Scholarly record

GREEN AND HEALTHY CONSUMPTION IN POLAND: PROSUMPTION AND PURCHASE FROM A TRUSTED SOURCE AS AN ALTERNATIVE FOR CERTIFIED ORGANIC PRODUCTS

L. Witek, K. Szalonka

Abstract

The global market for green products is growing dynamically. In Poland, the number of green producers is increasing, while the number of purchasers of green products is not high. The ecological awareness of Polish consumers is still low. This affects consumer behavior on the green market. The basic motive for buying green products is health, not the environment. Altruistic motives play the secondary role. Green products, especially organic food, are associated with health and safety. In addition, high prices and still low availability cause demand constraints. The lack of trust and skepticism of consumers for certified green products affect the high willingness of consumers to engage in the manufacturing process of these products. The purpose of the article is to identify the factors that prompt consumers to consume and purchase products from a trusted source and consequently to bypass certified green products. To achieve the aim the quantitative research was conducted on 390 adult consumers living in southern and south-eastern Poland in December 2015 and January 2016. A direct survey was the survey method. In addition, qualitative research was carried out, which allowed to explore the aspects of prospection and purchase of products from a trusted but uncertified source, perceived as ecological. The research was conducted in March-April 2017 among 30 consumers who declared a high commitment to a healthy lifestyle and ecological consumption, where the in-depth personal interview method was used. The research shows that green products are positively posited by consumers. Researchers believe that these are valuable, high quality products that have a positive impact on health (59,9%). The basic motive for the purchase is to care for health and family (74,4%). As many as 47,4% of consumers declare that they produce organic products themselves. A very large group (76,7%) admit to buying non-certified green products from a trusted source. Only 32,1% of consumers surveyed have confidence in certified green products. Consumers identify organic food, food free of pesticides, natural, fresh, no artificial additives, no GMOs. They do not distinguish between organic and functional foods, categorizing them as "healthy" foods. Shopping at a specialist store is associated with high prices. People who lead healthy lifestyle do not shop for green products due to the illness they were prone to buy certified green products. On the other hand, consumers who have health problems have a greater propensity to buy from proven but non-certified manufacturers. The study explores some aspects of green consumption and focuses specifically on the barriers to purchase certified green products. It points to new factors such as prospection and purchases from a trusted source that have not yet been included in green consumer research, especially it is significant in developing countries. This has implications for manufacturers and salespeople who, in marketing, especially in marketing communication, should change the image of certified green products, build their reliability and remove barriers to their purchase.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2017/15/S05.055

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