Selection attributes of home meal replacement by food-related lifestyles of single-person households in South Korea

This study aims to characterize the food-related lifestyles of single-person households as home meal replacement (HMR) consumers and to investigate socio-economic dimensions and selection attribute characteristics for HMR according to consumers' food-related lifestyles. We identified three groups by factor and cluster analysis: “utilitarians” (19.3%), “health-conscious utilitarians” (22.2%), and “variety seekers” (58.5%). Utilitarians are typically in their 20 s, unmarried, and unemployed with relatively lower monthly incomes compared with the other groups. They put less attention on trend and quality, but consider convenience and economic value more important when purchasing HMR products. Health-conscious utilitarians are typically married and in their 40 s and 50 s. They still consider convenience and economic value of HMR products, but the quality of HMR products is the most important factor for them. Finally, variety seekers are relatively well educated, and proportionately more are employed compared with the other groups. They find the trendiness of HMR products more important, although quality, convenience, and economic value are still a consideration for them. Therefore, differentiated strategies are needed to develop and market HMR for single-person households.