The objectives of the study were to examine food waste generation and reduction efforts at home, and to identify factors affecting the intention to reduce food waste. A total of 3,321 food buyer responses were used from the 2022 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food of the Korea Rural Economic Institute. Statistical methods for a complex sample were applied by using a SPSS program (ver. 26.0). The average daily food waste generation per household significantly differed by the main food purchaser’s age and household size. Plate waste and food waste from preparation were the main types of food waste. A multiple regression analysis revealed that intention to reduce food waste was influenced by the main types of food waste, the average daily amount of food waste, the perceived amount of food waste, and the perceived importance of food waste reduction after adjusting for the age of the main food purchaser and household size. Since the amount of food waste was affected by a series of food behaviors as well as consumer’s intention to reduce waste, empirical research on the types and amounts of food waste generated in Korean households and qualitative research on behaviors and attitude affecting food waste are needed.

This study examined the intake status and the factors affecting intake of functional foods using the data from Consumer Behavior Survey for Food by the Korea Rural Economic Institute. Among the total respondents, 80.4% took functional foods, and the number of respondents who took two types of functional foods was the highest. The main reason for taking functional foods was to prevent disease, and the main places of purchase of functional foods were off-line large supermarkets, on-line shopping malls, and pharmacies. Compared to a year ago, the percentage of increase in functional food purchases this year was higher than the percentage of decrease. The most common reasons for not taking functional foods were ‘not feeling the need’ and ‘not trusting the quality’. As a result of conducting a complex samples logistic regression analysis to identify the factors affecting the intake of functional foods, gender, age, marital status, illness state, alcohol drinking, and convenience-seeking type among dietary lifestyles were significant.

This study aimed to compare food procurement and dietary behavior of single-person households in Korea. A total of 949 single-person households that participated in the 2022 Food Consumption Behavior Survey were divided into three age groups: 20~39 years (n=204), 40~59 years (n=317), and 60~74 years (n=428). Monthly expenditure on eating out was similar for the 20~39 and 40~59 age groups at around 145,000 KRW, while the 60~74 age group spent 79,823 KRW (p<0.001). The frequency of eating out was the highest at 2~3 days per week for the 20~39 age group, with take-out occurring 1 day per week (p<0.01). Regarding online food purchases, 35% of the 20~39 age group bought food online once every two weeks, whereas 40~59 and 60~74 age groups had higher percentages of those buying non-online food (44.7% and 89.0%, respectively, p<0.001). Regarding dietary competency index, healthy eating scores were the highest in the 60~74 age group (p<0.01). As the dietary competency index increased, monthly expenditure on take-out decreased for the 40~59 age group while satisfaction with current diet increased across all age groups (p<0.01). This study is expected to be helpful for developing nutrition education materials tailored to different life stages.

This study compared the dietary perceptions, food labeling behaviors, and purchasing patterns of vegetarians and nonvegetarians. The data from 5,811 adults aged ≥19 years who participated in the 2023 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food were analyzed. The participants were divided into vegetarians and non-vegetarians according to their dietary practices. Vegetarians were further divided into strict, semi, and occasional vegetarians. Non-vegetarians regularly consumed plantand animal-based foods without dietary restrictions. Vegetarians comprised 15.4% of the participants, and health (50.4%) was the primary motivation for adopting a vegetarian lifestyle. Compared to non-vegetarians, vegetarians prioritized their rights and responsibilities as citizens and identified a vegetable-centered diet as the most crucial factor for health. Vegetarians showed greater interest and trust in food labeling than non-vegetarians. Vegetarians selected a wider variety of food and had different purchasing motivations when purchasing eco-friendly foods than non-vegetarians. Vegetarians exhibited higher purchase frequencies across all categories than non-vegetarians and had different reasons for purchasing convenience foods. These findings highlight the diversity of vegetarian dietary motivations and behaviors, emphasizing the need for tailored dietary policies and education.

