CONSUMER’S CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTS IN TIMES OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Jelena Vapa Tankosić; Hasan Hanić; Milica  Bugarčić

doi:10.5937/ekoPolj2202469V

Authors

Jelena Vapa Tankosić Faculty of Economics and Engineering Management in Novi Sad, University Business Academy, Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia
Hasan Hanić Union University, Belgrade Banking Academy, Faculty for Banking, Insurance and Finance, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia
Milica Bugarčić Union University, Belgrade Banking Academy, Faculty for Banking, Insurance and Finance, Belgrade, Republic of Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj2202469V

Keywords:

consumer behavior, organic products, willingness to pay, nutritional properties, Serbia

Abstract

The pandemic caused by the Covid-19 virus significantly affected the consumers’ behavior. The subject of the paper is to analyze the consumer characteristics, the consumer attitudes towards organic food products, as well as the changes in the consumer behavior. The research was performed in 2021 in the Republic of Serbia. The statistical software package SPSS has been utilized for data analysis. Our findings show that, in times of COVID-19 pandemic, the consumers have a very positive perception of nutritional values of organic food products with an expressed willingness to pay 20–30% more for the organic products, in regard to conventional products. The main reason for buying such products is less chemistry and child health. The main reason for insufficient consumption is the high price. The monthly income of irregular consumers of organic food products has predicted the willingness to pay, while the household size has predicted the assessment of the organic products nutritional properties.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Akgungor S., Miran B., & Abay C. (2010). Consumer Willingness to Pay for Organic Food in Urban Turkey. Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 22 (3-4), 299–313. https&://doi.org/10.1080/08974431003641455

Anić I.D., Jelenc L., & Šebetić N. (2015). Istraživanje demografskih obilježja i ponašanja kupaca ekoloških prehrambenih proizvoda u Karlovačkoj Županiji. Ekonomska misao i praksa, 24(2), 367–388.

Brčić-Stipčević, V., & K. Petljak. (2011). Research on organic food purchase in Croatia. Tržište, 23 (2), 189-207.

Cerjak M., Mesić Ž., Kopić M., Kovačić D., & Markovina J. (2010). What motivates consumers to buy organic food: Comparison of Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, and Slovenia. Journal of Food Products Marketing, 16 (3), 278-292. https://doi.org/10.1080/10454446.2010.484745

Ćirić, M., Ilić, D., Ignjatijević, S., & Brkanlić, S. (2020). Consumer behavior in online shopping organic food during the Covid-19 pandemic in Serbia. Food and Feed Research, 47 (2), 149-158. https://doi.org/10.5937/ffr47-28815.

Eurostat (2021). Organic farming statistics. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Organic_farming_statistics (July 16, 2021)

Haghjou M., Hayati B., Pishbahar E., Mohammadrezaei R., & Dashti G. (2013). Factors affecting consumers’ potential willingness to pay for organic food products in Iran: Case study of Tabriz. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, 15(2), 191–202.

Jolly D. (1991). Differences between buyers and nonbuyers of organic produce and willingness to pay organic price premiums. Journal of Agribusiness, 9(1), 97–111. https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.62304

Jovanović M., Joksimović M., Kašćelan Lj., & Despotović A. (2017). Consumer attitudes to organic foods: Evidence from Montenegrin market. Agriculture and Forestry, 63(1), 223-234. https://doi.org/10.17707/AgricultForest.63.1.26

Kranjac M., Vapa-Tankosić J., & Knežević M. (2017). Profile of organic food consumers. Economics of Agriculture, 64 (2), 497-514, UDC: 338.43:63. ISSN 0352-3462.

Kuhar A., & Juvančić L. (2010): Determinants of purchasing behaviour for organic and integrated fruits and vegetables in Slovenia. Agricultural Economics Review, 11(2), 70– 83.

Loureiro, M.L., McCluskey, J.J. , & Mittelhammer, R.C. (2001). Assessing Consumer Preferences for Organic, Eco-labeled, and Regular Apples. Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 26(2): 404–416.

Millock K., Wier M., & Andersen L.M. (2004). Consumer’s demand for organic foods-attitudes, value and purchasing behavior. In: European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists Conference, Budapest, 15-28 June, 2004.

