Abstract:

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine fast food products consumption and buying preferences of consumers in İzmir province in Turkey. Material and Methods: The study material included the data collected with face-to-face interviews conducted with 271 consumers determined using proportional sampling method in shopping malls located in Balçova, Bornova, Karşıyaka, Konak, and Gaziemir districts in Izmir province. The surveyed consumers were categorized into groups based on various demographics. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis test and Chi-square tests were employed in intergroup comparisons. Results: The most significant reason for the consumers to consume fast food products were the deliciousness of these products while consuming them saved time and consumers like such products. The majority of female consumers consumed fast food products once a month and the majority of male consumers consumed these products twice a week. Employed consumers consumed fast food products more frequently when compared to unemployed consumers. As the consumer age increased, fast food consumption frequency decreased. It was determined that high-income consumers preferred meatballs, lahmacun and pita while low-income consumers preferred fried potatoes. Conclusion: It was emphasized that consumer awareness about consumption habits should be raised, the consumption of healthy fast food products should be promoted, young adults should be encouraged about healthy eating habits