Attitudes and purchasing behavior of young organic food consumers

Današnji način života uvelike utječe na prehrambene navike. Zbog raznih oblika stresa kojima su današnji mladi ljudi izloženi kao i zbog njihove nedovoljno izražene pažnje o svojim elementarnim potrebama vezanim uz prehranu, nužno je ukazati na važnost samostalne pripreme hrane i na porijeklo namirnica koje se pritom koriste. Važno je primijetiti da se ljudi sve više okreću zdravijem načinu života. Zbog raznih havarija u okolišu te straha od zagađivanja prehrambenih proizvoda toksičnim tvarima, raste konzumacija ekološki uzgojene hrane. U prodavaonicama sve se više mogu naći proizvodi s oznakom „eko“, koja ukazuje da se radi o proizvodu kojeg proizvodi suvremena gospodarska djelatnost uz primjenu stručnih znanja i metoda proizvodnje. Ekološki prehrambeni proizvodi su danas jako rašireni u svijetu. Povećano obrazovanje i sveprisutne informacije o utjecaju namirnica koje unosimo u svoj organizam na naše zdravlje potaknulo je razvoj i važnost tog trenda. Provedeno je primarno istraživanje na uzorku od 104 ispitanika, pomoću anketnog upitnika čiji su rezultati pomogli ustanoviti stavove i ponašanje mladih potrošača kao kupaca ekoloških prehrambenih proizvoda. Rezultati primarnog istraživanja pokazuju da u Hrvatskoj postoji segment mladih potrošača koji su ekološki osviješteni i društveno odgovorni. Prema provedenom istraživanju kupac ekoloških prehrambenih proizvoda je mlada neoženjena osoba, između 25 i 34 godine starosti, višeg ili visokog obrazovanja, koja vodi brigu o svom zdravlju i kvaliteti prehrambenih namirnica proizvedenih na ekološki prihvatljiv način te je spreman platiti višu cijenu za ekološki prehrambeni proizvod.The way of life today has a great influence on our eating habits. Due to various forms of stress that young people today are exposed to, and their lack of attention to their basic needs related to nutrition, it is necessary to point out the importance of self-prepared food as well as the origin of the foods that they use to prapare their meals. It is important to perceive that people are turning to a rather healthier lifestyle. The variety of natural disasters and the fear of food contamination with toxic substances, increase the consumption of organic food. The share of products with the „eco“ label grows, indicating that the product is produced by modern economic activity with the use of expertise and production methods. The world trend of eco products has expanded. The widespread access to knoledge and ubiquitous information how the foods that we consume can affect our health have encouraged the importance of this trend. Primary research was conducted on a sample of 104 respondents, using a questionnaire whose results help determine the attitudes and behavior of young consumers as buyers of organic food products. Results of primary research shows that in Croatia there is a segment of young consumers who are environmentally conscious and socially responsible. According to research conducted customer ecological food products is a young unmarried people, between 25 and 34 years of age, higher or university education, which takes care of their health and quality of food products produced in an environmentally friendly way and is ready to pay higher prices for organic food product