Consumers' attitudes towards full-fat food products and their low-fat alternatives

• Published in: Proceedings of 6th Central European Congress on Food - CEFood Congress pp. 1186 - 1190
• Main Authors: Hadnađev, Miroslav S. (Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad (Serbia)), Dapčević-Hadnađev, Tamara R. (Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad (Serbia)), Pojić, Milica M. (Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad (Serbia)), Mastilović, Jasna S.(Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad (Serbia)), Torbica, Aleksandra M. (Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad (Serbia))
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Food Technology, Novi Sad (Serbia) 2012
• Subjects: Attitudes; consumers; fats; Low fat foods; questionnaires

Understanding consumers' buying habits and motives for selecting high-fat products and their low-fat alternatives is useful in launching new reduced-fat food items. In order to collect information on the most commonly chosen fat-reduced products available on the Serbian market and identify motives for their consumption, a survey among 250 randomly selected consumers in Vojvodina, Serbia was conducted. The participants could have chosen between highand low-fat milk, yoghurt, margarine and mayonnaise and different statements referring the apprehension of these alternatives. The study also assessed the socio-demographic influence on motivation for choosing full- or low-fat food versions. The data were analysed using chi-square analysis. In contrast to mayonnaise, participants chose low-fat milk, yoghurt and margarine in preference to their full-fat version. The results also showed that taste was the infinitely preferable attribute for choice of full-fat food, while the healthiness factor was the most crucial for selection of low-fat products. Different age as well as educational level groups showed different preferences to taste, while the consumption of low-fat food due to healthiness was more frequent among women. The obtained results indicated the necessity to improve the taste of low- or reduced fat products in order to be competitive with its high-fat alternative