Romanian Households Research Articles

Socio-Demographic Factors, Behaviors, Motivations, and Attitudes in Food Waste Management of Romanian Households.

(1) Background: Food waste (FW) in Romania is 70 Kg/capita/year, while 70% of food waste comes from public catering, retail services, and households (over 50%-47 million tons). The present study investigates the socio-demographic factors, behaviors, motivations, and attitudes related to food waste management in Romanian households. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online questionnaire via the Google Forms platform from 15 April 2023 to 15 May 2023. The questionnaire was designed to assess various aspects, such as some socio-demographic information (age, sex, occupation, area of residence, study level, household members number, children <18 years of age); the personal involvement and frequency of food purchases and homemade food cooking; the main sources that generate food waste; the motivation and frequency with which food waste occurs; the level of awareness regarding the impact of food waste; the respondents' intentions regarding sustainable behaviors and practices for food management; the level of information and familiarity of the respondents with the notions of validity and how these may influence their food consumption decisions. (3) Results: The results show that FW incidence is occasionally (42%), very rarely (43.33%), frequently (15%), and no food waste was reported by 2.66% of respondents. The 35-44 age category records the highest FW frequency, followed by 18-24. The most wasted are homemade food (29.67%), bread and bakery products (27.00%), and fruits and vegetables (14.33%). High involvement in purchasing and buying food following a previously established list reduces FW frequency. The same is valid for high daily involvement in food and homemade cooking. High interest in the FW problem and its perception as a waste of money leads to diminishing it, while guilty feelings increase the FW level (37.50% to 73.33%). (4) Conclusions: The present study shows that household food waste management is a multifactorial process that involves numerous socio-demographic, behavioral, and emotional aspects. Extensive data analysis supports our results, revealing deep self-reported information details and confirming its complex approach.

Análise exploratória das causas do desperdício de alimentos em lares romenos

ABSTRACT: Reducing food waste became a priority in the past decades for the majority of nations around the world. But while the interest in this topic is high, not all countries, including Romania - our case study- accurately estimate household food waste quantities. Determining the reality of food waste at household levels is highly valuable because in the end, it can bring insight into what would be the best methods to reduce waste and optimize resource consumption. The current study determined the causes, quantities, and main components of food waste in Romanian households by applying and subsequently analyzing a food waste survey. Our purpose was to determine not only how much food Romanians throw away per week, but also what type of food. In addition, by studying the households’ consumption habits we identified the main behavioral triggers of food waste. By applying the survey to a relevant sample of our country’s population, we obtained a relatively accurate depiction of food waste attitudes among Romanian consumers and our paper can be a starting point in developing an educational tool aiming to reduce food waste in households. This type of study is important not only for informational reasons but also from a societal standpoint. As a complex community, part of larger international structures and agreements, (such as the European Union, the United Nations, or The Paris Agreement on Climate Change), Romania needs to align itself with the other partners in order to decrease the negative impact on the environment of food waste.

Why Do Households Leave School Value Added on the Table? The Roles of Information and Preferences

Romanian households could choose schools with one standard deviation worth of additional value added. Why do households leave value added “on the table”? We study two possibilities: (i) information and (ii) preferences for other school traits. In an experiment, we inform randomly selected households about schools' value added. These households choose schools with up to 0.2 standard deviations of additional value added. We then estimate a discrete choice model and show that households have preferences for a variety of school traits. As a result, fully correcting households' beliefs would eliminate at most a quarter of the value added that households leave unexploited. (JEL D12, D83, I21, I28)

Clonal Dissemination of Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporin-Resistant Enterobacterales between Dogs and Humans in Households and Animal Shelters of Romania.

