sevilmiş, gözde tarım ve kırsal kalkınmayı destekleme kurumu il koordinatörlüğü, Manisa, turkey , olgun, akın ege üniversitesi - ziraat fakültesi - tarım ekonomisi bölümü, İzmir, turkey , artukoğlu, metin ege üniversitesi - ziraat fakültesi - tarım ekonomisi bölümü, İzmir, turkey

A Research on Factors Which Determines The Effect of Consumer Decisions About Functional Products: The Case of İzmir

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healt concerns, expectation of longer and better lives and increasing health expenses have created a situation where consumers are seeking out much healthier foods. This situation has caused the development of functional foods, which include a variety of components, nutrients and non-nutrients, which affect a range of body functions relevant either to a person’s state of well-being, general health, and / or to the reduction of risk of a disease. This article discusses the deciding factors of consumers when purchasing functional foods, which began to appear on the market in Turkey after the year 2000. The original data was collected through face to face interviews in İzmir using a questionnaire. The purpose of this questionaire was to understand the consumer’s decisions and behaviour when they were contemplating whether or not to buy functional foods. This raw data was then processed by means of statistical analysis (chi square, factor and cluster etc.) This analysis was then used to investigate the reasons that would either encourage or discourage consumers from buying functional foods. Contrary to consumers who live in the European Union, younger and more educated consumers in Turkey are more likely to consume functional foods. On the other hand, when the health claim or taste of the product fails to meet consumer expectations, and ends in disapointment or dissatisfaction, then consumers are less likely to continue purchasing the product in the future.

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Functional foods , consumer behaviour , functional foods choices of consumer

The Journal Of Ege University Faculty Of Agriculture

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