Slovenian consumer\u27s attitudes towards buying organic products

Velike spremembe, ki jih je človek povzročil s svojim poseganjem v naravo in ekosistem, ter negativne posledice tovrstnega dejanja so privedle do premišljenega ravnanja z naravo in cenjenja ekoloških izdelkov. V ljudeh sta se prebudili zavest in dolžnost, da naredimo nekaj, dokler je to še mogoče, da obvarujemo naravo in okolje, v katerem živimo. Pojavil se je marketinški trend, ki poudarja številne prednosti ekoloških izdelkov. Trg ekoloških izdelkov doma in po svetu predstavlja hkrati številne priložnosti ter izzive. V magistrskem delu smo se osredotočili na stališča slovenskih odjemalcev do nakupovanja ekoloških izdelkov. V teoretičnem delu smo predstavili proces nakupovanja, nakupnega vedenja in odločanja, stališča odjemalcev, ekološka živila, ekološko kmetijstvo, certificiranje ter označevanje ekoloških izdelkov, nadzor nad njimi in dejavnike, ki privedejo do nakupa ekoloških izdelkov. V empiričnem, raziskovalnem delu smo se osredotočili na slovenske odjemalce in nakupovanje ekoloških izdelkov. Osnovni cilj dela je bil raziskati stališča slovenskih odjemalcev do nakupovanja ekoloških izdelkov. Ugotavljali smo, ali obstajajo značilne razlike pri nakupovanju ekoloških izdelkov glede na starost, spol, izobrazbo in območje bivanja, ali so dejavniki, kot so zdravje, prijaznost okolju, varnost in kakovost, povezani z nakupom ekoloških izdelkov, zanimalo nas je tudi, kateri izmed naštetih dejavnikov je tisti, ki v največji meri privede do nakupa ekoloških izdelkov. Na podlagi zbranih podatkov, zastavljenih hipotez in analize smo prišli do naslednjih ugotovitev: glede na starost obstajajo statistično značilne razlike pri nakupovanju ekoloških izdelkov – ekološke izdelke najpogosteje kupujejo odjemalci, stari 61 let ali več, najmanj pogosto pa tisti odjemalci, ki so stari do 30 let. Pri nakupovanju ekoloških izdelkov prav tako obstajajo statistično značilne razlike glede na spol – ekološke izdelke pogosteje kot ženske nakupujejo moški. Pri nakupovanju ekoloških izdelkov opazimo statistično značilne razlike glede na izobrazbo – ekološke izdelke najpogosteje nakupujejo odjemalci s končano osnovno šolo, najredkeje pa odjemalci s končano srednjo šolo. Obstajajo tudi statistično značilne razlike glede na območje bivanja – ekološke izdelke pogosteje nakupujejo odjemalci, ki prebivajo v mestu. Povezava obstaja med pogostostjo nakupovanja ekoloških izdelkov in zaznanimi pozitivnimi vplivi ekoloških izdelkov na zdravje, med pogostostjo nakupovanja ekoloških izdelkov ter zaznano prijaznost okolju ekoloških izdelkov, med pogostostjo nakupovanja ekoloških izdelkov in zaznano varnostjo ekoloških izdelkov, prav tako med pogostostjo nakupovanja ekoloških izdelkov ter zaznano kakovostjo ekoloških izdelkov. Dejavnik, ki v največji meri privede do nakupovanja ekoloških izdelkov, je zdravje.Big changes that the man has caused with his interference in the nature and the eco system, and the negative consequences of such actions have led into nature and natural ecosystems, have led to a more considerate treatment of nature and the respect for organic products. The people have developed a sense of awareness as well as duty to do something while they still can to preserve the nature and environment we live in. A market trend has appeared that emphasizes the multiple benefits of organic products. The market for organic products in Slovenia and across the world, presents many opportunities and challenges at the same time. In this master’s thesis we focused on the viewpoints of the Slovenian consumers stands regarding the purchase of organic products. In the theoretical part, we presented the shopping process, consumer behavior and decision making, consumer viewpoints, organic farming, certification and labelling of organic products, as well as their supervision, and other factors that lead to the purchase of organic products. In the empirical, research part, we focused on the Slovenian consumers and the purchasing of organic products. The elementary goal of this thesis was to research the Slovenian consumer viewpoints when buying organic products. We were researching whether there were significant differences in people\u27s organic products\u27 shopping habits, based on age, gender, education and area of habitation, and also whether other factors such as health, environmental kindness, safety and quality were connected to organic product shopping, as well as which of these factors mainly motivates the purchase of organic products. Based on collected data, set hypotheses and analysis we have reached the following conclusions: there are age-biased statistical differences regarding the purchases of organic products-most commonly organic products are purchased by purchased by people at the age of 61 or more, and least commonly consumers under the age of 30. There are also gender-biased statistical differences regarding organic products\u27 purchases - they are more commonly purchased by women than by men. There are also statistical differences in organic product\u27s purchases based on the person\u27s education - they are most commonly purchased by people who have finished primary school and least commonly by those with concluded high school education. There are also statistically typical differences regarding organic purchases based on the consumer\u27s area of habitation -they are more commonly purchased by people living in cities. There is an existing correlation between the frequency of organic product purchases and perceived positive influences of these organic products on a person\u27s health condition, between the frequency of organic product purchases and perceived positive influences on a person\u27s environmental kindness, an existing correlation between the frequency of organic product purchases and perceived safety of organic products, as well as between the frequency of organic product purchases and perceived quality of organic products. The factor which most commonly contributes to organic product purchases is health