Regional characteristics of consumption of functional milk products

Sebesy, Zsanett – Tenk, Antal – Sántha, Tamás

Keywords: functional milk, health awareness, questionnaires, focus groups, blind test

This research topic covers a narrow segment of marketing research in Hungary, and one on which consumers hardly have any information or knowledge. The authors used both qualitative and quantitative research methods including a 1000 element repre-sentative questionnaire survey and focus group research. The focus group investiga-tions were based on the significant relationships detected from the results of the back-ground variables. Focus groups were organised in three towns (Debrecen, Kaposvár and Mosonmagyaróvár) with similar sample characteristics (sample size: 8 persons) and interviewee parameters. The results showed that the respondents’ health aware-ness was the highest in the Central Hungarian Region and the lowest in the Northern Great Plain Region. As part of the focus group research organoleptic tests were carried out, where the participants evaluated three product categories (milk, yoghurt drink and plain yoghurt) during a “blind test” based on pre-defined parameters. Consumers are on the one hand interested in functional dairy products, but on the other hand are dismissive of them because of their lack of knowledge regarding this topic. According to the participants of the survey, despite having additional health effects, with recom-mendations based on scientific evidence, functional dairy products are deemed to be too expensive for consumers. We can therefore conclude that increasing the conscious consumption of functional food products in addition to raising the health awareness needs more social support.

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