This study analyzed the status of agrifood consumer competencies and the factors influencing them to provide useful information to improve the quality of life by strengthening the agrifood consumer competencies. The raw data of the 2022 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food collected by the Korea Rural Economic Research Institute were used. The data from 3,321 responses were used for the final analysis. Among the competencies, the average score of the cognitive and practical competencies were 3.543 and 3.459 points, respectively. In addition, the average scores of the specific areas within cognitive competency were 3.587 points for dietary competency, 3.557 points for civic competency, and 3.489 points for purchasing competency. Within practical competency, the average scores of the specific areas were 3.569 points for dietary competency, 3.422 points for civic competency, and 3.392 points for purchasing competency. Gender, age, monthly household income, marital status, administrative district, interest in health, and interest in food safety issues were the significant factors affecting the specific areas within cognitive competency. On the other hand, gender, age, educational level, monthly household income, marital status, administrative district, interest in food safety issues, and each of the areas within cognitive competency had a significant impact on the specific areas of practical competency.

This study aimed to understand the needs of consumers in the meal kit market and determine the impact of meal kit selection attributes according to the consumption behavior of single-person households on purchase decisions and satisfaction. A summary of the results of this study is as follows: First, the most frequent purchase frequency of meal kits was 2 to 3 times a month. The reason for purchase was that it was easy to consume, and the most common purpose of purchase was for consumption. Second, four factors, including health, convenience, taste, and economics, were derived as a result of a factor analysis of meal kit selection attributes. The difference in meal kit selection attributes according to age groups revealed that those in their 20s had high scores with respect to health and taste factors, and economic factors appeared statistically significant. Third, an analysis of the meal kit product selection attributes showed that health and taste factors had a positive influence on satisfaction. This can be said to reflect the tendency of single-person households to give weightage to healthy eating and to purchase products that can be consumed conveniently.

The domestic swine industry is currently facing a threat due to the recent increase in pork imports. This study aims to determine what factors influence consumers' intention to consume imported pork and suggest measures to support the domestic pork industry. To achieve this, we analyzed data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute's Food Consumption Behavior Survey using a binary logistic regression model. The results revealed that a higher intention to consume imported pork is linked to a higher intention to consume imported rice, purchasing meat online, frequent purchases of HMR, and procuring U.S. beef, especially among urban residents. On the other hand, a lower intention to consume imported pork is associated with a higher awareness of animal welfare certification, frequently dining out, and older age. Based on these findings, we propose the following response measures for the domestic swine industry: implementing educational programs, marketing, and advertising specifically targeting urban residents to improve their perception of domestic agricultural products; enhancing price competitiveness through distribution optimization; and developing policies to promote the use of domestic pork as an ingredient in processed foods.

This study was conducted to investigate whether there were differences in eco-friendly food, home meal replacement (HMR) purchases, and eating-out behavior according to the level of agri-food consumer competence. The data for the study were extracted from main food consumers (n=3,321) in the 2022 Food Consumption Behavior Survey. The competence index was divided into awareness-attitude-practice items, and three groups were classified by competence level. The results showed an agri-food consumer competency score of 70.62, with the highest score for awareness (73.96), followed by practice (69.28) and attitude (66.18). The frequency of purchasing eco-friendly food was higher in the excellent group compared to other groups, and quality and price satisfaction was higher with higher competency (p<0.001). Regarding HMR, the results showed that the shortage group had the lowest HMR consumption rate, and satisfaction decreased as competence decreased (p<0.001). The main reason for eating-out was to enjoy food in all groups (59.0%), followed by a lack of cooking time in the excellent group (15.7%) and hassle with food preparation in the moderate and shortage groups (17.3%, 16.6%) (p<0.001). In short, agri-food consumption competency showed differences by contents and components, and differences in food purchases and eating-out behavior by competency level were found.

