“Size does matter,” according to Koert van Ittersum, new Professor in Marketing and Consumer Well-Being

Size does matter is the conclusion of the newly appointed Professor of Marketing and Consumer Well-Being Koert van Ittersum. Starting June 15, 2013, Van Ittersum will be part of the Marketing research group at the Department of Economics and Business of the University of Groningen. At the moment, he is associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, USA . There, he discovered the surprising effect of plate size on consumer behaviour.

The Marketing and Consumer Well-being Chair has been established with the objective of understanding how marketing impacts sustainable and/or healthy behaviour of consumers and how that subsequently affects consumer well-being. Van Ittersum's expertise matches this profile very well. He specializes in research aimed at improving consumer welfare and increasing new product introduction success rates.

Plate size

His research into consumer welfare examines behavioural biases that stimulate overconsumption of drinks, food, alcohol, and medicines and overspending of money. Based on this research, Van Ittersum formulates marketing strategies that offer win-win solutions for consumers and companies.

Take, for instance, the all-you-can-eat restaurants. Customers tend to fill their plates with far more food, than they can eat. The leftovers disappear in the garbage bin. Hardly sustainable and it harms the owners' profit rates. But, when given a smaller plate and a spoon, Van Ittersum discovered that the customers piled less onto their plates. Ergo, less intake of calories for the consumer and more profit for the caterer.

Societal relevant research

To Van Ittersum, the social relevance of his research is very important. That is why he has specialized in research considering the relationship between consumer behaviour and obesity. This research fits in with the University of Groningen's research priorities Healthy Aging and Sustainable Society very well . No wonder he is very excited about his appointment: “We wanted to return to The Netherlands and Groningen was on top of my wish-list. I have had very positive experiences with the university in the past and Groningen is a great city to live. I know the people of the Marketing group, the atmosphere is good and the department has an outstanding research infrastructure.”

In Groningen, Van Ittersum will continue his current research and especially he will expand the research in the direction of of Consumer Welfare. After living in the USA for 13 years, he will need some time to adjust both in his private life ánd professionally. There are significant cultural differences between the two countries which he has to take into account in the outcomes and implementation of his research. A nice challenge, says Van Ittersum. But, in his opinion, in the end the mechanisms are the same.

About Koert van Ittersum

Koert van Ittersum (Leiderdorp, 1972) studied Business Administration at the International Agricultural College Larenstein (bachelor) and Wageningen University (master, cum laude). In Wageningen, he wrote   his PhD-thesis The Role of Region of Origin in Consumer Decision-Making and Choice . After his PhD, he worked as a postdoc at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, USA. Between 2003 and 2010, he was Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, USA and since 2010 Associate Professor at the same university.