STUDY ON CONSUMER PREFERENCES TOWARDS ORGANIC FOOD IN THE MARKET OF SPLIT, Croatia

Marin Čagalj; Ivo Grgić; Josip Gugić

doi:10.5937/ekoPolj2001285C

Authors

Marin Čagalj Institute for Adriatic Crops and Karst Reclamation http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4193-7759
Ivo Grgić Faculty of Agriculture University of Zagreb http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3900-4925
Josip Gugić University Department of Marine Studies, Split

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj2001285C

Keywords:

organic food, consumer preferences, Split market, Croatia

Abstract

Since the nineties of the last century, ecological products have become increasingly important in the market, and given that scientists have pro and contra arguments of ecological breeding, the main purpose of this paper was to determine the consumers preferences towards ecological food; the importance of certain characteristics and deterrents on the purchase of organic food; in the market of Split. For this survey we randomly recruited 113 participants in Split, Croatia. Surveyed consumers when purchasing organic food of the greatest importance consider protection of the environment, and at the least important they retain the taste. The most significant constraint on purchasing organic food of surveyed consumers is the high cost of the product, and the least important is the lack of marketing. Given the size of the sample, surveyed consumers are a typical target group of consumers of organic food.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

1.Azadi, H., and Ho, P. (2010). Genetically modified and organic crops in developing countries: A review of options for food security. Biotechnology Advances 28; 160–168. DOI:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2009.11.003

2. Balfour, E. (2003). Land health. http://www.sheepdrove.com/article.asp?art_id=111 Buck, D., Getz, C., and Guthman, J. (1991). From farm to table: the organicvegetablecommodity chain of Northern California. Sociologica Ruralis, 37 (1), 3-20.

3. Cerjak, M., Mesic, Z., Kopic, M., Kovacic, D., and Markovina, J. (2010). What Motivates Consumers to buy Organic Food: Comparison of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Slovenia. Journal of Food Products Marketing 16 (3); 278-292. https://doi.org/10.1080/10454446.2010.484745

4. Closter, A.M., Embree E., Petersen, M., and Pedersen, S.H. (2004). Organic farming and genetically modified crops in relation to food security. Henning Høgh Jensen Publication.

5. Croatian Bureau of Statistic (2015). Average monthly net and gross earnings of persons in paid employment. First Release, 9.1.1.

6. Foley, C.L. (2006). Making the organic connection. http://www. organicconnection.net/

7. Durand-Parenti, C. (2011): Rien ne prouve que le bio soit meilleur pour la santé. Published by Le Point.fr, at: http://www.lepoint.fr/societe/rien-ne-prouve-que-lebio-soit-meilleur-pour-la-sante-05-04-2011-1315682_23.php

8. Holden, P. (2004). Organic advantages. http://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/may/10/food.foodanddrink

9. Houdebine L., M. (2010). Dix questions sur lagriculture biologique. Afis science et pseudosciences 290.

10. Johnston, R. (2008). The great organic myths: Why organic foods are an indulgence the world cant afford. Published by The Independent. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/greenliving/the-great-organic-myths-why-organic-foods-arean-indulgence-the-world-cant-afford-818585.html (accessed on 20.01.2013).

11. Kovacic, D; Radman, M; Haas, R. (2002). Segmentation of city market customers in Croatia - Towards a marketing strategy for fruit and vegetable markets. Die Bodenkultur. Austrian Journal of Agricultural Research, 53 (4); 207-216.

12. Laird, E. (2001). Low federal support for organic farming. Alive:230.

13. Lampkin, N., and Midmore, P. (1999). Organic farming and the European Union. Memorandum of evidence to the House of Lords select committee on the European communities sub-committee D (Agriculture, Fisheries and Food).

14. Martic Kuran, L. and Mihic, M. (2014). Applying the theory of planned behavior in the purchase of organic food. Market; 26 (2)

15. R Core Team (2012). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. ISBN 3-900051-07-0, URL http://www.R-project.org/.

16. Randerson, J. (2004). Organic farming boosts biodiversity. Biological Conservation 122 :113.

17. Stefanic, I., Stefanic, E. and R. Haas (2001). What the customers really want: organic food market in Croatia? Die Bodenkultur. Austrian Journal of Agricultural Research, 52 (4); 243-248.