Characteristics of Traditional and Novel Food Consumers

Consumer quantitative survey is performed on general population 18+ in Serbia at the end of September – begging of October 2010. The instrument used in this survey was a structured questionnaire consisting of several separate sections, including motivation toward food in general (Food Choice Questionnaire - FCQ), the specific questions about traditional and functional food and consumer socio-economic and demographic characteristics. The stratified three-staged random representative sample is applied (N=516). Based on reported frequency heavy traditional food consumers, who simultaneously reported lower level of functional food consumption (NT=196) and heavy functional food consumers with lower level of traditional food consumption (NF=60) are identified. A descriptive statistical analysis (parametric and non-parametric) is conducted with the aim to investigate all statistically significant differences between two consumers’ group profiles. The heavy traditional dominate over heavy functional food consumer group in Serbia. “Traditional food” in Serbia is perceived as home-made, tasty and healthy, with long heritage. Rank of motivations is very similar: after ‘taste’ - ‘price’, ‘natural content’ and ‘health’ are most frequently chosen by both consumers groups. However, the heavy traditional food consumers are more old, therefore unemployed (as retired people are considered as unemployed) and exposed to social influences. Differences in age and education between two compared consumers groups indicate possible transition of diet pattern toward more frequent functional food consumption.