefer sustainable aquaculture products. A combination of qualitative research methods, with think aloud protocols and in-depth interviews, as well as quantitative methods, using choice experiments and face-to-face interviews, was applied. Data was collected in three different cities of Germany. Results revealed that sustainable aquaculture was associated with natural, traditional, local, and small scale production systems with high animal welfare standards. Overall, participants paid a lot of attention to the declaration of origin; in particular fish products from Germany and Denmark were preferred along with local products. Frequently used sustainability claims for aquaculture products were mostly criticized as being imprecise by the participants of the qualitative study; even though two claims tested in the choice experiments had a significant positive impact on the choice of purchase. Similarly, existing aquaculture-specific labels for certified sustainable aquaculture had an impact on the buying decision, but were not well recognized and even less trusted. Overall, consumers had a positive attitude towards sustainable aquaculture. However, communication measures and labelling schemes should be improved to increase consumer acceptance and make a decisive impact on consumers' buying behavior. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 5471 - Announcement of Public Meeting on the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Rule Retrospective Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

... Announcement of Public Meeting on the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Rule Retrospective Review AGENCY... stakeholder input on the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Rule as part of the agency's Retrospective Review of... Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA, section 1414(c)). The Consumer Confidence Report, or CCR, is an annual...

Young Children’s Exposures to Molds and Consumer Product Ingredients in their Homes

EPA Science Inventory

Young children’s physiology and unique interactions with the environment have been shown to influence their exposures to common chemical and biological agents. Many types of consumer products are present in homes, resulting in the potential for direct and indirect exposures...

77 FR 31876 - Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and Products Containing Same Determination Not...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-30

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION [Investigation No. 337-TA-836] Certain Consumer Electronics and Display Devices and Products Containing Same Determination Not To Review Initial Determination To Amend... electronics and display devices and products containing the same by reason of infringement of U.S. Patent Nos...

78 FR 48821 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products and Certain Commercial and Industrial Equipment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-12

... Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Proposed Determination of Computer Servers as a Covered Consumer Product... comments on the proposed determination that computer servers (servers) qualify as a covered product. DATES: The comment period for the proposed determination relating to servers published on July 12, 2013 (78...

76 FR 14101 - Meadwestvaco Corporation, Consumer and Office Products Division, Including On-Site Leased Workers...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-15

... undated planning and organizing products. The review shows that on August 21, 2008, a certification of..., Consumer and Office Products Division, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Pro-Tel People, Sidney, NY; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance In accordance with...

77 FR 32901 - State Enforcement of Household Goods Consumer Protection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-04

... enforce certain consumer protection provisions of Title 49 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) and related... bring civil actions in the U.S. district courts to enforce the consumer protection provisions that apply..., 386, and 387 State Enforcement of Household Goods Consumer Protection AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier...

Estimation of chemical emissions from down-the-drain consumer products using consumer survey data at a country and wastewater treatment plant level.

PubMed

Douziech, Mélanie; van Zelm, Rosalie; Oldenkamp, Rik; Franco, Antonio; Hendriks, A Jan; King, Henry; Huijbregts, Mark A J

2018-02-01

Deriving reliable estimates of chemical emissions to the environment is a key challenge for impact and risk assessment methods and typically the associated uncertainty is not characterised. We have developed an approach to spatially quantify annual chemical emission loads to the aquatic environment together with their associated uncertainty using consumer survey data and publicly accessible and non-confidential data sources. The approach is applicable for chemicals widely used across a product sector. Product usage data from consumer survey studies in France, the Netherlands, South Korea and the USA were combined with information on typical product formulations, wastewater removal rates, and the spatial distribution of populations and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the four countries. Results are presented for three chemicals common to three types of personal care products (shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash) at WWTP and national levels. Uncertainty in WWTP-specific emission estimates was characterised with a 95% confidence interval and ranged up to a factor of 4.8 around the mean, mainly due to uncertainty associated with removal efficiency. Estimates of whole country product usage were comparable to total market estimates derived from sectorial market sales data with differences ranging from a factor 0.8 (for the Netherlands) to 5 (for the USA). The proposed approach is suitable where measured data on chemical emissions is missing and is applicable for use in risk assessments and chemical footprinting methods when applied to specific product categories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Policy options to reduce consumer waste to zero: comparing product stewardship and extended producer responsibility for refrigerator waste.

