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Purchasing Patterns of Prescription (Rx), over the Counter (OTC) Medicines and Food Supplements among Hungarian Consumers
23-34Views:646Over-the-Counter (OTC) medicines and food supplements plays an important role in healthcare. It is generally accepted that, when used properly, OTC medicines save consumers time and money. In this paper we looked into the purchasing behavior of the Hungarian population regarding OTC drugs and food supplements, highlighting the significance of self-medication. Using a quantitative online survey in March 2022 with a national representative sample, the research aimed to measure the out-of-pocket health expenditures, focusing on OTC drugs and food supplements. The analysis showed that the population spends more money on OTC drugs and food supplements than the co-payment of prescription (Rx) drugs, and the combined expenditures on OTC drugs and food supplements significantly contribute to the household's total healthcare costs, representing 45% of this budget. Three hypotheses were formulated to investigate the relationships between the spending on Rx medications, OTC drugs, food supplements, and various demographic factors. The analysis showed significant correlations, indicating that as expenditures on Rx medications increase, so do the purchases of OTC drugs and food supplements. Demographic analysis indicated that the younger demographic age group (18-35 years) tends to spend the least on both Rx, OTC drugs and food supplements, while the 36-50 age group exhibits the highest expenditure on food supplements. However, no significant difference in OTC drug purchases was found among those older than 36 years. The study raises further questions regarding the purchasing behavior of chronic patients, the differentiation between OTC drugs and food supplements by consumers, the influence of minors in the household on purchasing decisions, and whether the primary target demographic for these products should be expanded beyond the 35-50 aged women as it is defined nowadays.
JEL Codes: I11, I12, M31 -
Sports Activity vs. Consumption of Dietary Supplements
35-48Views:1212Previous research on consumption of dietary supplements and consumer motivations has shown that there are different motivations behind their widespread consumption in recreational and competitive sports. This research examined the consumption of the main nutritional supplements, the relationship between different forms of sports and dietary supplement consumption, as well as their relationship with age. The questionnaire survey was conducted by telephone among those who mainly exercised recreational sports activities and a total of 236 valid responses were obtained. The sample is gender-balanced and overrepresents younger segments by age groups. The majority of recreational athletes interviewed in the research are among the potentially stable consumers. Only 10% does not consume and does not plan to use supplements. The interview recorded the main types of supplements (vitamins and minerals; amino acids, proteins; essential fats, etc.) as well as the preferred forms of sports (device-free and device-intensive aerobics and cardio; fitness and team sports). As for the purpose of consuming dietary supplements it can be said that the main motivator is the preservation of health, followed by the improvement of physical well-being, cartilage protection, muscle gain, and then performance enhancement. Among other things, the research revealed differences in consumption motivations for dietary supplements by age group, the relationship between sports type and dietary supplement consumption. Health preservation as motivation spans different age categories, however, cartilage protection and improvement of physical well-being are more typical for the 25+ and 35+ age groups, while supplements consumed to increase muscle mass and performance shift to the younger side of the sample. Different patterns appear for each type of sport, only the outstanding rate of consumption of vitamin preparations is the same. Device-free aerobic and cardio 91%, device-intensive aerobic and cardio 88% and fitness sports 85% are the proportions of people who often consume vitamin preparations several times a day, once a day or several times a week. The results suggest that the primary driver of the use of dietary supplements is the preservation of health, but product knowledge is an important consideration, as excessive intake of these supplements can even lead to damage to health.
JEL Codes: I12, M31, Z2 -
The Relationship between Genetics-Based Personalised Nutrition and Dietary Supplement Consumption among the Hungarian Population
61-71Views:407Genetic-based personalised nutrition is a concept that adapts diets, foods and nutrients to a person's individual needs (genetic, lifestyle and environmental), of which the use of supplements can be an integral part. Personalised nutrition, as a new technology and nutritional principle, could be a good way to improve the objective health status of the population in a meaningful way. However, previous research has shown that Hungarian consumers are distrustful and uncertain about this new technology, despite its obvious benefits. My main objective is to identify the attitudes towards nutrigenomics in relation to dietary supplement consumer behaviour. My quantitative analysis was carried out on a nationally representative sample of 1000 people. In the present study, I describe the clusters of the Hungarian population based on their dietary supplement consumption behaviour. Each cluster has different opinions on who they perceive as having an advantage in the applicability of genetic-based tests and to what extent they expect consensus among experts on genetic-based tests. Clusters show characteristic differences in openness to innovation and attitudes towards genetically personalised nutrition. I complemented my results with a qualitative study, which I conducted in the form of a netnographic survey. Through content analysis on social media, I identified the most common themes and consumer reactions to personalised nutrition on social media sites. Overall, it was found that dietary supplement consumption and the adoption of genetic-based tests show synergies in the manifestation of openness to novelty, health promotion behaviours, social norms, and positive attitudes.
