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The Competitiveness of Hungarian Micro-Enterprises in the Pasta Market
51-60Views:108By analysing the long-term competitiveness of Hungarian dry pasta making micro and small businesses, I intend to explore its strategic potential. The changes in the competitiveness of the dry pasta sector in Hungary between 1969 and 2019 were analysed with the help of contemporary periodicals from the database of the Hungarian Agricultural Museum and Library. The changes in the competitiveness of the Hungarian dry pasta market over the period 1969-2019 were analyzed according to the six aspects of diamond model: factor conditions, demand conditions, corporate strategy, structure and rivalry, relating and supporting industries, government regulations, change. Looking at future trends in the dry pasta market, the bidirectional impact on the competitiveness of the pasta market will be affected. One effect is to move towards horizontal networking as a result of globalization, making the pasta company that is able to negotiate better in the food supply chain more competitive. The other effect is the trend of local patriotism, which stimulates the development of micro-regions and originates in the initiative of the locals: innovation of flavours, innovation in raw materials, possibilities of Hungarian ethnocentrism. In addition, retail brands are expected to grow further. As retail chains do not pass on any gains from the increase of their export volume to the processors, the manufacturers’ own brand is weakened. The study provides a long-term overview of the changes in the competitiveness of companies operating in the dry pasta market. There has been a tremendous change over the last eighty years with the innovative transformation of the pasta industry. At that time, almost all pasta products were made at home, and today the pasta group is competing for housewives by employing industrial designers.
JEL Codes: M31, M39
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Successful Small Business – Effective Marketing? Prospects on the Food Market for a Small Company
91-104Views:82Successful small companies concentrate their marketing strategy on satisfying the specific requirements of market niches which are unprofitable for big concerns. It is a complicated task on the market of common consumer goods – like the food market – because it is difficult to find the right buyer segment among the large number of costumers. It is more difficult to choose the adequate distribution and communication channels. The Darnó-Hús (Darnó Meat) – situated in the north-west of Hungary near the Austrian and the Slovakian borders – also faces this problem. Firstly, they do not choose between traditional local food and functional foods, so they obviously aim at two niches. Secondly, small well-branded bakery shops and big supermarkets can be found among the company’s sales points. Furthermore, these sales points are geographically not concentrated. This small company cannot afford to spend much on widespread media communication, so its brand name is not well-known enough to get good product placement locations in the stores. As the SWOT-analysis, which was carried out with the collaboration of the management, points out, there is no unity in the choice between the offensive and defensive strategies. The internal factors of the company, such as high-quality products and excellent professional team, which is flexible enough to fulfil the specific requirements, would assign the company a stronger market position, however, the company’s management does not have adequate marketing tools to achieve a higher penetration into the consumer market. After twenty years in operation, they have to make a decision about the next stage of development. Actually before they start to improve their production capacity, the management has to define their market more precisely. To reach the targeted market niche effectively, more effective branding, clear – emotional and rational – positioning in communication, and adequate selling placement are needed.
JEL code: M31
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The Role of GI Products in the Hungarian Food Discounters
3-18Views:132More than 25 years ago, the European Union (EU) has established a sui generis system of geographical indications (GIs) for identifying the products which quality, reputation or other characteristics are linked to their geographical origin. By the end of 2018 the official register of the European Commission (the DOOR database) included 1448 registered food products with GI label, but their number is continuously increasing. For several reasons, we examined the discounters operating in Hungary in order to estimate the market size and price premium of GI foods in Hungary. Firstly, discounters’ share in the Hungarian food retail sector is continuously growing and reaching the majority of the average Hungarian consumers. Secondly, their typical feature is that their supplies are almost constant and limited, discounters target the price sensitive consumers, so the minimum level of price premium can be defined here. In this study, we would like to estimate from below both the market size of Hungarian GI products and the price premium of GI products compared to their direct substitute products. To gather real life data, we have gone mystery shopping for a year every month (January-December 2018) to an Aldi, Lidl and Penny Market retail shop located in Budapest. We collected data of available GI products and their closest substitute products which were available in the shop and then we analysed the dataset consist of several hundreds of observations. Our results show that the number of GI products available in the Hungarian discounters is very limited, however, their supply is quite permanent. The majority of GI foods available in Hungarian discounters are Italian and the average price premium was around 43% with remarkable differences. Our results show that currently GI food products have limited importance in the Hungarian food market as they are rarely available. On the other hand, a real price premium for GI products exists in the Hungarian market and an even higher price premium might be expected in less low-price oriented food retailers.
