Analyzing consumer perceptions about food safety by applying the food-related lifestyle approach

Abstract

Food safety standards remain a major concern for consumers, especially in developing and emerging economies, due to gaps in the capacities of food safety enforcement institutions and limited investments from private sector actors. This study analyzes consumer behavior and food safety-related lifestyles in Kosovo, a post-communist emerging economy. Consumer groups were identified according to their food- related lifestyle using the classical 2-stage segmentation approach of factor analysis as well as cluster analysis. The study findings indicate that almost 2/3 of the surveyed consumers are fairly or very concerned about food safety. The results reveal that highly educated female consumers are more concerned about personal health risks, food safety-related content, and related diseases. This study provides interesting insights for food safety policymakers as well as the agroindustry on how to promote food safety consumer awareness effectively with targeted communication strategies.

The Impact of Political Orientation and Government Change on Public Satisfaction with Food Policy in South Korea

“…On the other hand, food away from home (FAFH) expenses exhibit significant positive coefficients across all policy dimensions, indicating that individuals who frequently dine out have higher satisfaction with food policies. This finding highlights the importance of considering lifestyle factors and consumption patterns when assessing public perceptions of food policies [27][28][29][30].…”

“…The results suggest that political shifts reflect deep-seated concerns and expectations among the populace regarding food policy effectiveness, transparency, and responsiveness to health and economic needs. Economic factors, lifestyle choices, and health considerations also play crucial roles in shaping individuals' perceptions of food policies [27][28][29][30].…”