Consumer characteristics influencing milk consumption preference. The Turkey case.docVIP

Theoretical and Applied Economics Volume XIX (2012), No. 7(572), pp. 25-42 Consumer characteristics influencing milk consumption preference. The Turkey case Rü?tü YAYAR University of Gaziosmanpa?a, 60240, Tokat, Turkey rustu.yayar@.tr Abstract. The objective of this study was to investigate packed and unpacked fluid milk consumption and preferences among Turkish households using the data from a consumer survey. Multinomial logit procedure was used to investigate the selected socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of consumers that determine households’ fluid milk consumption choices among packed, unpacked and both packed-unpacked milk consumption choices. Based on the results, 30.5% of respondents consumed only unpacked fluid milk, 36.3% consumed only packed fluid milk and 33.1% of respondents consumed both unpacked and packed fluid milk. Empirical results indicate that better educated household heads, higher income and larger households, and households with children under seven years of age consumed more packed milk than others. A similar result was found for unpacked milk consumption, except for a negative effect of education, working wife and income. Milk production and manufacturing firms are increasing in Turkey; results of this study provide some relatively new information about the consumers’ fluid milk consumption decision. Keywords: consumption; consumer preference; household survey data; multinomial logitanalysis; Turkey. JEL Codes: D12, C35. REL Code: 7B.  26 Rü?tü Yayar 1. Introduction Milk is the most essential food to humans and contains nearly all nutrients. Milk and milk products are an important source of many nutrients as protein, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin B2 and vitamin B12. Those products should be consumed especially by adults female, children and young people and all ages each day (Unal, Be