Faecal carriage of extended-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant (ESC-R) Enterobacterales in healthy pets is a concerning issue. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, genetic background, and potential for interspecies transmission of these bacteria between dogs and humans within the same household (HH) or shelter environment in Romania. Faecal samples (n = 263) collected from healthy dogs (n = 102), their owners (n = 32), as well as dogs (n = 110) and staff (n = 19) from dog shelters, were screened for ESC-R carriage. Clonal relatedness of canine and human Escherichia coli isolates was established using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), followed by Illumina WGS of selected isolates. The highest prevalence of ESC-R Enterobacterales faecal carriage was identified in staff working at dog shelters (78.9%), followed by dogs from households (44.11%), dog owners (43.7%), and dogs from shelters (27%). FTIR identified 15 clusters of closely related E. coli isolates, including dog and human isolates from the same environment. Co-carriage of ESC-R isolates in both the dog and owner was identified in 12 HHs (37.5%), with two HHs (6%) having both the owner and dog carrying isolates with identical FTIR spectra, phylogroup, resistance genes, and Inc plasmids. Major ExPEC lineages such as ST127, ST10, ST155, and ST88 were detected in human and dog isolates. Our study revealed a high prevalence of faecal ESC-R E. coli carriage in both dogs and humans from Romanian households and shelters, where bidirectional clonal transmission between humans and dogs is likely. Furthermore, we identified ESC-R Enterobacterales co-carriage in people and dogs sharing the same environment using FTIR, demonstrating its value in AMR surveillance for humans and animals.

The impact of rising electricity and gas prices on the Romanian households budgets

The current situation determined by the increase in the price of electricity and natural gas was felt in the consumption basket of the families of employees, unemployed, the beneficiaries of social assistance both domestically and internationally. Low-budget families have become vulnerable during the cold season to the surge in electricity and gas bills. The effects caused by these increases determined the Romanian authorities to take emergency legislative measures, by compensating in the period November 2021 - March 2022, the households that are unable to pay their utility bills and that deepened in this context, their state of energy poverty.

Household Attitudes and Behavior towards the Food Waste Generation before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania

Food waste represents an important aspect with social, economic, and environmental implications. As previous studies underlined, the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in the food consumption patterns among consumers. The aim of the study was to investigate the main changes in household food waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania compared with the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors affecting food waste were also analyzed. Data were collected among Romanian households using an online administrated questionnaire. The 784 usable questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Cluster analysis. Consumers’ food shopping habits have become more sustainable during the pandemic, with a positive impact on waste management. The amount of the food losses decreased, people found ways to valorize the food scraps. The Cluster analysis of 25 food waste behavior factors lead to a 3 clusters solution: “wasters” (n = 264), “careless consumers” (n = 227), “careful consumers” (n = 359). While the “wasters” group was represented by consumers who chose to plan the shopping and the menu for the next period, were represented mainly by males with a lower level of education, the “careless consumers” did not choose to plan before going shopping, they discharge lower quantities of food compared with the first group. The “careful consumers” proved to be the most organized one, being preoccupied about the menu planning and reuse of leftovers. People became more conscious about their shopping habits; however, not all groups greatly improved their habits. The results indicate that more actions are needed to increase the awareness at the household level regarding food waste management and sustainable consumption during changing times.

The guaranteed minimum income, an indicator of social protection for needy families: 1994–2022

This form of support was called social assistance. It was explicitly built around the idea of ​​minimum consumption and had as beneficiaries, especially people / families of working age, without a job, with children in maintenance. One year later, Law 67/1995 proposed the concept of guaranteed minimum income (GMI), designed to cover the consumption needs of the poorest (10%) of Romanians, identified by consumption expenditure per household, approximately 6% of Romanian households. The guaranteed minimum income is a very well-targeted allowance, which identifies people at risk of poverty and social exclusion, being based on testing means, depending on income, household possessions and land owned, and is granted on condition that the beneficiary works in for the benefit of the community, to discourage inactivity. Starting with January 2011, the necessary funds are provided from the state budget through the budget of the Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Protection and consist of financial benefits and services that include: the guaranteed minimum income; health insurance, without the obligation to pay the contribution to the health insurance budget.

