Postępowanie konsumentów na rynku tłuszczów jadalnych w okresie przemian gospodarczych

The purpose of our study was to evaluate consumer behaviour in one of the radically changing segments of the market i.e. the market of edible fats. Two sources of information were used namely the results of food balance sheets and household budget surveys ( carried out by the Central Statistical Office) as well as the results of survey research. The field research was conducted in Warsaw and in rural areas around Jelenia Góra in March 1995~ Out of 500 questionnaires, 400 were distributed in Warsaw. The rate of return of the questionnaires amounted to 46.2 per cent. Eventually 217 questionnaires were analysed. The SPSS program was used for data analysis. The obtained results confirmed that fat consumption underwent significant changes. Among various factors determining the consumers' choice of fats the most important are the following: freshness and taste of the product, its effect on health and also whether it is easy to use. It should be stressed that consumers from the two areas under investigation rank the decisive factors in a slightly different order depending on the financial situation and structure of their households, their food habits and the possibility of self-supply.