The Role of Personal Values in Accessing Food Well-being

This qualitative research explores the manifestation of food well-being (FWB) using consumers’ memories of lived experiences. Following the grounded theory process (Glaser and Strauss, 1967), emerging findings highlight the role of personal values (Schwartz, 1992) in accessing FWB. We define a taxonomy of FWB according to four dimensions of values : Conservation, Self-transcendence, Openness to change and Self-enhancement. This research exposes also the concept of food eudaimonia, an alignment between consumers’ personal values, their definitions of well-being and their experiences of well-being related to food. Thus, we suggest implications for public policies and hospitality and tourism practioners concerned by consumer well-being issues.