WOOD AS A BIOFUEL IN ROMANIA: A SOCIO-ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE ON DISCREPANT REPORTED NUMBERS

Nearly 50% of Romanian households use wood as a source of heating. A series of contradicting official reports regarding the demand and supply of firewood in Romania indicates that the consumed volume is higher than the available quantity. This study aims to characterise the dynamics of the firewood market and shed light on the officially reported figures. We analysed certain variables and their influence on firewood demand for six consecutive years. The demand was significantly higher than the supply and was strongly correlated with the unemployment rate. This socio-economic facet leads us to believe that abruptly diminishing fuelwood consumption is an unrealistic policy objective of the authorities.

Q or R Factor Analysis for Subjectiveness Measurement in Consumer Behavior? A Study Case on Durable Goods Buying Behavior in Romania

The complexity of consumer behavior requires new research methods to overcome the limitations of conventional evident-based research. The aim of this paper is the comparison between two types of factor analyses, Q and R (PCA and cluster analysis) for subjectiveness measurement in the case of durable goods buying behavior in Romanian households with different levels of education and occupancy. Our study explores different subjective patterns of stimulus of 30 statements (Q-sample) by 30 Romanian households (P-sample) using the Q-sort method for collecting data. For the Q-sample inputs, results from the literature were used. Based on the 30 Q-sorts, we discovered four factors for both Q and R factor analysis, mostly different according to specific results from different methods. For the Q method, we used the labels “pragmatic”, “modern”, “traditionalist”, and “innovator. For R factor analysis and cluster, we used “traditional Romanian brands”, “real needs and power purchasing”, “sceptic versus optimistic subjectiveness”, and “negative subjectiveness”. This paper suggests the Q methodology as a structured and transparent approach to consumer behavior research by combining the in-depth subjectivity of qualitative methods and statistical rigor of factor analysis to identify groups in consumers. The research provides useful suggestions for selecting and approaching target consumer segments in the Romanian durable goods industry.

HOUSEHOLDS TEXTILE WASTE MANAGEMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF A CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN ROMANIA

The large amount of textile waste resulted annually both in the EU and Romania, the worrying growth of textile waste from households in many parts of the EU and the significant differences regarding the treatment of textile waste in Romania compared to the EU are the main reasons we proposed to carry out in this study. The aim of this paper was to find out what happens to the textile waste from Romanian households if the population is aware of the textiles environmental impact and the appropriate recycling methods. For this reason, an online consumer survey was conducted from January 2020 to February 2020 and covered 282 respondents. The study s results showed that only a small part of the clothing products no longer used end up in the garbage, still, there is a danger that this quantity will increase in the future, as most citizens have no knowledge about the existence of recycling centres or these centres do not exist in the localities where they live. There is also the possibility that very few consumers would use these recycling centres. Even if a relatively high number of respondents are aware that textile products can be recycled, only a small part of them use this method. The study reconfirms the fact that Romanians still have to purchase secondhand clothes and shows which are the main forms of marketing preferred by them. It also shows that there is a potential growth of the market for products obtained from the recovery, recycling, and re-use of textiles.

Food waste impact on Romanian households

Food waste is an increasing issue in the global contexts of food security, scarcity, and the environment. Resources used to generate food raw materials, food processing and distribution have a significant impact on the environment. Our contemporary development pattern, based on consumption stimulation, generates social and geographic disparities, with highly over stimulated consumption in economically developed areas and reduced food availability or even famine in poor communities. As such, we are faced with the both the problems of food waste and food scarcity at the same time. The present article is assessing the Romanian consumer’s food waste impact in 2020, based on data from a nation-wide urban areas statistically representative group.

Between heritage and modernity employment and incomes in rural post-communist Romania

The paper follows up the changes emerged in employment and living standards of Romanian rural households over the post-communist period. On the background of the main changes in the socioeconomic context, rural employment is related to the situation by the beginning of the post-communist transition, and to urban employment developments. Based on secondary data analysis, an unfavorable rural labor market profile and educational structure are identified. However, improvements in the employment characteristics for the last decade might be noticed, together with overall income increase and marked inequality against the urban. Keywords: employment; rural development; inequality; rural ‒ urban.

