抄録
The business of consumer cooperatives in Japan (here after called co-ops) has been stagnant. This is thought to be due to diversification of preference among members. A previous paper analyzed members' diversified consciousness where the younger generation shows weak loyalty and the elder generation shows strong loyalty. Opportunistic groups in each generation were revealed. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relation between members' loyalty and their purchasing behavior based on commodity evaluation, taking up rice and milk as a case study conducted through a questionnaire to the members of Co-op GIFU. The main findings are as follows. 1) The younger members do not necessarily purchase at the Co-op. Elder members purchase at the Co-op more than the younger members do. That is, members' purchasing behavior is precisely accordant with the loyalty structure. 2) The members with a simple structure of the loyalty have also a simpler character in evaluating commodities. The younger generation purchases at super markets based on "price" and "convenience". The elder generation purchases at the Co-op based on "safety". The opportunistic groups, however, have complex dispositions in the evaluation and their purchases range over wilder variety. 3) The most importance is that all members, regardless of purchasing place, appraise "safety" as the primary advantage of Co-ops commodities. Centripetal force of members to Co-ops in milk is higher than that in rice, and that makes these findings clearer. It is not diversification of members itself but allowance of each generation for Co-ops commodities that makes members' loyalty based on purchasing behavior different. Furthermore, the distinction between Co-ops and other retailers with regard to "safety" results in no great difference. Consequently, Co-ops will need to come around again to focus on the "safety" of foods. Keeping up with the change of lifestyle must not be an excuse for pursuing it.
