Determining the Factors Affecting Drinking Milk Consumption Habits in Turkey: The Example of Gaziantep Province

Abstract

Milk which is rich in lactose, vitamins and minerals contains essential protein and fat for a balanced diet. To promote preference of this nutrient-rich-liquid is important to determine consumer expectations in many ways such as economical, nutritional and others. This study aims to assess the factors affecting the consumer expectations on milk consumption trends. The case study was carried out with 383 participants living in Gaziantep, Türkiye.Collected data were analyzed with reliability analysis and chi-square test. The survey results showed that 88.7% of the participants consumed drinking milk and 42.3% drank one glass per day. 37.5% of the consumers preferred pasteurized milk, 35.4% UHT milk, and 27.1% open milk.It was understood that 69.1% of consumers give importance to the brand when making a milk purchase decision, while 89.4% read the expiration date of the product. In addition, 71% of consumers consider the amount of fat to be the main quality factor in milk products. It was understood that nutrient facts, fat level, price and brand are the key pointsin the milk consumption preferences of the participant.