JEL Codes: A13, I12, P46 -
Beliefs and Misbeliefs About Plant-Based Diet Relying on the Results of an Online Research
65-77Views:858A main current trend is healthy lifestyle and the consumption of fruit and vegetables. The assessment of healthiness of plant-based diet is not so obvious either among the population or food experts. In an online survey the knowledge, beliefs and misbeliefs about plant-based diet were analysed among members and non-members of online social media lifestyles groups. All in all, it can be stated that there are no significant relationships and differences between knowledge, attitude and perception of members and non-members. Social media users are aware of the different types of plant-based diet (vegetarian, vegan) and the positive and negative psychological effects. The associations connected to plant-based diet are the following: healthy, environmentally friendly and expensive. Only a small segment of Hungarian people follow plant-based diet. At the same the diverse and everyday consumption of fruit and vegetables is essential because of health and sustainability issues. Due to conscious nutrition and more plant-based diet, people can contribute to the protection of their own health and the Earth.
JEL Classification: M31
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The Impact of Influencer Marketing on Consumer Motivation and Awareness in the Dietary Supplements Market –Exploratory Research
31-42Views:606This study explores the impact of influencer marketing on consumer motivation and awareness in the dietary supplements market. The increasing prevalence of social media and its integration into daily life has positioned influencer marketing as one of the most dynamic and influential tools in targeting younger generations, particularly the z and y generations. This study examines how influencer marketing affects purchasing behavior, with an emphasis tin the health-conscious lifestyle trend. Through a combination of secondary and primary research, the study identifies key trends and motivations driving consumer behavior in the dietary supplements sector. Six qualitative in- depth interviews were conducted with participants aged 24 to 35 from the y and z generations. These interviews highlighted the importance of health consciousness, social media influences, and individual trust in influencers’ credibility. Participants’ motivations for using dietary supplements include health maintenance, energy boosts, and convenience, though skepticism towards influencer-promoted products persists. The findings suggest that while influencer marketing holds significant sway over generation Z consumers, authenticity, scientific backing, and the influencers’ credibility play critical roles in determining their effectiveness. Conversely, generation Y consumers demonstrated a greater degree of skepticism towards influencers and placed more emphasis tin staff research and expert opinions. The study concludes that responsible influencer marketing practices and better consumer education are essential. These include transparent, scientifically grounded communication lake mitigate potential misinformation. The insights gained contribute lake understanding how generational differences shape consumer engagement with dietary supplements and highlights the need for regulated marketing practices lake ensure ethical promotion in this growing market.
JEL Codes: M31, I112 -
Examination of consumer preferences in relation to plant-based diet
3-20Views:1025Today, non-communicable, chronic diseases have become the number one causes of death worldwide. But while the problem is receding in developed, more civilized countries, the so called civilization diseases have shifted towards less developed societies, thus spreading throughout the world. One of the main sources of the problem is unhealthy nutrition, so compiling the right diet can reduce the spread and severity of chronic diseases. Within the framework of this article, we deal with plant-based nutrition and its characteristics. Our aim was to get to know the motivations and opinions of those who consider themselves (to be) vegetarian, and to a lesser extent those of the omnivorous groups in relation to plant-based (vegetarian) diets. One of our main findings was that vegetarians follow a plant-based diet primarily for physical and mental health, with almost two-thirds strictly adhering to their diet and the price level of which they do not consider more expensive than the omnivorous diet. Another important result was that the majority of those who followed the plant-based diet declared their diet to be healthy and themselves to be health-conscious. Based on the results, it can be stated that the followers of the plant-based diet are very satisfied with their own diet.
