The Consumers' Functional Food Trend: Market Orientation, Market Opportunities

Abstract

Functional foods have become the corner stone of food innovation in the past few years. Functional foods presumably enable the consumer to lead a healthier life without changing eating habits. In this paper, it is aimed to analyse the approaches of different consumers, living in the city of Istanbul, towards a variety of functional foods, the socio – economic status of the families and their approaches to functional foods. Applying a face to face survey to 611 people living in Istanbul, their attitudes to functional foods were examined. Data obtained from those 611 questionnaires were analysed through the SPSS statistical packet program. Besides, multiple regression analysis is conducted to determine the impact of independent variables (motivators to consumers’ healthy lifestyle, barriers to consumers’ healthy lifestyle, attitude towards willingness to consume functional foods has a positive impact on functional food consumption, willingness to consume functional foods) on the dependent variable (functional food consumption). T-test and ANOVA is conducted to define if there is a significant difference between functional food consumption of consumers according to demographic variables. According to the results of the research, 73, 2 % of the consumers noted that they have had functional foods at least once before. Although the enhanced health benefits attracted consumers’ attention, concerns on the artificial ingredients and effectiveness of the health benefits have formed negative attitudes towards functional products. Thus, understanding factors that influence consumers’ perceptions and acceptances of functional food is essential for food industry in their new product development strategies making.