Agnieszka Dudziak

Background: Researchers and marketing specialists study consumer behaviour in the market because it is an important part of economics. There is a growing trend among consumers to buy local products. Consumers know that buying local products is seen to support local producers and entrepreneurs and protect the domestic economy. Methods: A diagnostic survey analysis was conducted among 404 respondents from Eastern Poland in 2022 to achieve the research objectives. The aim was to present the specifics of the phenomenon of consumer behaviour in relation to the place of purchase of food products, with particular emphasis on local products, according to the qualitative approach adopted. An attempt was made to identify and evaluate the attitudes and declarations of individual consumers in this area. A questionnaire was used as the research tool, and its distribution was carried out entirely electronically via the Internet. Results: The study showed that shopping habits vary by location and age, with hypermarkets and local stores popular among both men and women, while online shopping and wholesale options were also common. Conclusions: Understanding how consumers make decisions is a complex task, as it involves various factors such as thoughts, emotions and actions that lead to product selection and purchase. These factors can vary based on demographic characteristics, such as gender, age, and location. Studies have shown that Polish consumers are more likely to buy local products from large chain stores than from smaller manufacturer-owned stores, and prefer domestically produced goods, which is reflected in an ethnocentric attitude toward the local market.

Food loss and waste are one of the main problems of global civilization that stir great emotions, especially among the inhabitants of affluent countries of the northern-hemisphere. All actors at the various stages of the food chain, from producers and processors to retailers and final consumers, influence this phenomenon. To combat this problem, many hours and energies are spent both by those involved in grassroots social initiatives and by national and international institutions. Any entity aware of the magnitude of the food waste problem (entrepreneur, citizen, NGO, etc.) entitled to take advantage of concessions, incentives and exemptions from public tributes is a more effective ally in the fight against this scourge of the 21st century than an economic participant constantly punished and sanctioned, and consequently expending most of its energy on tax optimization.