Development of market chains and the effects of product branding on the purchasing and consumption approach of rural societies in Turkey: A case study of Yozgat rural areas

In this study, the effects of the development of market chains and product branding on the purchasing and consumption perception of rural communities in Turkey were investigated. The study was carried out in villages located in the rural region of Yozgat Province. A surveye was developed to investigate the areas where the villagers live and their livelihoods, how, where, and how the villagers market their products, and the way and habits of the villagers to shop according to the places they live. The questionnaire form consists of 46 questions and propositions. A total of 200 people participated in of survey. The survey data were evaluated using the SPSS 20 package program. While almost all the villagers participating in the survey cannot sell their products to chain markets, 34% of the villagers can sell their products by marketing them to local markets. The products most often marketed by the villagers to local markets are cheese, village eggs, milk, and butter, respectively. One of every two villagers participating in the survey stated that the prices in local markets are more expensive than chain markets, they cannot find every product they want in local markets, and the product quality in chain markets is not higher than local markets. More than half of the villagers who participated in the survey said that they could meet all their needs from the chain markets, that the existence of chain markets prevents local markets from selling their products at high prices, that the existence of chain markets provides job opportunities in the region, that chain markets in the region should cooperate with the producers in the villages and towns for natural product production. They say that there are chain markets, out-of-season vegetables and fruits can be bought and consumed, more natural products can be found in local markets, and electronic products bought from chain markets have a warranty certificate.