| Abstract [eng] |
Research of how customers perceive ecological food products has to be conducted in order to define consumer behavior and foresee opportunities of the eco food product growth. Consumer behavior depends on social, economic and cultural context. Thus, research methods have to be developed for every single case, which turns into scientific problem. This article deals with the factors that form consumer perception of the ecological food product, defines basic specific features of this particular market and describes its growth possibilities. Objective – define consumer perception of the ecological food product. Key points: 1. Characterize basic features of the ecological food product important to consumers; 2. Define major characteristics of the ecological food market; 3. Determine possibilities of this particular market growth. Such common research methods as comparative scientific literature analysis and systemic logical analysis have been used when researching and analyzing ecological food products and basic market characteristics. Conclusions: 1. Ecological foods products are perceived by consumers as healthy, safe, nutritious, vitamin rich, tasty, local, expensive, scarce and remarkable food. Some of the features have not been scientifically proven. However, all of these characteristics regardless if seeming or proven influence consumer perception of the ecological food products. 2. Ecological food market could be defined as the market where consumption changes with the time; demand for the ecological precooked food increases and depends on consumer age, sex, education and occupation; ecological food market growth is stimulated by country’s government. 3. It is important to reduce ecological food prices, improve its accessibility and unify EU trade marks in order to develop and sustain ecological food market. |
