Slovenian Consumers on Quality Schemes
a Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55707/eb.v8i2.2Keywords:
potrošniki, označbe, sheme kakovosti, hrana, poznavanje, znanje, nakupne navadeAbstract
Since no qualitative study has yet been conducted to determine consumers' perceptions of different labels (and quality schemes) through focus group interviews, the aim of this study is to use focus groups to determine how well Slovenian consumers know and accept different labels (and quality schemes). In the winter of 2020/2021, six focus group interviews were conducted with 60 interviewees of different age, gender, education level and standards. The results show a low level of knowledge about quality scheme labels and a homogeneous opinion about the excessive number and unrecognizability of
the labels. According to the knowledge of and attitude towards the labels under the quality schemes, the interviewees have been classified into four groups: “Informed Consumersˮ, “Uninformed Scepticsˮ, “Uninformed Potential Buyersˮ and “Disinterested Consumersˮ. Approximately equal proportions of the interviewees are made up of Informed Consumers of quality schemes who have acquired their knowledge in secondary school, and Disinterested Consumers, who are unaware of the quality schemes and show no interest in them. Uninformed Sceptics do not know the labels and do not want to be informed because they do not trust state institutions. Uninformed Potential Buyers are ready to be informed and to buy labelled food, while a certain group of them is ready to buy it only if it is cheaper than conventional products.
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