Abstract:

The technological development, the increase in economic and social well-being has increased the sensitivity of the majority of consumers to food consumption and has changed their purchasing behavior. In this study, the aim is to identify the consumption, behavior and factors affecting consumers living in the Tokat Central District, and to reveal their levels of awareness about food safety. The data were collected through a consumer survey of 401 households. It was found that 68.6 percent of consumers heard the concept of food safety, while 31.4 percent did not hear the concept of food safety. It has been found that consumers consider considerably the termination date when purchasing food products. It has also been revealed that food safety information is most obtained from radio-TV programs and is most influenced by TV ads when buying food. A significant percentage of consumers, including 75.8 percent, said they agreed to pay extra for reliable food. Binary logit analysis has been applied to determine the variables that affect the profiles of those who hear the concept of food safety. According to this, age group, education level, income and mother’s work status are defined as important variables in the hearing of the food safety concept.

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