engleski

Functional Foods And The Young

Factors such as raised consciousness about human’s health, development of food industry, medicine and branches of natural science studying the relation between nutrition and health have led to the popularization of foods with proved health effects. Such foods are called "functional foods". Although there is a growing trend of interest in functional foods, there are several groups of consumers that are, more than others, interested in functional foods. In order to examine buying behaviour and attitudes towards functional food of young consumers (18-30 years old), and to determine the most interested consumers, we conducted a survey using a self-administered questionnaire on a sample of 570 Croatian students. The majority of the respondents purchase functional foods, usually in supermarkets. Apart from the taste, the most important functional food attribute is price/quality ratio. Respondents are buying functional foods because they believe that those foods are healthier and safer than other products. Examined market segments were based on respo ndents’ attitudes towards functional foods. The results of this research could be used in planning further development of functional foods market for young consumers.

Functional food; market segments; attitudes

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