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia. Directorate for National Reference Laboratories, Organic Production Group (2019): Organic Statistics. Retrieved from http://www.dnrl.minpolj.gov.rs/lat/o_nama/o_nama.html (July 26, 2021)

Misra S., Huang C.L., & Ott S.L. (1991): Consumer willingness to pay for pesticide free fresh produce. Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, 16, (2), 218–227. https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.32604

Muhammad S., Fathelrahman E., & Ullah R.U. (2015): Factors Affecting Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Certified Organic Food Products in United Arab Emirates. Journal of Food Distribution Research, 46(1), 37–45. https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.199045

Ott, S.L. 1990. Supermarkets shoppers’ pesticide concerns and willingness to purchase certified pesticide residue-free fresh produce. Agribusiness 6(6), 593–602.

Özcelik A.Ö., & Ucar, A. 2008. Turkish academic staffs’ perception of organic foods. British Food Journal, 110(9), 948–960.

Radović-Marković, M., & Hanić, H. (2018). Metodologija istraživanja u ekonomskim naukama. Beogradska bankarska akademija, Fakultet za bankarstvo, osiguranje i finansije, Institut ekonomskih nauka, Beograd. ISBN 978-86-7852-038-9

Rosner B. (2011). Fundamentals of Biostatistics (7th ed.). Brooks/Cole, Boston, MA.

Sekovska B., Vlahović B., & Bunevski G. (2012). Consumption of Organic Food in Macedonia and Serbia: Similarities and Differences. In: Klopčić M., Kuipers, A. and Hocquette, J.F. (Eds): Consumer attitudes to food quality products. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen: 239-247. https://doi.org/10.3920/978-90-8686-762-2

Sriwaranun Y., Gan C., Lee M., & Cohen D. (2015). Consumers’ willingness to pay for organic products in Thailand. International Journal of Social Economics, 42(5), 480–510. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-09-2013-0204

Thompson G. D. (1998). Consumer Demand for Organic Foods: What we know and what we need to know. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 80(5), 1113–1118. https://doi.org/10.2307/1244214

Thompson G.D., & Kidwell J. (1998). Explaining the choice of organic produce, cosmetic defects, prices and consumer preferences. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 80(2), 277–287. https://doi.org/10.2307/1244500

Tsakiridou E., Konstantinos M., & Tzimitra-Kalogianni I. (2006). The influence of consumer’s characteristics and attitudes on the demand for organic olive oil. Journal of International Food & Agribusiness Marketing, 18 (3/4), 23–31. https://doi.org/10.1300/J047v18n03_03

Vapa Tankosić J., Ignjatijević S., Kranjac M., Lekić S., & Prodanović R. (2018). Willingness to pay for organic products on the Serbian market. International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, 2 (7), 791–801. https://doi.org/10.22434/IFAMR2017.0068

Vapa Tankosić, J., & Hanić, H. (2019). Uticaj percepcije potrošača o nutritivnoj vrednosti organske hrane na spremnost da se plati viša cena. Marketing, 50(3), 186-194. ISSN 0354-3471, UDC 339+658.

Vapa Tankosić, J., Ignjatijević, S., Kiurski, J., Milenković, J., & Milojević, I. (2020). Analysis of consumers’ willingness to pay for organic and local honey in Serbia. Sustainability, 12(11), 4686-4709. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12114686

Vehapi S. (2015). Istraživanje motiva potrošača koji utiču na kupovinu organske hrane u Srbiji. Ekonomske teme, 53(1), 105–121.

Vlahović B., Puškarić A., & Jeločnik M. (2011). Consumer attitude to Organic Food Consumption in Serbia. Petroleum Gas University of Ploiesti Bulletin, 18(1), 45–52. https://doi.org/10.5937/ekoPolj1703049P

Wier M., O’Doherty J.K., Andersen L.M., & Millock K. (2008). The character of demand in mature organic food markets: Great Britain and Denmark compared. Food Policy, 33 (5), 406–421. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2008.01.002

Yiridoe E.K., Bonti–Ankomah S., & Martin R.C. (2005). Comparison of consumer perceptions and preferences toward organic versus conventionally–produced foods: a review and update of the literature. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 20 (4), 193–205. https://doi.org/10.1079/RAF2005113

Zakowska-Biemans S. (2011). Polish consumer food choices and beliefs about organic food. British Food Journal, 113(1), 122–137. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070701111097385

Zámková M., & Prokop M. (2014). Comparison of Consumer Behavior of Slovaks and Czechs in the Market of Organic Products by Using Correspondence Analysis. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 62(4), 783-795. https://doi.org/doi: 10.11118/actaun201462040783