JEL Classification: M31, M37, O13, O34, Q13
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Farmers' Markets on the University Campus
41-56Views:356Short food supply chains are increasingly studied areas of international studies. Many see their spread as the solution to sustainability in agriculture. One of its defining sales channels is farmers' markets, their number has grown dramatically in Hungary in recent years. Many studies analyse the consumers of farmers' markets worldwide, but only a few studies examine the relationship of university students with farmers' markets. However, there are examples of this in the USA; it is even typical that farmer's market is organized on university campuses. University students are not typical buyers of farmers' markets, but they will be the consumers of the future, so it is worth examining their habits and needs. With the help of a questionnaire filled out by 382 university students, we investigate whether there is a difference between the food shopping habits of the university students examined in previous studies and the ones analysed in the current study. Do they have clearly identifiable habits of purchasing on the farmer's market? Is there a demand to organize farmers' markets on university campuses in Hungary? The food shopping habits of university students studying in Hungary are largely the same as the habits of university students examined by previous research. For university students, the price, comfort, the selection, and quality aspects of the products dominate. 31% of the university students, who filled out the questionnaire, have never shopped at a farmer's market; while among those, who purchase there food, only 21% do this regularly. The main obstacle for non-regular shoppers is the distance from farmers' markets, which can be solved by organizing farmers' markets on university campuses. 95% of the sample is open to this, so it would be worthwhile to conduct separate research for each university and put the positive results into practice.
JEL-Codes: O13, P46, Q13 -
Fight for Customers - Correlations of Trade Organizations and Sales Promotionon the Hungarian FMCG Market
31-38Views:86Tract of time after the millennial brought well definable changes in retailers’ trade organizations and marketing activity in the Hungarian three-pole FMCG market. Operation conditions of enterprises became more complicated which is also reflected in the variability of the number and intensity of relevant influencing factors as well as in the difficulties of forecasting them. Out of these the change of consumer/purchase behaviour, the growth of competition intensity, the swell of procurement marketing, changes in channel position, the innovation of informatics and info communication tools, the dominant change of economic environment, the stiffening legislation and the unexpected influence of ecological environment can be highlighted. An important starting point for exploring the impact of the changes focusing on market competition is that the number and activity of chain stores operating in Hungary has stabilized, which has shifted the direction of research to explore the relationship between trade organization and marketing, improving competitive advantages and management efficiency.
JEL Code: M31 -
Qualitative Investigation of Salt and Sugar Free Nutrition in the Canned Vegetable Market
71-82Views:296“Free from” products as important components of a health-conscious diet are prevalent on store shelves. Our research is based on the analysis of the market situation and introduction possibilities of a potential canned vegetable that can even satisfy the needs of consumers for salt and sugar free meals. Secondary data and information collection provided the basis for further research. In the primary research, we used three qualitative methods, which were netnographic examination, expert interview, and focus group research. In the course of netnography, we examined consumer needs for salt and sugar free canned food on the Internet, mainly on social media, based on pre-collected keywords. The interview with an expert in the canning industry focused on the specificity of canned food and the position of “free from” canned food. Focus group research was composed to learn about the perceptions of university students about both canned food and their customers alike. Among other things, we have shed light on the fact that consumers associate the expression “free from” with the word health, but emphasizing “free from” nature of the product can create a sense of lack. Examining “free from” canned food, we found that young, time constrained, health-conscious consumers can be the target group. Due to the target market, we recommend promoting it on online platforms, where it would even be advisable to use educational campaigns.
