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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how consumers’ concern for food safety and income levels influence vegetable consumption patterns and expenditure in Tamale, Ghana. Design/methodology/approach Using data from a survey of 300 urban consumers, quantile regression analyses are used to examine how food safety consciousness, income and other factors influence vegetable expenditure across different quantiles. Findings Whereas protein-rich foods take smaller proportion, vegetables and cereals take more than half of the household food budget. Poor households spend greater proportion of income on food relative to wealthier households, although absolute amounts spent on food takes the opposite direction. Engel’s law applies to composite food expenditure and individual food classes. Bennett’s law applies to various food groups, with high-income households showing high dietary diversity than middle- and low-income households. Food safety consciousness and income groupings significantly influence vegetable expenditure at various quantiles. Expenditure of food safety conscious and high-income consumers are positioned on higher quantiles. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest a potential for agribusiness investors to develop safer vegetable niche markets in the study area. Originality/value The study is the first to analyze vegetable consumption in Ghana with a focus on food safety consciousness, income levels and consumers’ location.

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