Comparative Study about the Consumption of Organic Food Products on Samples of Portuguese and Turkish Consumers under the COVID-19 Pandemic Context

Abstract

This research aimed to study consumers' trends and the consumption of foods obtained through organic farming in two different countries, Portugal and Turkey. A questionnaire survey was used, applied through internet tools as a result of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. For the treatment of data, we used basic statistics complemented with a tree classification, aimed at evaluating the influence of sociodemographic factors on the knowledge about this type of food. The results showed that the consumption patterns are relatively similar in both countries, with many participants consuming organic foods, especially vegetables and fruits, consuming them mostly two or three meals per week. The strongest motivations to consume organic foods include benefits for human health and lower environmental impacts, while the most substantial reason not to consume is the higher price. It was also found that in both countries, people have good knowledge about the advantages of organic foods over conventional ones. Finally, the perception of the value attributed by society to organic foods was considerably higher in Portugal. These results confirm the apparent trend of making more sustainable food choices, which is motivated by the perceived negative impact of conventional agriculture on ecosystems and health.