JEL Codes: M31, Q13
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Growing Demand for Functional Foods – The Customer Perception of the Domestic Cereal Market
23-37Views:105Current scientific research raises questions as to how and why food-market consumer demands have changed over time, in relation to increasing health awareness. As a hypothesis, we assume that today’s customers are more health-conscious and open-minded about healthy food and health-related marketing messages both in Hungary and world-wide. Consequently, customers tend to look for the potential benefits of functional foods. We describe present-day lifestyle trends and the changing habits of nutrition as well as introduce the science of nutrimarketing and functional foods, along with their relevant claims. In our field research, we examine customers’ attitudes and mind-sets regarding the domestic cereal market between 2013 and 2016 with the aid of the Neticle system, an innovative online media-monitoring and analysis programme. Examining and understanding these trending needs could open new opportunities for companies to satisfy their customers with applicable product developments.
JEL codes: I12, I15, M31
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Affinity for Consumer Resistance Among Hungarian Consumers
29-45Views:135The causes of the loss of market results go beyond the realities of intense and noisy competition. The rejecting attitude and resistant behaviour of consumers can exert pressure on the companies’ business processes – several market examples draw attention to the weight of those consequences. To find out the appropriate way to handle this phenomenon became inevitable. The resistant behaviour of consumers exists in numerous markets and industries, among these foods are particularly concerned. There are examples for short and long term, but intense consumer indignation. Although consumer resistance is not a product- or market-specific phenomenon, it’s worth considering the issue of food, because of its embeddedness in everyday life, so market players may face easily criticism and conflict of interest. The study provides an overview of markets facing consumer resistance. The aim of the quantitative research is to find out the affinity of Hungarian consumers for consumer resistance and its various forms.
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Production, Trade and Consumption of Functional Foods in Hungary
3-6Views:233Functional food is a specific food which fulfills the original aim of being a nutrient and an energy-carrier, but promotes better health and well-being. During the last decades new and healthier foods were designed to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses and conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, some cancers and obesity. However, functional foods are traditional foods expected to be consumed in the diet, but modified in such a way that promotes better health. In Hungary about 16% of the consumers are interested in buying functional foods for health improvements. Dairy products are most often the target products for reducing the risk of osteoporosis in the elderly and increasing gut function. In recent years the market of plant products, especially of fruits and vegetables was rapidly growing due to their high antioxidant capacity. Enhancement metabolism of polyphenols, and flavonoids formed in fruits and vegetables during traditional breeding and processing is not clarified yet and little is known about the effects of the extensive or intensive breeding and of the most economic harvesting time. The functional food science deals with the scientific substantiation of the influences of specific food components (biological active materials) as well as production and formulation of foods and food ingredients. Some of those components are obtained from natural sources, some others are artificial products of the organic synthesis in the industry. The term „functional foods” has never achieved an official definition, but most experts would agree on its benificially target functions in the body beyond adequate nutritional effects. Moderate consumption of vitamines and antioxidants in the diet carried in functional foods are belived to decrease the risk of chronic diseases. According to some market surveys the market of these designed foods is very large and rapidly expanding because of a growing interest among body-builders and other sportsmen with higher physical activities.
JEL code: D12
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Bread and Baked Goods Consumption Habits in the Gluten Free Diet
77-89Views:269Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder which is the result of an immune system response to the ingestion of gluten in susceptible persons. Gluten is a generalised term that describes the storage proteins found in the common cereal grains: wheat, rye, barley and their derivatives. This disease is permanent and damage to the small intestine always occurs when gluten is consumed, regardless of whether symptoms are present or not. Celiac disease affects about 1 in 100 individuals worldwide. In Hungary 1-2 percent of the population is affected. The only treatment for people with celiac disease is lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. On a gluten-free diet, wheat, rye, barley and any foods or ingredients derived from them must be removed from the diet. Bread is basic and frequently consumed food made from wheat. Bread and salty and sweet baked goods are an essential part of the Hungarian eating habits. The market of gluten-free foods is continuously increasing worldwide. Among the reasons behind this trend the increasing number of diagnosed persons, their family members (with whom they eat together), healthy lifestyle and fashion lifestyle have to be pointed out. Several gluten-free bread and baked goods brands are available on the Hungarian market. The ingredients, texture, colour, softness of the available breads and baked goods are rather different. There is a big choice of gluten-free flour mixtures on the Hungarian market, as well. The compositions of these mixtures are also rather different. The aim of our empirical research was to investigate the gluten free bread and baked goods consumption habits of people following gluten-free diet.