This study was undertaken to provide basic data to aid product development and marketing by identifying purchasing behaviors and performing Important Performance Analysis (IPA) according to the consumption values of rice cakes. This study was conducted on 426 consumers who purchased rice cakes. Analysis was performed to determine general characteristics, consumption behaviors, preference for rice cakes, material preferences for rice cake development, need for rice cake development, and importance and satisfaction when selecting rice cakes. Cluster analysis classified consumption values into three clusters. The high and middle consumption value groups contained the greatest proportions of consumers aged over fifty. The high and medium consumption value groups preferred rice cakes more than the low consumption value group. Higher rice cake consumption value was positively associated with the greater preference for rice cakes. Furthermore, the perceived need to develop rice cakes was greatest in the high consumption value group. In addition, importance and satisfaction were positively associated with consumption value. IPA analysis showed that the attributes that require continuous attention because of their contributions to importance and satisfaction were taste, quantity, and hygiene. Different rice cake marketing and product development strategies are required for different consumption values.

This study examined the determinants of healthy food purchases before and after COVID-19 in Korea. Binomial and multinomial logistic regression models were applied to Korea Rural Economic Institute's Food Consumer Behavior Survey data from 2019 to 2021. The analysis revealed a significant decrease in the non-intake of healthy food in 2021 compared to 2019, suggesting the impact of COVID-19 on healthy food consumption. Consumption patterns also changed, with a decrease in direct purchases and an increase in gift-based purchases. Several variables showed significant effects on healthy food intake. Single-person households exhibited a higher probability of eating healthy food after COVID-19. The group perceiving themselves as healthy had a lower likelihood of consuming healthy food pre-COVID-19, but this changed after the pandemic. Online food purchases, eco-friendly food purchases, and nut consumption showed a gradual decrease in the probability of non-intake over time. Gender and age also influenced healthy food intake. The probability of eating healthy food increased in the older age group compared to the younger group, and the probability increased significantly after COVID-19. The probability of buying gifts was significantly higher in those in their 60s, indicating that the path to obtaining healthy food differed by age.

In this research, we examined the shifts in determinants influencing the frequency of eco-friendly food purchases pre- and post-COVID-19. Our analysis utilized filtered 2019-2021 Consumption Behavior Survey data from the Korea Rural Economic Institute Food, excluding any irrational responses. Given the nature of the dependent variable, a multinomial logistic regression model was employed with demographic factors, variables pertaining to food consumption behavior, and variables concerning food consumption awareness as predictors. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, an individual's level of education was observed to positively influence the frequency of eco-friendly food purchases. In contrast, income level and fluctuations in food consumption expenditure did not appear to have a discernible impact on the purchasing frequency of such eco-friendly products. Irrespective of the advent of COVID-19, variables such as the frequency of online food purchases, the utilization of early morning delivery services, dining out frequency, and the intake of health-functional foods consistently demonstrated a positive correlation with the propensity to purchase eco-friendly foods. Overall, consumers prioritizing safety, quality, and nutrition over price, taste, and convenience in their procurement decisions for rice, vegetables, meat, and processed foods exhibit an increased inclination toward the acquisition of eco-friendly food products.

본 연구는 농식품 소비자패널을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하여 소비자의 소비성향에 따른 저탄소인증농산물의 소비행태를 살펴본다. 소비자의 소비성향을 윤리적 소비성향과 합리적 소비성향으로 구분하여 집단을 구성하였고, 집단 간 소비행태 차이를 분석하였다. 윤리적 소비성향 집단과 합리적 소비성향 집단 간에 저탄소 농산물 인증제의 인지도, 탄소발생 감소를 위한 노력, 탄소중립 개념 인지도 및 저탄소인증농산물에 대한 구매의도 는 유의미한 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 저탄소인증농산물의 소비활성화를 위해서 합리적 소비성향을 가진 소비자들의 저탄소인증농산물 구매를 유도할 수 있는 방안을 마련할 필요가 있다.

