IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v14y2024i1p91-d1311961.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Food Consumption Habits of Hungarian Organic Food Consumers and Their Policy Implications

Author

Listed:
  • Kinga Nagyné Pércsi

    (Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Godollo, Hungary)

  • Apolka Ujj

    (Institute of Rural Development and Sustainable Economy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Godollo, Hungary)

  • Wifek Essoussi

    (Doctoral School of Economic and Regional Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Godollo, Hungary)

  • Gyöngyi Györéné Kis

    (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, 1033 Budapest, Hungary)

  • Paulina Jancsovszka

    (Institute of Rural Development and Sustainable Economy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 2100 Godollo, Hungary)

Abstract

Food production and consumption have a major impact on the environment and human health. Therefore, it is important to achieve transformations towards greater sustainability in the food sector. As in other countries around the world, Hungarian organic food consumers are characterised by the fact that they consume organic food primarily for health reasons. Direct forms, including online purchase, are preferred in the choice of channels since direct contact with producers is very important due to mistrust, which is one of the barriers to the further growth of consumption. Empirical tests of well-known and frequently applied theories also shed light on the connections above. First, an examination was conducted through logistic regression to determine if there exists a correlation between organic food consumption and environmentally and socially conscious consumption traits (such as supporting small-scale producers) within the broader sample (1148), encompassing not just organic food consumers. Subsequently, concentrating solely on organic food consumers (944), factor analysis was employed to reveal connections among the analysed variables and to group Hungarian organic food consumers into clusters based on their consumption and purchasing habits. In conclusion, it is reasonable to assume that organic food consumers are more likely to be environmentally conscious, as they are more aware of the environmental impact of their food choices. Three clearly distinguishable groups were obtained using cluster analysis. These groups can be targeted with different means in order to develop the sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Kinga Nagyné Pércsi & Apolka Ujj & Wifek Essoussi & Gyöngyi Györéné Kis & Paulina Jancsovszka, 2024. "Food Consumption Habits of Hungarian Organic Food Consumers and Their Policy Implications," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:1:p:91-:d:1311961
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/1/91/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/1/91/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Biel, Anders & Thogersen, John, 2007. "Activation of social norms in social dilemmas: A review of the evidence and reflections on the implications for environmental behaviour," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 93-112, January.
    2. Kiss, Csilla & Vincze, Judit & Tenk, Antal & Paszthy, Gyorgy & Toaso, Szilvia, 2005. "Fogyasztói Vélemények A Bio-Sertéshúsról, Illetve A Sertéshúsfogyasztásról," GAZDÁLKODÁS: Scientific Journal on Agricultural Economics, Karoly Robert University College, vol. 49(06), pages 1-6.
    3. Zanoli, Raffaele & Naspetti, Simona, 2002. "Consumer motivations in the purchase of organic food. A means-end approach," MPRA Paper 32712, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Birsen Yilmaz, 2023. "Factors Influencing Consumers’ Behaviour towards Purchasing Organic Foods: A Theoretical Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-17, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sadiq, Muhammad Ahsan & Rajeswari, Balasundaram & Ansari, Lubna & Danish Kirmani, Mohd, 2021. "The role of food eating values and exploratory behaviour traits in predicting intention to consume organic foods: An extended planned behaviour approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    2. Maria Andersson & Ola Eriksson & Chris Von Borgstede, 2012. "The Effects of Environmental Management Systems on Source Separation in the Work and Home Settings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 4(6), pages 1-17, June.
    3. Marie-Laure Cabon-Dhersin & Nathalie Etchart-Vincent, 2013. "Wording and gender effects in a Game of Chicken. An explorative experimental study," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-00796708, HAL.
    4. Corey Angst, 2009. "Protect My Privacy or Support the Common-Good? Ethical Questions About Electronic Health Information Exchanges," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 90(2), pages 169-178, November.
    5. Pieper, Nadine & Woisetschläger, David M., 2024. "Customer misbehavior in access-based mobility services: An examination of prevention strategies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    6. Vehapi Semir, 2015. "A Study of the Consumer Motives which Influence the Purchase of Organic Food in Serbia," Economic Themes, Sciendo, vol. 53(1), pages 102-118, March.
    7. Carter, Kealy & Jayachandran, Satish & Murdock, Mitchel R., 2021. "Building A Sustainable Shelf: The Role of Firm Sustainability Reputation," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 97(4), pages 507-522.
    8. Seufert, Verena & Ramankutty, Navin & Mayerhofer, Tabea, 2017. "What is this thing called organic? – How organic farming is codified in regulations," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 10-20.
    9. Anna Gaviglio & Mattia Bertocchi & Maria Elena Marescotti & Eugenio Demartini & Alberto Pirani, 2016. "The social pillar of sustainability: a quantitative approach at the farm level," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-19, December.
    10. Lars E. Olsson & Jana Huck & Margareta Friman, 2018. "Intention for Car Use Reduction: Applying a Stage-Based Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-14, January.
    11. Ngobo, Paul-Valentin & Jean, Sylvie, 2012. "Does store image influence demand for organic store brands?," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 621-628.
    12. Jessica Aschemann-Witzel & Stephan Zielke, 2017. "Can't Buy Me Green? A Review of Consumer Perceptions of and Behavior Toward the Price of Organic Food," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(1), pages 211-251, March.
    13. Caserta, Maurizio & Distefano, Rosaria & Ferrante, Livio, 2022. "The Good of Rules: An experimental study on prosocial behavior," EconStor Preprints 266393, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    14. Nadine E. van der Waal & Frans Folkvord & Rachid Azrout & Corine S. Meppelink, 2022. "Can Product Information Steer towards Sustainable and Healthy Food Choices? A Pilot Study in an Online Supermarket," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    15. Cecilia Castaldo & Matilde Giaccherini & Giacomo Pallante & Alessandro Palma, 2024. "Unveiling Shades of Green Food beyond Labels. Evidence from an Online Experiment to Climate Adaptation," CESifo Working Paper Series 11161, CESifo.
    16. Soyoung Seo & Hee-Kyung Ahn & Jaeseok Jeong & Junghoon Moon, 2016. "Consumers’ Attitude toward Sustainable Food Products: Ingredients vs. Packaging," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-19, October.
    17. Marietta Kiss & Kontor Eniko & Kun Andras Istvan, 2015. "The Effect Of 'Organic' Labels On Consumer Perception Of Chocolates," Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, vol. 1(1), pages 448-457, July.
    18. Latvala, Terhi & Mandolesi, Serena & Nicholas, Phillipa & Zanoli, Raffaele, 2013. "Identifying Expectations for Innovations in Management Practices in Dairy Sector by Using Q Methodology," 2013 International European Forum, February 18-22, 2013, Innsbruck-Igls, Austria 164734, International European Forum on System Dynamics and Innovation in Food Networks.
    19. Iliriana Miftari & Rainer Haas & Oliver Meixner & Drini Imami & Ekrem Gjokaj, 2022. "Factors Influencing Consumer Attitudes towards Organic Food Products in a Transition Economy—Insights from Kosovo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-14, May.
    20. Elisa Monnot & Fanny Reniou & Béatrice Parguel, 2014. "Consumer responses to elimination of overpackaging on private label products," Working Papers halshs-01076408, HAL.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:1:p:91-:d:1311961. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.