Food safety knowledge, food shopping attitude and safety kitchen practices among Romanian consumers: A structural modelling approach

This paper aimed to establish the relationship between food safety knowledge, food shopping attitude, and self-reported kitchen practices among Romanian consumers. The study used data collected in an online survey applied on 985 consumers. A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) model applied by structural equation modelling revealed significant correlations between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.36; p < 0.001). Also, knowledge and attitude depicted significant effects on self-reported safety kitchen practices (β = 0.17, p < 0.001; β = 0.47, p < 0.001) and explained 30% of the variance of the food safety practices applied by Romanian consumers. These findings suggest that higher levels of food safety knowledge than current ones could conduct to an improved attitude towards food shopping priorities and could incline consumers to adopt adequate food safety practices during food purchasing in shops and food manipulation in their kitchens. Case-studies from real life situations (an observational study including 15 Romanian households) support the findings of this study and urge interventions to improve consumers’ food safety practices at home.

Post-Crisis Household Savings Behavior in Romania

Abstract The recent linear growth trend recorded by net savings in Romania is very intriguing. We thus study household savings behavior using Vector Autoregression and Vector Error Correction models on a sample of post-2007 monthly data. Contrary to common economic theory, we find that real interest rates do not influence the loan and savings behavior of Romanian households in our sample, despite their significant volatility and, even, negative recorded values. The results indicate a change in attitude and in risk perception of Romanian households in the aftermath of the financial crisis in 2008, in the way that has significantly decreased their preference for present consumption in favor of savings. Despite the significant increase in net savings, we also find that they have not significantly contributed to economic growth.

Solid Waste Management on Romanian Households

The problem associated with the household behavior on solid waste disposal site in today�s society is complex because of the large quantity and diverse nature of the wastes. Due increase the population, rapid development, global agricultural development has moved rapidly, limitations of financing, emerging limitations of both energy and raw materials and also add to the complexity of any waste management system, large quantities of wastes are being generated in different forms such as solid, liquid and gases. This research explored factors affecting the level of participation in solid waste segregation and recycling of households in Romania, as well as examining current Romania households waste management practices and their knowledge of waste management. This study investigated the solid waste situation and the organization of solid waste management in both urban and rural settings from the perspective of households. Solid waste management is a key component of public services which needs to serve the urban and rural municipalities in an efficient way in order to maintain a decent standard of public health.

Intergenerational support as a reaction to socio-economic crisis: alteration of solidarity within precarious Romanian households

ABSTRACTThis paper addresses the tensions arising from the intersection of norms and practices of support in situations in which intergenerational support is the main household strategy for coping with precariousness in Romania. This paper describes competing meanings of solidarity and reveals gendered experiences of ambiguity with respect to the sustainability of help exchanges within the context of economic vulnerability. Romania displays high public acceptance of intergenerational support, while the country’s deficient social welfare system prompts families to intensify their help exchanges. Findings based on in-depth interviews suggest that private arrangements are compounded by unbalanced help exchanges among generations. With the state and the community support directed towards lower social strata, these arrangements give rise to many tensions. Parents become excessively burdened by the constant obligation to help their adult children, while the children’s dependence upon their parents limits the opportunities to reciprocate.

Gendered Life-Course Patterns in Post-Socialist Romania: An Illustration from Households Situated in Precarious Prosperity

This paper documents the gendered aspects of changes affecting the life course of Romanians post-socialism, and the meanings men and women—with ages spanning across various age cohorts—employ to make sense of their experiences. Based on qualitative data collected during research on precarious prosperity among Romanian households conducted in 2013, the findings show that major shifts occurred in the timing of life events. Romanians’ life courses and their work trajectories have been unevenly affected depending on their intersectional belonging to gender, area of residence and life stage at the moment of the political transition. The analysis of work trajectories unravels increasing gender differentiation among younger cohorts and reinforcement of the gendered life paths taken.

