Does Economic Crisis Force to Consumption Changes Regarding Fruits and Vegetables?

Abstract

This study focuses on consumers' behaviour towards Fruits and Vegetables (FVs) under economic crisis. The implementation of both factor analysis and logistic regression reveals discrete consumer groups, affected and not affected by the ongoing economic crisis. Interviewees were selected randomly. In total, 250 questionnaires were completed and 238 of them were used for computations. There are two consumer groups, one affected by the crisis and one which did not. For the former, the price criterion prevails, while for the latter parameters like locality of production and heath concerns lead them to purchasing decisions. The economic crisis has reduced the quantities of FVs being consumed, and the retail chain stores fail to meet the criteria of locality and secure traceability procedures about the origin of the products. Nevertheless, educated consumers with higher incomes prefer to visit super markets, while elderly people with low incomes prefer grocery stores and open markets.