Research on consumer's attitudes towards geographically indicated food products

The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes of consumers towards geographicallly marked food products and to reveal consumer groups by profiling according to these attitudes. For this purpose, the awareness level of consumers towards geographical indications, their attitude towards labels and towards the benefits of geographical indications, consumers' willingness to pay more for geographical indications and their attitude towards purchasing were examined. Research data were collected in March and April 2021 and 695 people participated in the research. All data obtained through the questionnaire were evaluated with the SPSS 26.0 program. Cluster analysis was conducted to reveal consumer profiles related to consumers' attitudes towards geographical indications As a result of the cluster analysis, skeptical, defensive and negative consumer profiles emerged. Skeptics, mostly consumers between the ages of 18-35, were the group that was not entirely sure in their decisions regarding their attitudes towards geographical indications when compared to other consumer profiles. Unlike other consumer profiles, the highest number of consumers and also the high percentage of female participants are seen in the defensive group. Defensive consumers represent the cluster of consumers who have a very positive attitude towards geographical indications. Finally, the negative consumers constituting the third cluster consists of the young consumer population. Negative consumer profile has a negative attitude towards geographical indications and does not think that geographical indication has benefits in terms of economic support, culture and tradition, quality and reliability, and is not willing to pay more prices for geographical indications and is not inclined to purchase.