Consumers’ Purchasing Intentions on the Legume Market as Evidence of Sustainable Behaviour

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to verify the knowledge that is useful for legume producers in relation to consumers’ eating habits in the field of legume products. According to experts, leguminous products have a positive effect on human health. The tendency towards healthy eating habits is also associated with the idea of sustainable consumption. The authors have attempted to combine these two trends. The main goal was to determine, among consumers, the level of knowledge about legumes, product purchase motives, and preferred places of purchase. This study was carried out with the use of an authorial questionnaire. In total, 1067 respondents from all regions of Poland participated in the study. The Statistica 13.1PL programme was used for statistical analyses. Methods used: descriptive statistics, discriminant analysis and linear regression analysis. With the aid of the conducted analyses, it was possible to determine that peas, beans, soybeans and lentils are the most recognised and most frequently consumed products (in various configurations) among the residents of the studied groups. The most important motives for their purchase among the surveyed consumers were “flavour”, “price” and the fact that these products can be an alternative to meat products and contain a lot of protein and fibre. The purchase channels that legume product producers must pay attention to are large-area shops and online sales. Sustainable consumption awareness for the consumers of legume products is best defined by a variable in the regression equation—“no harmful substances used during its production”. The legume products market has not yet flourished in Poland. The products are an excellent alternative to meat products due to their high protein content. Pro-health education has a measurable effect and consumer awareness is growing. Producers should use this knowledge by emphasising, in the promotion of products, that the products are produced in accordance with the idea of sustainable development, without the use of harmful substances, and that no means are used to extend the shelf life.

Exploring the Preferences of Consumers’ Organic Products in Aspects of Sustainable Consumption: The Case of the Polish Consumer

“…This can be explained by the fact that income levels, which are a factor influencing organic shopping [101], are lower among retirees. On the other hand, the results and data from the reports of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Poland confirm that young people show a higher intensity of organic food consumption [27,102], and, therefore, young consumers should be considered as key stakeholders in the transition to more sustainable food systems [103][104][105][106].…”

Consumption Preferences of Pulses in the Diet of Polish People: Motives and Barriers to Replace Animal Protein with Vegetable Protein

“…The countries of Western Europe, which are at the forefront in terms of wealth, prefer a diet containing animal protein, and the consumption of plant substitutes is the prerogative of poorer countries [ 52 ] including Poland [ 53 ]. A diet in which protein of animal origin is replaced with protein of plant origin also goes in line with the trend of balanced consumption [ 27 , 54 , 55 ], which should additionally convince the consumer in favor of consumption of pulses. More than 30% of the respondents followed a diet that was dictated not only by health reasons but also by ethical or ecological beliefs, which is consistent with the conclusion of the results presented in the study by Honkanen et al [ 56 ].…”

“…The high content of carbohydrates, as well as dietary fiber, make pulses a product with a low glycemic index [ 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Pulses are also a valuable source of minerals and B group vitamins [ 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. They support hormonal regulation and protect women from the development of hormone-related tumors such as breast cancer and endometrium [ 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ].…”

The Potential of Selected Agri-Food Loss and Waste to Contribute to a Circular Economy: Applications in the Food, Cosmetic and Pharmaceutical Industries

“…They are currently relevant, developing new processes to innovate commercially in different aspects [ 173 ]. Among the legumes with the most significant growth in production processes are beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris ), chickpeas ( Cicer arietinum ), peas ( Pisum sativum ), lentils ( Lens culinaris ), and pigeon peas ( Cajanus cajan ) [ 174 , 175 ], with a variety of precooked canned products, powders such as condiments and additives, instant soups, among others [ 176 ]. The production of cereals and legumes is led by China and India, respectively ( Figure 8 ), being the foods with the highest processing after fruits and vegetables.…”