JEL codes: I12, M31
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Situation Analysis of the Hungarian Beekeeping Sector (Production, Trade)
21-34Views:422From year to year, the global production of honey is continuously growing, but the honey producers and other stakeholders around the world and in Europe face similar processes and difficulties that are destroying the honey market. It would be necessary to reduce counterfeiting, improve the bee health situation, operate a comprehensive database and monitoring system, and provide extensive support to beekeepers. In order to ensure the sustainability of the beekeeping sector, it is necessary to develop and apply good agricultural practices, and in order to preserve biodiversity, related rural development programs and measures are needed. If the sector stabilizes (in Hungary, in EU-28 and worldwide), the long-term sustainability of beekeeping can be achieved; its ecological significance can be protected, and the rural retention role of the countryside may be strengthened in honey-producing countries. The aim of the study is to map the EU and Hungary honey production and trade with the help of relevant literature and statistics, and to present the current situation, difficulties and challenges of the honey market. After analyzing the market situation and sectoral processes, a SWOT matrix has been created including the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the beekeeping sector. Then we made recommendations to improve the current situation in the beekeeping sector.
JEL Code: M31 -
Complex Analysis and Introduction of the Hungarian Mineral Water Industry
65-80Views:262The mineral water sector in Hungary has been developing dynamically for four decades. The present article explores the main characteristics of the sector and highlights its specificities within the food industry. The aim of the study is to identify the main characteristics of the market, analyze the macro and micro environment, determine the economic importance of the sector, analysis of the main players and strategic options. Based on the results of the research, it can be concluded that there are approximately 500 Hungarian companies whose activities include producing soft drinks and mineral waters under the TEÁOR 1107. However, there are only 10 of these companies whose main activity is exclusively producing mineral water, which is extracted and bottled in Hungary. The macro-environment analysis shows that the political environment is stable, the economic environment is not conducive to business, and high inflation, continuously rising labor costs, and raw material costs will continue to challenge businesses. However, SME support can provide significant help in the future. Among consumer habits, the growing health and environmental awareness significantly impact the sector. Rapid developments in technological factors offer many opportunities for businesses. Based on the microenvironment analysis, the market is saturated, and Szentkirályi Magyarország Kft. and Magyarvíz Ásványvíz Kft. hold almost 80% of the total industry turnover in 2021. The threat of new entrants is, therefore, not significant. The bargaining power of buyers and the threat of substitutes is high, and the bargaining power of suppliers is low. While compiling the competitive profile matrix, industry success factors were identified, with price level, brand, and environmental responsibility standing out. The biggest challenge in the sector is to reduce the environmental impact of packaging, using recycled plastic bottles as the easiest solution.
JEL Code: M21 -
Neuromarketing – New Prospects of Consumer Behaviour Research
51-57Views:205Neuromarketing opens up a new field of the examination of consumer behaviour for the marketing researchers. The utilization of the results of neuroscience came up at the beginning of the ’90s but it came true at the end of the decade. The term “neuromarketing” appeared in 2002 for the first time, it became widespread and these tools were used in different kinds of market research problems. Nowadays there are research results in decision making, brand preferences, packaging and branding as well. The article aims to look through one of the fields of neuroeconomics, neuromarketing. Neuromarketing means the utilization of the instrumental methods of neuroscience to study market research problems. In basic researches the term “neuromarketing” is usually avoided because it suggests practical utilization. In basic researches the terms neuroeconomics and consumer neuroscience are more frequently used. In a wider sense it means the application of the results of neurology to solve marketing problems.