PubMed

Nicol, Scott; Thompson, Shirley

2007-06-01

Today, over-consumption, pollution and resource depletion threaten sustainability. Waste management policies frequently fail to reduce consumption, prevent pollution, conserve resources and foster sustainable products. However, waste policies are changing to focus on lifecycle impacts of products from the cradle to the grave by extending the responsibilities of stakeholders to post-consumer management. Product stewardship and extended producer responsibility are two policies in use, with radically different results when compared for one consumer product, refrigerators. North America has enacted product stewardship policies that fail to require producers to take physical or financial responsibility for recycling or for environmentally sound disposal, so that releases of ozone depleting substances routinely occur, which contribute to the expanding the ozone hole. Conversely, Europe's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive requires extended producer responsibility, whereby producers collect and manage their own post-consumer waste products. WEEE has resulted in high recycling rates of greater than 85%, reduced emissions of ozone-depleting substances and other toxins, greener production methods, such as replacing greenhouse gas refrigerants with environmentally friendly hydrocarbons and more reuse of refrigerators in the EU in comparison with North America.

Nutrient profiling for front of pack labelling: how to align logical consumer choice with improvement of products?

PubMed

Roodenburg, Annet J C

2017-08-01

The primary goal of front of pack (FOP) labelling is to help consumers make healthier choices through communication. A secondary goal is to encourage producers to improve the nutritional composition of their products. Evidence has shown that (FOP) labelling can help consumers to make healthier food choices and has been an incentive for producers to improve product composition. As FOP labelling is seen as an important tool to improve food environments for public health purposes, the WHO supports initiatives of governments to implement an FOP labelling system. Based on the experiences of a wide range of countries over many years, possible success factors for such an FOP system have been defined, six of which are discussed in the present paper and used to evaluate the Dutch Choices Programme that was started in 2006. In the course of time a large number of producers joined the programme and the logo was recognised by more than 90 % of the consumers, but by 2016 the Dutch consumer organisation argued on the basis of their own research that a quarter of the consumers did not understand the colour coding of the logo and as a result the Dutch government decided to no longer support this logo and to introduce a nutrition app. The challenge that remains is to find a system that consumers understand well and that still encourages manufacturers of food to improve product composition. New technology-based data collecting initiatives might provide the right tools to develop such a system.

78 FR 71706 - Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-29

... Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of... fifth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection. DATES: The fifth meeting of..., Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings, [email protected] ; U.S. Department of...

78 FR 55327 - Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-10

... Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of... fifth meeting of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection. DATES: The fifth meeting of... Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) headquarters at 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC...

Effect of low-carbohydrate claims on consumer perceptions about food products' healthfulness and helpfulness for weight management.

PubMed

Labiner-Wolfe, Judith; Jordan Lin, Chung-Tung; Verrill, Linda

2010-01-01

Evaluate effect of low-carbohydrate claims on consumer perceptions about food products' healthfulness and helpfulness for weight management. Experiment in which participants were randomly assigned 1 of 12 front-of-package claim conditions on bread or a frozen dinner. Seven of the 12 conditions also included Nutrition Facts (NF) information. Internet. 4,320 members of a national on-line consumer panel. Exposure to images of a food package. Ratings on Likert scales about perceived healthfulness, helpfulness for weight management, and caloric content. Mean ratings by outcome measure, condition, and product were calculated. Ratings were also used as the dependent measure in analysis of variance models. Participants who saw front-of-package-only conditions rated products bearing low-carbohydrate claims as more helpful for weight management and lower in calories than the same products without a claim. Those who saw the bread with low-carbohydrate claims also rated it as more healthful than those who saw no claim. When the NF label was available and products had the same nutrition profile, participants rated products with low-carbohydrate claims the same as those with no claim. Consumers who do not use the NF panel may interpret low-carbohydrate claims to have meaning beyond the scope of the claim itself. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Consumer Acceptance of Dry Dog Food Variations

