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Organic Food Perception: Fad, or Healthy and Environmentally Friendly? A Case on Romanian Consumers

Author

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  • Dacinia Crina Petrescu

    (Faculty of Business, Babes-Bolyai University, Horea Street, No. 7, Cluj-Napoca 400174, Romania)

  • Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag

    (Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Babes-Bolyai University, Fantanele Street, No. 30, Cluj-Napoca 400294, Romania)

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ perceptions of organic food and examine whether organic food products are perceived in the North-West Region of Romania as offering health and environmental benefits or as simply another sine qua non condition to be integrated into the luxurious yuppie lifestyle. The inspiration for our study came from witnessing the stereotypical image of organic food consumers as “stylish, trendy, fancy consumers” in the last three to five years. Scientific evidence on the perceptions of organic food is based on a probabilistic survey. The results indicate an environmental consciousness of organic food consumers in North-Western Region of Romania in terms of organic food: a high percentage of consumers believe that organic food is healthier than conventional food (87%) and that it contributes to environmental protection more than conventional food (75%). A statistically significant difference ( p < 0.05) was observed between people with higher education and those without higher education concerning the following beliefs: belief that most people consume organic products because they are in fashion, and belief that organic food contributes to environmental protection.

Suggested Citation

  • Dacinia Crina Petrescu & Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, 2015. "Organic Food Perception: Fad, or Healthy and Environmentally Friendly? A Case on Romanian Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:9:p:12017-12031:d:54961
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    Cited by:

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    2. Sevtap ÜNAL & F. Görgün DEVECİ & Tuğba YILDIZ, 2019. "The main aim of this study is determining which consumption motives and personal and social factors affect organic food buying decisions. Ajzen’s Planned Behavior Theory (TPB) is used to explain consu," Istanbul Business Research, Istanbul University Business School, vol. 48(1), pages 1-35, May.
    3. Safdar Muhammad & Eihab Fathelrahman & Rafi Ullah Tasbih Ullah, 2016. "The Significance of Consumer’s Awareness about Organic Food Products in the United Arab Emirates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Fifita, 'Ilaisaane M.E. & Seo, Yuri & Ko, Eunju & Conroy, Denise & Hong, Dayun, 2020. "Fashioning organics: Wellbeing, sustainability, and status consumption practices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 664-671.
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    6. Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag & Ioan Banatean-Dunea & Stefan Cristian Vesa & Sofia Copacinschi & Dacinia Crina Petrescu, 2019. "What Do Romanian Farmers Think about the Effects of Pesticides? Perceptions and Willingness to Pay for Bio-Pesticides," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-16, July.
    7. Thi Tuyet Mai Nguyen & Thanh Hung Phan & Hoang Linh Nguyen & Thi Kim Thoa Dang & Ngoc Diep Nguyen, 2019. "Antecedents of Purchase Intention toward Organic Food in an Asian Emerging Market: A Study of Urban Vietnamese Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-16, September.
    8. Azucena Gracia & Miguel I. Gómez, 2020. "Food Sustainability and Waste Reduction in Spain: Consumer Preferences for Local, Suboptimal, And/Or Unwashed Fresh Food Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-15, May.
    9. Agnieszka Izabela Baruk, 2021. "Relationships between Final Purchasers and Offerors in the Context of Their Perception by Final Purchasers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-15, June.
    10. Andrei Cristian Grădinaru & Ioan Valentin Petrescu-Mag & Firuţa Camelia Oroian & Claudia Balint & Ion Oltean, 2018. "Milk Protein Polymorphism Characterization: a Modern Tool for Sustainable Conservation of Endangered Romanian Cattle Breeds in the Context of Traditional Breeding," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-13, February.
    11. Sttefanie Yenitza Escobar-López & Santiago Amaya-Corchuelo & Angélica Espinoza-Ortega, 2021. "Alternative Food Networks: Perceptions in Short Food Supply Chains in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Isabel Carrero & Carmen Valor & Estela Díaz & Victoria Labajo, 2021. "Designed to Be Noticed: A Reconceptualization of Carbon Food Labels as Warning Labels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-14, February.
    13. Elena Rosculete & Elena Bonciu & Catalin Aurelian Rosculete & Elena Teleanu, 2018. "Detection and Quantification of Genetically Modified Soybean in Some Food and Feed Products. A Case Study on Products Available on Romanian Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-13, April.
    14. Tuncay Turan TARABOĞLU & Tuğba Nur TOPALOĞLU & Serdar YAMAN, 2019. "The Effects of Macroeconomic Indicators on Leveraged Forex Volume: Evidence from Turkey," Istanbul Business Research, Istanbul University Business School, vol. 48(2), pages 160-175, November.
    15. Dacinia Crina Petrescu & Ruxandra Mălina Petrescu-Mag, 2017. "Setting the Scene for a Healthier Indoor Living Environment: Citizens’ Knowledge, Awareness, and Habits Related to Residential Radon Exposure in Romania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-19, November.
    16. Dacinia Crina Petrescu & Florina Bran & Carmen Valentina Radulescu & Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, 2020. "Green Procurement through Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification in the Private Sector. Perceptions and Willingness to Buy of Private Companies from Romania," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 22(53), pages 1-42, February.
    17. Hazem Ali & Min Li & Yunhong Hao, 2021. "Purchasing Behavior of Organic Food among Chinese University Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, May.
    18. Dacinia Crina Petrescu & Iris Vermeir & Ruxandra Malina Petrescu-Mag, 2019. "Consumer Understanding of Food Quality, Healthiness, and Environmental Impact: A Cross-National Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(1), pages 1-20, December.
    19. Bruma, Ioan Sebastian & Vasiliu, Codrin Dinu & Tănasă, Lucian & Dobos, Seabastian, 2020. "The perception of consumers from the north-east region of development of Romania of organic produce," MPRA Paper 106304, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Stoica Mihai, 2021. "Green Brand Positioning for Organic Food: A Content Analysis of Corporate Websites," Studia Universitatis Babeș-Bolyai Oeconomica, Sciendo, vol. 66(3), pages 57-76, December.
    21. Alina Butu & Codrin Dinu Vasiliu & Steliana Rodino & Ioan-Sebastian Brumă & Lucian Tanasă & Marian Butu, 2019. "The Anthropological Analysis of the Key Determinants on the Purchase Decision Taken by the Romanian Consumers Regarding the Ecological Agroalimentary Products," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-22, September.
    22. Francisco José Torres-Ruiz & Manuela Vega-Zamora & Manuel Parras-Rosa, 2018. "False Barriers in the Purchase of Organic Foods. The Case of Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-14, February.

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