Economic and Environmental Analysis of Investing in Solar Water Heating Systems

Solar water heating (SWH) systems can provide a significant part of the heat energy that is required in the residential sector. The use of SWH systems is motivated by the desire to reduce energy consumption and especially to reduce a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The purposes of the present paper consist in: assessing the solar potential; analysing the possibility of using solar energy to heat water for residential applications in Romania; investigating the economic potential of SWH systems; and their contribution to saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions. The results showed that if solar systems are used, the annual energy savings amount to approximately 71%, and the reduction of GHG emissions into the atmosphere are of 18.5 tonnes of CO2 over the lifespan of the system, with a discounted payback period of 6.8–8.6 years, in accordance with the savings achieved depending on system characteristics, the solar radiation available, ambient air temperature and on heating load characteristics. Financially, the installation of SWH systems determines net savings of 805–1151 Euro in a 25-year period in the absence of governmental subsidies. According to the sensitivity analysis, installing a SWH system with subsidies of up to 50% determines the reduction of the discounted payback period to 3.1–3.9 years and the increase of net savings to 1570–1916 Euro. These results indicate that investing in these systems is cost-effective for Romanian households as long as the governmental subsidies increase.

Quality of Life in Romanian Households

Poverty was present in all human communities and all times. The various methods used to measure poverty are consist from the dividing lines between the poorest and the least poor. Individuals or families enjoying a standard of living below this line conventionally called poverty line are considered poor. Poverty is a real phenomenon and its consequences are obvious in the sphere of human development. The indicators used to describe the scale and intensity of poverty is based on income and consumption. Income derived by various types of consumers: Persons, families, households reflect actual purchasing power of goods and services on the market. In the Research Institute for Quality of Life (RIQL) is used as method of determining the poverty the normative method. It starts from household consumption and rely on rules appreciated by specialists about the development and manifestation of a person and her own family. The household income in Romania have felt the effects of the international financial crisis, which began in 2010 when total household income decreased compared to previous years. Taking into account the income that can be obtained in a household, as they were reported by interviewees field research diagnosis quality of life: salaries, benefits children, student scholarships and other sources of income from social security funds or other sources of money which were added the equivalent in lei of self-consumption and repairs equivalent in money, goods produced around the house by family members, with whom discussions were held which obviously represents the family Policy Article Mihailescu; BJAST, 14(6): 1-11, 2016; Article no.BJAST.23825 2 budget savings results lead us to drastic conclusions on the positioning of the sample households, scale wealth from poor denoted by 1 to rich denoted by 10.

“The totality of caring”

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to formulate a conceptually and empirically grounded new understanding of childcare arrangements for cross-national and longitudinal micro-level empirical research by drawing on theoretical discussions about the social, spatial and temporal dimensions of embodied childcare and empirical data in the form of parental narratives from a Romanian qualitative study.Design/methodology/approach– The paper builds on a critique of an extensive body of empirical literature on the micro-level organisation of childcare and the thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with Romanian parents. The paper combines a critical literature review with findings from a qualitative study on childcare.Findings– The paper formulates a new understanding of household-level childcare arrangements that is context-insensitive, yet reflects the social, spatial and temporal concerns that the organisation of embodied childcare often raises. The paper expands on six real-life care arrangements in Romanian households represented as different combinations of care encounters.Research limitations/implications– As the paper draws on parental narratives from a single country, Romania, the mapping of childcare arrangements in other jurisdictions and/or at different times would strengthen the case for the proposed understanding of care arrangements as a valuable tool to represent, compareand contrast household-level care routines.Originality/value– The idea that parents (especially mothers) make work-care decisions in the light of what is best for their child has been widely documented. However, taxonomies of care arrangements have failed to reflect this. The proposed conceptualisation of childcare arrangements addresses this issue by articulating a conceptually coherent approach to developing empirically grounded childcare typologies that “travel well” cross-nationally and over time.