Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Consumption Habits of Consumers in the Corona Virus Pandemic

Abstract

Living conditions in Turkey has been changed considerably during Covid-19 pandemic. This phase has changed people’s normal lives, habits such as eating, resting, and shopping and pushed them to different pursuits. This study aimed to obtain data on the consumption preferences of medicinal and aromatic plants. The survey was conducted in the autumn of 2020. Choices and health services that are effective in the consumption of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) of consumers are estimated by statistics and logit regression model to the data obtained from the surveys. It was determined that the coronavirus pandemic increased the consumption of medicinal and aromatic plants by 76%. The plants with the highest consumption during the pandemic were recorded as rosehip, linden, mint, and ginger. Green tea and udihindi were the most consumed medicinal and aromatic plants per month. According to logit regression analysis results; age, duration of use, price, benefit, side effect, access to the chemical, additive, and hope variables increased the consumption of medicinal and aromatic plants and the likelihood of purchasing during the pandemic. It is thought that consumption of MAPs will become widespread and increase during the pandemic.