Determinants of changes in perception of the quality of dairy products by Polish consumers

The quality of dairy products covers areas that independently determine preferences, purchasing behaviour and eating habits. The concept of a three-dimensional structure of food quality has been the subject of numerous analyses. Many authors emphasize that research on the consumer quality structure should show orthogonal quality areas and the importance of these areas for individual user segments. It can be assumed that a specific modification in the perception of the quality of food products occurred under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research examines a perception of the quality of dairy products in the Polish market after the COVID-19 pandemic. It is assumed that the obtained research results will allow the adaptation of previously existing quality management systems to the new conditions. The research was conducted in the third quarter of 2022 and involved a survey targeting residents across all 16 voivodeships of Poland. The survey results underwent principal components analysis using the Statistica 13.3 package. The number of principal components was determined using the Kaiser method and the percentage of explained variance method. Factor loadings were calculated post-rotation using the "normalized varimax" method proposed by Pieczonka (2009). According to research, the quality of dairy products, in the opinion of the Polish consumer, is a multidimensional concept. The most critical areas of the quality of dairy products for both women and men are their nutritional and health-promoting value. Consumers considered the elements of the highest importance to be freshness and naturalness, the absence of contamination and chemical additives, durability and essential organoleptic features, taste and smell.