Decoding Consumer-Perceived Risks in China’s C-end Online Purchasing Pre-made Dishes: A Quality Safety Risk Identification Model Based on Grounded Theory

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven a significant shift in Chinese society from restaurant 'takeaway' to contactless online purchases of pre-made dishes, raising concerns about their quality safety. This study aims to identify the quality safety risk factors of pre-made dishes purchased online and construct a comprehensive risk identification framework. Using Python, textual data from consumer reviews of the top 50 pre-made dishes on four major e-commerce platforms (Taobao, JD.com, Hema, and Pinduoduo) were analyzed with grounded theory. A model for identifying quality safety risk factors for C-end online shopping for pre-made dishes in China was constructed using grounded theory. Results revealed five core categories of risks: production and processing, e-commerce sales, storage and transportation, consumption, and recycling, encompassing fifteen main and thirty-five initial categories. This study provides a systematic framework to guide government agencies and industry stakeholders in developing risk assessment indicators and formulating safety standards for pre-made dishes.