PubMed Central

Donfrancesco, Brizio Di; Koppel, Kadri; Swaney-Stueve, Marianne; Chambers, Edgar

2014-01-01

Simple Summary The objectives of this study were to compare the acceptance of different dry dog food products by consumers, determine consumer clusters for acceptance, and identify the characteristics of dog food that drive consumer acceptance. Pet owners evaluated dry dog food samples available in the US market. The results indicated that appearance of the sample, especially the color, influenced pet owner’s overall liking more than the aroma of the product. Abstract The objectives of this study were to compare the acceptance of different dry dog food products by consumers, determine consumer clusters for acceptance, and identify the characteristics of dog food that drive consumer acceptance. Eight dry dog food samples available in the US market were evaluated by pet owners. In this study, consumers evaluated overall liking, aroma, and appearance liking of the products. Consumers were also asked to predict their purchase intent, their dog’s liking, and cost of the samples. The results indicated that appearance of the sample, especially the color, influenced pet owner’s overall liking more than the aroma of the product. Overall liking clusters were not related to income, age, gender, or education, indicating that general consumer demographics do not appear to play a main role in individual consumer acceptance of dog food products. PMID:26480043

Measuring nanoparticles size distribution in food and consumer products: a review.

PubMed

Calzolai, L; Gilliland, D; Rossi, F

2012-08-01

Nanoparticles are already used in several consumer products including food, food packaging and cosmetics, and their detection and measurement in food represent a particularly difficult challenge. In order to fill the void in the official definition of what constitutes a nanomaterial, the European Commission published in October 2011 its recommendation on the definition of 'nanomaterial'. This will have an impact in many different areas of legislation, such as the European Cosmetic Products Regulation, where the current definitions of nanomaterial will come under discussion regarding how they should be adapted in light of this new definition. This new definition calls for the measurement of the number-based particle size distribution in the 1-100 nm size range of all the primary particles present in the sample independently of whether they are in a free, unbound state or as part of an aggregate/agglomerate. This definition does present great technical challenges for those who must develop valid and compatible measuring methods. This review will give an overview of the current state of the art, focusing particularly on the suitability of the most used techniques for the size measurement of nanoparticles when addressing this new definition of nanomaterials. The problems to be overcome in measuring nanoparticles in food and consumer products will be illustrated with some practical examples. Finally, a possible way forward (based on the combination of different measuring techniques) for solving this challenging analytical problem is illustrated.

THE ROLE OF CONSUMER VALUES AND SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHICS IN GREEN PRODUCT SATISFACTION: THE CASE OF HYBRID CARS.

PubMed

Hur, Won-Moo; Woo, Jeong; Kim, Yeonshin

2015-10-01

This study investigated the relationship between consumer value and customer satisfaction, seeking a better understanding of the motivations underlying "green product" purchases. Based on the influence of demographic factors, it further explores the moderation effects of buyers' socio-demographics on the link between value and satisfaction. Data were collected through a mail survey of American hybrid car buyers. Consumer value, satisfaction, and socio-demographic information were measured, and the proposed relationships among them were tested using hierarchical multiple regression analysis. This study's findings reveal that values (i.e., functional and social) significantly impact hybrid satisfaction and that the effects vary by sex and age. This research provides insight into the motivations of green product purchases by incorporating important consumer characteristics.

Aspects of quality related to the consumption and production of lamb meat. Consumers versus producers.

PubMed

Sepúlveda, Wilmer S; Maza, María T; Pardos, Luis

2011-04-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and compare the different evaluations made by the agents at either end of the lamb meat chain, i.e. producers and consumers, in relation to the parameters that consumers use when purchasing lamb meat and the factors that affect the production of quality lamb meat. In addition, consumer segments that can be targeted for action by the different agents in the chain were examined. The study was carried out in Aragón, a region in north east Spain that is a producer and consumer of lamb meat. 371 surveys were carried out on purchasers of lamb meat and 49 surveys on sheep farmers. Bivariant analyses and a cluster analysis were performed. The results suggest that there are certain congruencies and divergences between producers and consumers. Also, a segment of consumers for whom the hygiene and sanitary conditions on the farm, animal welfare and the environment are of great importance were found. © 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.