Abstract

The main goal of the research was to investigate the consumer attitudes when buying and consuming vegetables. Primary data collection was carried out in the second half of 2022. A survey of 100 people was conducted with a structured questionnaire that included socio-demographic questions and questions that were directly related to attitudes towards buying and consuming vegetables. To calculate and determine the associations between certain characteristics of the sample, the Chi-Square (χ2) test was also applied. The results showed that vegetables are most often bought in supermarkets (49%) and green markets (25%). According to the results, 70% of consumers spend less than 100 BAM per month on buying vegetables and 30% more than 100 BAM. The most important factors when buying vegetables are freshness, quality, smell and taste, and the origin of a product. The size and appearance of vegetables and the vicinity of the selling place are less important factors. Consumers with a lower income spend less on vegetables on a monthly basis. The monthly expenditure on vegetables and the frequency of purchase are interconnected. Respondents whose households spend less on vegetables buy them more often in mini and supermarkets, while those who spend more buy them more often at the green market. Male respondents think that their households spend less on vegetables compared to the opinion of female respondents.

Key words: consumer attitudes, vegetables, purchase factors, money allocation