University Student Attitudes Toward Organic Foods - Organic Food and Agriculture: New Trends and Developments in the Social Sciences - page 102

an organic (natural and ecological) product is. Also, it comes to the fore that for the products
in question (tomato, cucumber, chicken meat, egg) there is a consumer group willing to
cover the price difference for organic products. According to these results, there is a
considerable demand for the stated organic products (Koç et al., 2001). Consumers of
organic foods are willing to pay more for their food to ensure the food has no growth
hormones or that unnecessary chemicals and pesticides are not used during the production
process (Bellows et al., 2008). As supported by the studies performed in these times in which
the awareness about health gradually increases, there is a general demand for the
production and consumption of organic foods. Although these products are comparatively
expensive than other products, they have more demand and place in groceries as well as
more organic-only stores. However, the consumption rate in our country is still lower than
other countries. Therefore, these products should be made accessible to everyone spatially
and financially by governmental regulations.
5. Conclusion
Environmental pollution appearing alongside with increasing technological progress also
makes itself felt in the food chain. Especially, the widespread products with known or yet-
unknown side effects for human health, such as genetically modified foods or foods with
hormones, pose a serious threat to human health. For this reason, the demand for naturally
produced organic products with no side effects increases day by day. As the education and
income levels of the consumers rise, they have more awareness of and likewise show more
demand for organic products (Sarıkaya, 2007). Nevertheless, despite the upturn in Turkey's
domestic market, the percentage of organic agricultural production is still under 1%.
Generally, consumers do not have enough knowledge about the features of organic
products, such as their production techniques, their role in protecting the environment or
health values (Sanlıer et al., 2011). By this study, the attitudes towards organic products of
students who use them and the factors affecting their preferences are tried to be presented.
In general, it is found out that the students' attitudes are positive but their buying rates are
rather low.
The research shows that the average of the organic foods attitudes scale level of all 839
students is positive (150.2 + 21.6, out of 205 possible points). The points received from the
“Positive statements regarding organic foods” section (42.3 + 7.42; out of 60 possible points)
are lower than the points received from the “Negative statements regarding organic foods”
(28.7 + 5.47, out of 40 possible points), and “Statements regarding organic food production”
(14.5 + 3.29, out of 20 possible points), “Purchasing organic foods” (16.4 + 3.00, out of 20
possible points) “Comparing organic foods with traditional foods” (29.5 + 5.60, out of 40
possible points) and “Organic foods and chemical usage” (18.5 + 3.67, out of 25possible
points) sections.
With the results obtained, we try to understand to what extend the students in the organic
food market have awareness about organic products. These results are thought to be helpful
in related companies' decisions concerning organic products .
6. Limitations of the study
This study has examined university students' attitudes towards organic foods; however, the
results are limited only to Ankara University students who have participated in this study.