Impact of socio-cultural and economic factors on vegetable consumption behaviours: case of Giresun province, Turkey

Abstract

Many factors impact on food consumption behaviours. The aim of the study is to determine the impact of socio-demographic and ecological factors on vegetable consumption. A 14-question questionnaire was applied on a voluntary basis to 200 individuals who accepted to participate in the study. Their socio-demographic attributes and the vegetable consumption habits of their families were determined. Their average monthly budget for vegetables is € 31.82±12.72. The two attributes of purchased vegetables with most demand are cleanliness (61.5%) and freshness (22%). The maximum price per 1 kg of vegetables, which individuals with an income of € 301-450 can afford, is € 0.96, but for individuals with an income of > € 450, it is € 1.25. It was observed that the amount of purchased vegetables increased with the increase in the budget allocated for vegetables.

Trader acceptability of African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum Shum) genotypes and effect of bio‐control treatments on consumer sensory acceptability

“…According to Ugur et al . (2014), the more income people have, the higher the willingness to pay a high price for quality when compared with quantity. Therefore, quality is more important in high‐end markets than low‐end markets where quantity is more valued.…”

“…High-end markets are mainly visited by middle to high income and educated customers who value vegetable quality aspects as opposed to the low-end markets (Jagwe et al, 2016). According to Ugur et al (2014), the more income people have, the higher the willingness to pay a high price for quality when compared with quantity. Therefore, quality is more important in high-end markets than low-end markets where quantity is more valued.…”

Seasonal Variation of the Microbial Quality of Local Vegetables in Giresun, the Northern Province of Turkey

“…Various economic, sociological and ecological factors are influential on vegetable consumption (Ugur et al, 2014). Despite ecological factors' drawing interest as the most effectual ones, we find different forms of vegetable consumption in different societies due to cultural factors.…”

“…In time, many of them were cultivated depending on needs and consumption. Though different factors affect vegetable consumption, vegetable production and consumption cultures have developed based on ecologies (Ugur et al, 2014). Nowadays, the main goal of vegetable consumption is to satisfy the need for carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals of humans.…”

“…As low-income families generally consume vegetables for their needs of nutrition/energy, potato consumption is more common in such families. In high income families, vegetables are considered as means of diversifying the diet and supermarkets and greengrocers are preferred despite selling vegetables for higher prices (Ugur et al, 2014). As the level of awareness and income of societies has increased, vegetable consumption has been regarded as a way of healthy nutrition instead of an activity for putting on the feed bag and nutritional and bioactive agent contents of the vegetables have been started to be taken into consideration (Baslam et al, 2011;Yen and Tan, 2012).…”