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The Effect of Consumer Perceived Trust and Image Toward Food Brands on Consumers’ Willingness to Buy
41-56Views:182Purpose – consumers’ buying process is affected by many variables in which branding strategy is indeed an important variable to be considered. This paper aims to evaluate the influence of three branding elements – brand name, packaging, and country of origin – on Palestinian consumers’ willingness to buy food products to understand better their buying. Methodology – The study was conducted in the Palestinian market, the sample was selected according to simple random sampling technique, and a structured questionnaire was prepared, then it was electronically distributed by using emails and social media. The questionnaire contains 35 questions depending on a balanced Fifth Likert Scale and a single-item 7-point differential semantic scale, the questions intended to determine the influence of the selected branding elements on consumers’ willingness to buy food products. The data were analysed depending on the descriptive analysis and one sample t-test. Findings – according to the results of the data analysis it was found that product features and attributes were the factors of the highest importance that influenced the consumers’ willingness to buy, while the branding elements variables came at second rank of importance. Also, the results show that the effect of three chosen branding elements on consumer willingness to buy is significant. The outcomes of this study may be advantageous for firms working in food sectors, since the Palestinian market is lacking such a scientific study and help them in creating marketing strategies to increase the sales volume of their products.
JEL Codes: M31, M39
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Food Super Store Shopping Environment and Consumer Impulsive Buying Behavior
65-77Views:93This study examines the impact of food super store shopping on impulsive buying behavior. The results highlight that discounted price, advertisement &promotion, visual merchandising and emotional attachment, have impact on consumer impulsive buying behavior but special occasions and companion’s influence donot impact consumer impulsive buying behavior. The study is based on a sample of food super store buyers from Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The exploration is useful for marketers to understand impulsive consumers and their choices. Food super stores are one of the growing businesses in Pakistan; therefore, this study will guide the marketers to understand this market segment effectively. The study also discovers the association between food super store shopping environment and types of consumer impulsive buying behavior which are cognitive impulsive buying and affective impulsive buying.
JEL codes: M31, M37, M39
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The Examination of Markets of Organic Foods
45-50Views:50Nowadays the consumption of organic foods has an outstanding importance from the aspects of health and environmental consciousness. In this study the habits of organic food consumption in Debrecen are examined by the help of a questionnaire-based survey and a personal interview. On the basis of our results the supply of organic foods in the local markets satisfies the requirement of the consumers, and this tendency is expected to be maintained for the future. The most popular products are vegetables, fruits, dairy products, meat and honey. Generally the consumers are very satisfied with these products. Most of the buyers choose organic foods not only because these products are healthy, but for the fact that they are aware of the environmental- friendly technology by which the production happens. Consumers visiting the markets buy organic foods mainly at a weekly occasion, thus their consumption is conscious, and the healthy way of life is relevant for them. Many people do not know that there are such markets in Debrecen, in this way the promotion of these places is outstandingly important.
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Value Dimensions of Consumers And the Weak Commitment on the Food Market
25-40Views:174This paper aims to present the value dimensions of the protection of the domestic food market by analyzing the consumer value of the European Union geographical indications of origin (which defines certain foods as national ownership). The research covers the relationship between contemporary food policy and sociological values of consumers, including identity, credibility and culture, as well as the complexity of globalization. Although food plays a central role in maintaining human life, consumers generally know very little about where the purchased product comes from, the environmental and social costs involved, as monitoring the environmental impacts of the entire global food system is complex and a complex process. For a customer to understand what steps need to be taken to ensure the sustainability of the system and launch a change needs a huge amount of knowledge. This study applied face consciousness as a sustainability is a cultural dimension to explore the cultural impact on consumers’ decision-making styles. The paper is used empirical research multi-dimensional scaling to find out what some food products become known to domestic customers while other products do not. The results found the gap that the Hungarians are rather risk-averse customers than health conscious which does not fulfil the requirement of the long-term sustainability of the nation.