JEL codes: I10, I12 -
Integrating QFD and Kano Model for the Introduction of Dietary Supplement Tablets
3-18Views:340The University of Debrecen (UD) is aiming to enter the dietary supplements market with its own branded and self-manufactured products. The goal of our research is to determine the product characteristics which provide a competitive advantage for a dietary supplement capsule about to be launched and translate them into technological parameters of manufacturing. In this research, we aim to find out (K1) which product characteristics contribute the most and (K2) which technological parameters need to be focused on during production. To answer these questions, we integrated the Kano Model was integrated into the "House of Quality" (QFD) model and cluster analysis was conducted. By applying these methods together, we can get a clearer picture of which product characteristics to focus on in product development to achieve the highest increase in customers’ satisfaction. The responses of 298 individuals were analysed based on their consumption habits. According to our results, natural ingredients, scientific background of the University of Debrecen, and safety were attractive factors for identifiable target groups, moreover, the first two attributes contributing the most to customers’ satisfaction. Therefore, we also recommend indicating these on the packaging. Based on the House of Quality analysis, bioactive ingredients emerged as the most important technical parameter, so we recommend its adaption in production.
JEL codes: I12, L11 L66 -
Interpretation of Health-conscious Food Consumption Behavior on the Basis of LOHAS Concept
39-46Views:541In our study, the information search behavior of sustainability committed consumer group is analyzed. Furthermore, consumer opinions about nutrition labels on food packaging are highlighted. According to the international literature, LOHAS (Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability) group is the most committed consumer segment to sustainability.
Exploration of Hungarian sustainability committed consumer groups’ opinion about food labels is supported by the closing part of a research chain which was started in 2010. This, last research was carried out in 2012, where, with the aid of quota sampling, Trend followers’ and Unconcerned’s judgment on food labels was investigated. The quota and the two mentioned groups were formed on the basis of a national representative research, which was performed in 2011. Information search behavior was evaluated according to the structure of Grunert-Wills’ information search model. In this study we focus on our research results, which connect to the last two steps (understanding, interferences and use) of the mentioned model.
Goal of this research is to investigate in a practical aspect of information search behavior of domestic sustainability committed consumer group (“Trend followers”) in connection with food labels proving health effects of foodstuffs. Four hypotheses were defined to reach our goal:
H1: Among health information on food packaging, labels stating energy value, are getting a higher influencing role in food purchasing process, where conscious consumer groups have a deeper knowledge about the objective meaning of food labels.
H2: Consumer knowledge about objective meaning of food labels is getting a highlighted role in formation of brand loyalty.
H3: Trust has an essential role in consumer acceptation of food labels, where common qualifier activity of different organizations (state, profit and nonprofit area) come into the front.
H4: Correct understanding of food labels has a positive influencing effect on acceptation of higher prices and on real use of food labels during food purchasing.
One- and multivariate analysis and cross table analysis were calculated to investigate our assumptions. In the closing part of our study, three practical recommendations are defined, which relate to follows: optimization of communication strategy of food industries, way of introduction of new food labels and need of objective guidance of consumers about food information. -
Interrelations of Sustainable Food Consumption
3-22Views:648The past seventy years have been perhaps the fastest development phase in human history. The concept of sustainable development is the sense of responsibility towards future generations, the so-called emphasizes intergenerational solidarity by recognizing the right of future generations to meet their needs. The biggest challenge facing humanity is finding solutions to reduce the damage it causes. The key to this is changing consumption habits. We believe that a food consumption structure that has a low environmental impact, but at the same time an insufficient nutrient density, cannot be considered sustainable, as this leads to malnutrition and deficiency diseases. A sustainable food system (SFS) is a food system that ensures food security and healthy nutrition for all, in a way that does not jeopardize the economic, social and environmental foundations for future generations. Based on what has been described so far, it is clear that the environment and health are two key dimensions of a sustainable diet or sustainable food consumption. The article presents the implementation possibilities of sustainable food consumption through examples.
JEL Codes: E2, Q5 -
Nutritional Significance of Eggs as a Basic and Functional Food
7-22Views:967The image of table eggs and egg consumption habits were negatively influenced by the American National Cholesterol Education Program based on the misperception that dietary cholesterol affects serum cholesterol levels in blood. Research in recent years, which is less well-known and widespread in the public awareness, has refuted this theory. Eggs are miracle foods containing 40 proteins and 18 amino acids, and rich in vitamins and minerals, with the same biological value as breast milk. Moreover, eggs have functional properties which can make it one of the possible tools for improving public health because it reduces the risk of a large number of diseases, and helps brain function and foetal development, and strengthens the immune system. Nevertheless, the Hungarian egg consumption and production were down in recent years. Stopping and reversing this trend are needed as quickly as possible. The aim of this study is to summarize the latest research results on eggs and its nutritional significance, which is able to provide a basis for adequate information to consumers and updating the knowledge of related disciplines.
