Consumer Attitudes to Food Quality Products : Emphasis on Southern Europe

Quality foods, such as traditional, EU certified, organic and health claimed are part of a growing trend towards added value in the agri-food sector. In these foods, elements of production, processing, marketing, agro-tourism and speciality stores are combined. Paramount above all is the link to the consumer, which requires a personal approach. At this point, one enters the field of food consumer science. This can be seen as a hybrid of two distinct sciences. On one hand, there is the 'hardware' component, i.e. the science of food. On the other hand, the 'software' component, related to the science of consumers' preferences and behaviour. In animal science, nearly all attention is given to the 'hardware' aspect. However, to build a successful business in quality food products, the 'software' aspect is essential. This publication devotes special attention to the consumer and gives insight into an area of knowledge still very much in development. It is intended to enhance understanding of the complex relationships in the route from products to consumers and offers practical solutions in this field. This publication includes review articles covering basic aspects of food consumer science and research trends in the field, and a series of country reports and articles on relevant studies related to the topic, with emphasis on Southern Europe. Read more... Abstract: Quality foods, such as traditional, EU certified, organic and health claimed are part of a growing trend towards added value in the agri-food sector. In these foods, elements of production, processing, marketing, agro-tourism and speciality stores are combined. Paramount above all is the link to the consumer, which requires a personal approach. At this point, one enters the field of food consumer science. This can be seen as a hybrid of two distinct sciences. On one hand, there is the 'hardware' component, i.e. the science of food. On the other hand, the 'software' component, related to the science of consumers' preferences and behaviour. In animal science, nearly all attention is given to the 'hardware' aspect. However, to build a successful business in quality food products, the 'software' aspect is essential. This publication devotes special attention to the consumer and gives insight into an area of knowledge still very much in development. It is intended to enhance understanding of the complex relationships in the route from products to consumers and offers practical solutions in this field. This publication includes review articles covering basic aspects of food consumer science and research trends in the field, and a series of country reports and articles on relevant studies related to the topic, with emphasis on Southern Europe Front Matter....Pages 1-9 Front Matter....Pages 11-11 Food quality policies and consumer interests in the EU....Pages 13-22 Trends in food choice and nutrition....Pages 23-30 Consumer food sciences: some theories, models and research methods (using Western Balkan countries as a case study)....Pages 31-54 Front Matter....Pages 55-55 Market opportunities for sustainable foods: an investigation of the different roles of consumers and retailers, catering companies and brand manufacturers....Pages 57-65 Quality of Food Products and Consumer Attitudes in France....Pages 67-82 Consumer Attitudes to Food Quality Products of Animal Origin in Italy....Pages 83-96 Consumer attitudes towards meat consumption in Spain with special reference to quality marks and kid meat....Pages 97-107 Consumer behaviour towards organic food in Portugal....Pages 109-123 Overview of consumer research in Western Balkan countries....Pages 125-134 Processors and retailers attitudes towards consumer demand for dairy nutrition and health claimed products in Western Balkan Countries....Pages 135-146 Market trends and consumer behaviour relating to organic products in the Western Balkan Countries....Pages 147-159 Review of stakeholders influencing food chain in Slovenia in the context of food consumer science....Pages 161-177 Consumer perceptions of home made, organic, EU certified, and traditional local products in Slovenia....Pages 179-193 Consumer attitudes to quality animal food products in Croatia....Pages 195-203 Influence of gender, nutrition education and nutrition labelling format on nutrition quality assessment....Pages 205-215 Consumer attitudes to the animal food quality products in Serbia....Pages 217-231 First steps in developing an organic food supply chain in Macedonia....Pages 233-238 Consumption of organic food in Macedonia and Serbia: similarities and differences....Pages 239-245 Consumers’ perceptions of food quality products: Greece’s experiences....Pages 247-259 Quality and safety of products of animal origin and consumers attitudes: Cyprus perspective....Pages 261-268 Front Matter....Pages 55-55 Producer and consumer attitudes towards red meat in Turkey....Pages 269-274 Polish beef consumers: emerging or declining market?....Pages 275-285 Back Matter....Pages 287-298