JEL Codes: A13 B55, D18
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International Market Segmentation of European Countries Based on Sports and Health Consumption
33-49Views:235Differences in development of European countries can be seen in many areas. Differences in household expenditure, income inequality and life expectancy have already been revealed by a number of previous studies. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the international variations in household health, sports and recreation spending. In our research, therefore, European countries were segmented on the basis of, among other things, household health, sports and recreation expenditures, pointing out that the level of these expenditures is related to other dimensions of development. As a result of our research, the authors managed to separate four clusters of European countries in terms of sports consumption and three clusters in terms of health consumption, with useful lessons for economic and social policy or profit-oriented companies considering international expansion in the health, sports and recreation markets.
JEL Classification: I12, I14, I15, M30, Z20
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Analysis of the Affective and Conative Components of Consumer Attitude in the Image of the Pálinka
21-32Views:223The research aim is to explore the potential role of consumer attitude components in image development related to a traditional Hungarian alcoholic beverage, the pálinka. This study focuses on the effect of the affective and conative components of attitude on image of the pálinka. The relevance of this research is the expansion of the pálinka market in recent years and the change of the regulatory environment about homemade spirits. Distillate made at home, which product improperly called homemade pálinka, is very popular in Hungary. This study was supported by the data from a nationwide, representative consumer survey carried out in 2019 and 2020. A total of 626 subjects participated in this survey, the sample is representative for the Hungarian adult population according to gender, age group and region. To understand the effect of the affective and conative attitude components, we used Likert scales and graphically illustrate the consumer feeling and behavior about the homemade spirit and the “in-store” pálinka. The study confirmed the advantage of homemade spirit image over in-store pálinka, and points out the importance of education and information in the case of the affective and conative components of consumer attitude. The reconsidering of the marketing communication of the in-store pálinka producers is timely and very important; however, this task requires a comprehensive marketing strategy covering all three attitude components, and this is the only way for them to remain competitive.
JEL Codes: M31 -
Preliminary Research in Connection with the Significance of the Traditional and Regional Foods in the North Great Plain Region
79-91Views:55The traditional and regional foods represent distinctive and unique values for customers in the world food market by their inimitable tastes and appearances. In today’s fast-moving world in which globalization’s different – both positive and negative – effects determine the daily activities of consumers and influence their needs, their choices and their decisions during the regular food and raw material purchases; it is relevant to strive for the presence and regular consumption of traditional products also to become known to a wide circle of society. The key objectives of our research are the main effects of traditional and regional foods in the Northern Great Plain, particularly with regard to the marketing and economic aspects approach. Our study is an experimental study of a later larger number of elements and representative survey, and it is based primarily on online questionnaires. During the research we received 151 available questionnaires. The interviewed inhabitants of the region have declared a positive opinion in the context of traditional and regional foods, most of them purchased and consumed these products regurarly.
JEL code: M31
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The Role of the Cognitive Component of Consumer Attitude in the Image of the Pálinka
21-32Views:253The research aim is to explore the potential role of consumer attitude components in image development related to a traditional Hungarian alcoholic beverage, the pálinka. This study focuses on the effect of the cognitive component of attitude on image of the pálinka. The relevance of this research is the expansion of the pálinka market in recent years and the changing of the regulatory environment about homemade spirits. Distillate made at home, which product improperly called homemade pálinka, is very popular in Hungary. Based on the qualitative studies, the most important characteristics in the consumer perception of alcoholic beverage are quality, price, prestige, fashion and origin. The importance of these attributes of the most popular alcoholic beverages in Hungary was assessed by the participants on Likert scales. Homemade spirit has the most favorable attitude and in-store pálinka has the most unfavorable attitude. To understand the effect of the cognitive component, we used two types of the multiattribute attitude model of Fishbein. By using a 7-point semantic differential scale, we could graphically illustrate the consumer belief about the homemade and in-store pálinka. Image profiles on the semantic differential scales show the differences in image of the analysed alcoholic beverages. The study confirmed the advantage of homemade spirit image over in-store pálinka, points out the importance of education and information in the case of the cognitive component of consumer attitude. The reconsidering of the marketing communication of the in-store pálinka producers is very important and urgent.