This study surveyed Chinese elderly consumers to determine their purchasing behavior, importance, and satisfaction with HMR products in China. Three hundred and seventy people were surveyed: 184 males and 186 females aged 55 to 70 years. Two hundred and sixty-seven (72.25%) of the surveyed consumers had an average monthly income of 6,000 yuan or less, and 313 (84.9%) responded that they spend 3000 yuan or less on groceries per month. Three hundred and fortyeight (94.1%) showed a high interest in health management. Regarding the frequency of purchasing HMR products, most responded that they purchased HMR products more than once or twice a week, with a single purchase of 100 yuan or less for each purchase. The respondents preferred 2 or 3 serving packagings in a refrigerated form. For all forms of products, those made as in-house meals, outdoor meals, as a snack or night snack, for serving guests, for trips, camping, and on-thego products, the participants mostly responded that they frequently purchased the product. When purchasing HMR products, the importance of hygiene, convenience in purchase accessibility, the freshness of ingredients, and an indication of the nutritional content were considered as a high rank. After purchase, the satisfaction of SNS and mobile application advertisements and promotions, amount per serving, take out convenience, and new menu were considered low-rank. The IPA results showed that marking the origin of the ingredients and new menu are areas needing improvement. The study results may be used as base data for developing elderly friendly HMR products and establishing its marketing strategies.

본 연구는 비시장평가법인 조건부가치평가법을 통해 수질개선을 위한 지불용의액을 추정 하였다. 연구 지역은 심각한 수질오염으로 직·간접적인 피해를 입고 있는 베트남의 하노이 To Lich 강 유역이며, To Lich 강 주변의 거주민들을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였다. 이중양분선택형 질문을 통해 설문 내용을 디자인하였고, 설문조사를 통해 얻어진 표본으로 이변 량프로빗모형을 사용하였다. 그 결과, 베트남 하노이지역의 거주민이 수질개선을 위하여 연간 지불용의액은 약 VND 202,560원으로 나타났다. 또한 지불용의액에 영향을 주는 중요한 변수는 사회경제적 변수로 나이, 소득으로 나타났고, 거주민의 건강에 대한 관심도 통계적으로 유의한 변수로 나타났다. 본 연구는 하노이의 To Lich 강에 조사 지역을 한정하여 진행하였기 때문에, 연구 지역 범위를 확대시켜 향후 연구가 진행 되어야 할 것이다. 본 연구의 결과는 지속 가능한 수질 관리의 중요성을 강조하며, 추후 베트남 수질 개선 정책에 환경적 편익 정보를 제공하는데 도움을 줄 것으로 기대된다.

This study examined the actual condition of middle school students’ dining out based on the data of the 2016 youth food behavior inquiry data of the Korea Rural Economic Institute. The eating out behavior of 278 middle school students’ according to gender, average eating-out cost per person, average monthly eating out cost per person, weekly frequency of breakfast, and dietary information source were calculated into a chi-square value by cross analysis. The main results of this study are as follows. First, in middle school students’ eating-out status, most students answered ‘eating out’, and the highest frequency of eating out was 1~3 times a week. The reason for eating out was ‘to enjoy delicious food’, and ‘costly price’ was the most common reason for not eating out. Food taste was the most common standard for selecting eating out, and a restaurant was the most common place to eat out. The main restaurant was the ‘snack bar (kimbap specialized store)’. Second, there was no significant difference in all items of eating-out status according to the gender. A significant difference in eating out frequency was observed according to average eating-out cost per once (p< .001), standard for selecting eating out (p< .001), main eating out places (p< .001), and main restaurants (p< .01). There was a significant difference in the frequency of eating out (p< .001) in the eating-out status according to average eating out cost per month. Third, the eatingout status according to the breakfast frequency of middle school students had a significant difference in the reason for eating out (p< .001). The eating-out status according to the dietary information source of middle school students had a significant difference in eating out or not (p< .05) and the frequency of eating out (p< .05). These results highlight the importance of school diet education so that middle school students can achieve healthy eating habits and plan to increase their interest and utilization of school dietary education.