A Survey on Korean Families′ Food Decision Making: I. Purchase of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Abstract

A survey on Korean families' purchase of fresh fruits, vegetables was conducted to increase understanding of families' food decision making. Two hundred ninety seven families with at least one elementary-school age child were selected from four elementary schools to complete a questionnaire during April, 2001 in Gyeongju, Korea. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, T-test,, ANOVA statistics were used to analyze the data. The major findings are as follows: Families bought fresh fruits, vegetables at the public markets or the farmer's markets, a large supermarket most frequently in both summer, winter. Families grew produce by themselves, bought them from farmers directly least frequently in both summer, winter. Families whose housewives had less than middle school education bought fruits, vegetables from Agricultural Co-ops, grew them by themselves more frequently compared to those who had higher education. On the other hand, families whose housewives had graduated from 4 year college bought fruits, vegetables from large supermarkets more frequently compared to those who had lesser education. “Quality”, “safety production” of fruits, vegetables, “clean environment of store” were the three most important factors when they decided the place to buy fruits, vegetables. “Being treated as a valuable customer”, “ease of finding things” were the two least important factors. Families whose housewives were in their thirties valued “cleanness of the store”, “being treated as a valuable customer” important factors when they decided the place. Families whose housewives had less than middle school education thought that price, availability of public transportation,, availability of locally grown food were the important factors for deciding the place compared to those who had higher education. The price was the factor which low-income families thought important for decision making on the place to buy fruits, vegetables.