JEL codes: I10, M30, Q13
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Attitudes of Alternative Diet Followers Towards Purchasing Local Products
3-15Views:707Earth’s population has been growing steadily over the last centuries, with increasing demand for food production. For this reason, despite the current technological progress, even more and more cultivated lands are needed. The purpose of our research is to examine the proportion of local products that are being used by those who follow different alternative diets, which can also be used to test the behaviour towards sustainability. In order to reach our goals, we have developed a national survey including 504 Hungarian consumers. The survey consists of several questions about alternative diets, food-oriented lifestyle, and local products. The answers were weighted in order to properly represent the gender distribution of the population and were analysed using descriptive statistics and factor analysis. According to the results, environmental conscious behaviour appears among the alternative diet followers, but for sustainability this is not a sufficient condition. Local products are bought by 82.9% of the respondents. The biggest incentives of buying local products are the origin, the support of local producers / merchants, the reduction of food kilometres, the healthy and natural characteristics of the products, and the positive experiences with local products. In contrast, the reasons why local products are mostly refused by consumers are the facts that they are time consuming and difficult to obtain.
JEL codes: C38, D70, I12, M31, Q56
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Examination of the Young Athletes’ Eating Habits
79-88Views:823Nowadays, movement and maintaining health are becoming more and more prominent in both public life and the scientific world. In connection with this, we can meet many scientific developments and new recommendations. In the present research, we examined young athletes, primarily in terms of their eating habits, as the compilation of a proper diet contributes greatly to the ability of athletes to achieve the best possible results. The aim of the secondary search was to get acquainted with the young athletes’ health-consciousness behavior and eating habits. The primary search consisted of an online-, and paper based questionnaire as well. As far as data analysis is concerned, we only considered data given by the targeted segment of the respondents, which falls between the age of 15 and 35. For statistical analysis we used descriptive statistics and crosstabs procedure. The results revealed that the majority of the athletes eat 3-5 times a day both in preparation and competiton period. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of athletes find conscious eating important, however, they did not find either the consumption of different health protecive or disease preventive food important. They also do not follow the latest trends in connection with sportfood.
JEL Classification: M31, H12, Z2
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Market Challenges in the Marketing of Meat Products, Especially in Terms of Consumer Behavior
43-55Views:268In recent years, the food industry has been facing new challenges related to consumer demands. New trends are replacing the old familiar ones, affecting the consumption of meat products and the acceptance of processed products. In the Hungarian context, it is also noteworthy that consumer behaviour is particularly price-sensitive. In this new market environment, meat industry operators, including companies developing stuffed meat products, need to engage in marketing activities that will enable them to sell their products successfully. The aim of this research is to highlight the factors that determine this process from the point of view of consumer preferences and the players in the sector. The results of the research show that the majority of consumers consume meat products on a weekly or daily basis. In terms of diet, there is an even split between fresh and processed products and mixed consumption. In terms of meat preferences, the vast majority of consumers prefer to consume the well-known and traditional meat products: chicken, beef, pork and fish. Few people include meat products that are specialities of the national cuisine (rabbit, duck, goose, game) in their diet. A similar trend can be observed for attitudes towards stuffed meat products, where the taste and product are typically dominant in purchasing decisions. This suggests that domestic consumers continue to consider meat products as an important factor in their diet. However, it is precisely because of this fact that operators in the product field need to adopt a marketing strategy that takes account of consumers' price sensitivity, their conservative attitude and the fact that they identify the product group as a staple food. Thus, in the case of product development by introducing a new flavour or changing a key product characteristic, it is important to introduce and promote it in a considered way, as this will make consumers more willing to incorporate it into their purchasing decisions.
JEL codes: M31, Q13, Q18 -
Hungarian The Prominent Role of Diet and Exercise in the Healthy Lifestyle
49-60Views:1992Lifestyle-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular or stress-related diseases, or osteoporosis, are well-known to everyone, in the prevention or development of which lifestyle elements such as diet or exercise play a key role. In order to prevent the development of these diseases mentioned above, we should pay enough attention to a healthy lifestyle and prevention. In today’s modern world, we already have a wealth of knowledge that contributes largely to the prevention of said diseases, however, many people still struggle with them. An important factor is that regular exercise and a healthy diet help to create a healthier lifestyle and play a protective role against a wide range of diseases.
JEL Codes: I10, I12, I19