JEL Classification: M31
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Rising prices on today’s food market
21-37Views:251In the past few months, we have witnessed and been part of incredible economic changes. Inflation is taking on dimensions not seen in a long time, and we can feel the effects of the war raging nearby, both in prices and in the lack of products and disruptions in the supply chain. In addition, in the meantime, we also have to reckon with the rising energy prices, and we couldn't even say goodbye to the coronavirus. These changes are far from over, so the question arises, how do we react during our purchases, what do we change? The role of prices seems to be appreciated more than usual. The main goal of our research is to determine how food purchasing habits have changed as a result of rising prices and how consumers are trying to protect themselves from these higher prices. Therefore, in our research, we wanted to ask those who are actively involved in buying food. We continued the survey both online and offline. We reached 1608 respondents. Based on our results, it can be stated that most households are affected by rising prices. However, the rise in food prices does not always change purchasing and consumption habits. There are people who stick to their old habits and lifestyle despite the fact that they do not have outstanding material assets. Based on our research results, we see that a bargain-hunting, cheaper purchasing behavior is starting to develop, which allows them to maintain the food consumption quality and options they were used to before.
JEL Codes: M11, M21, M31, M38, Q18 -
Game-meat Consumption Behavior the Image and Market Positioning of Quality Venison
141-147Views:20The purpose of our research is to understand the wild game meat, and more specifically, venison consumption behavior of the Hungarian population. In order to examine the issue, we have conducted questionnaire surveys as well as focus group interviews. Only 36.6% of the respondents reported that they consume game-based foods with some frequency. The main reason for the low consumption rate is related to the price of wild game meat which consumers consider too high. Based on focus group interviews, we concluded that the main problem is that most people do not even consider trying game-meat as they do not know about possible preparation methods. The results of our questionnaire survey reveal that 22.4% of the population has consumed red deer, while fallow deer has only been consumed by 7.7%. The respondents primarily associate deer meat with men, as they consider hunting and the preparation of wild-game foods a masculine activity. In Hungary, deer meat is a lesser known product considered to be a luxury good, for which a new marketing communication and sales strategy is needed. Limiting factors include unfamiliarity, high price and that respondents consider wild-game a seasonal product.
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Chocolate Consumption Habits of Hungarian Women and Their Consumer Behaviour Regarding Sugar-free Chocolate
3-20Views:200In line with the global trend of health and wellness, there is now an increased demand for products that have a positive effect on health (or that are at least less unhealthy), such as sugar-free or reduced-calorie chocolate, especially among female consumers. Therefore, in our research, we set out to explore the chocolate consumption habits of Hungarian women, with particular regard to consumer acceptance of sugar-free chocolate. In the course of our primary research, we conducted an online questionnaire survey with the participation of 370 female respondents, during which we explored some elements of their consumer behaviour related to conventional and sugar-free/reduced-calorie chocolates; moreover, possible differences in the willingness to pay for sugar-free and conventional chocolates were also examined by using the packaging of two real, 100 g Stühmer milk chocolate bars and their modified versions as well. According to our results, the vast majority of women interviewed like chocolate, with milk chocolate being the most popular. Most of them eat chocolate a few times a week, but consumption of sugar-free/reduced-calorie chocolate is much less common. When buying chocolate, the respondents are clearly most influenced by the taste, which is followed far behind by the price, and then the healthiness of the chocolate. Most of the women asked are interested in sugar-free and reduced-calorie chocolates, the majority of them consume such products because of health awareness. The respondents’ willingness to pay for sugar-free chocolates is not lower compared to the versions sweetened with sugar, but the willingness to pay reaches the market price only in the case of a gift purchase; in the case of a purchase for one’s own consumption, it mostly falls short of it.
JEL-Code: M31