Challenges and opportunities for promoting functional foods in e-commerce

Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, 195220, 29 Polytechnic st.,St. Petersburg, Russia

^* Corresponding author: malutesha66@mail.ru

Abstract

In order to promote functional foods, the consumer should be informed about the health benefits that can be done through e-commerce. A survey of consumers living in St. Petersburg showed that only 18% of respondents carry out the order of food products via the Internet with the immediate prospect of increasing their number by 19%. An analysis of the websites of online stores, the assortment of food products on the example of bread and bakery products and the terms for their delivery and return revealed the main reasons for restricting online purchases of food products: the absence of significant differences in the assortment between online stores and retail outlets; lack of confidence in the delivery of quality and fresh products; the difficulty of returning products. An additional restriction on the purchase of functional foods is the lack of information about their health benefits, both on the websites of online stores and in the labelling. It is proposed to clearly position functional products on the websites of online stores in the bread and bakery segment, providing them with additional information resources about health benefits; create an additional service “Baking to order” with special delivery terms.