Consumer Perception and Use of Products with Health Claims in Western Balkan Countries

Functional food market in Eastern Europe has gained in its importance recently and it is expected that this trend will continue in the future. This study aimed to investigate determinants (socio-demographic characteristics and attitudes) of acceptance of functional food in Western Balkans and to analyze to what extent these factors affected individuals' consumption of food with health claims. The findings indicate that individuals' age, education, standard of household, level of knowledge and skepticism on products with health claims and perception of some product attributes affect the frequency of functional food consumption. Profiles of typical consumers are distinguished through cluster analysis and discussed according to their socio-demographic features and attitudes. Functional food consumers in the Western Balkans differ from their global counterparts relative to their age, gender, presence of children in household and appraisal of healthiness of functional food. It is recommended that companies should provide consumers with more information on functional food and attempt to diminish the relevance of price through other product attributes. Since this paper presents the first cross-national assessment of factors that influence functional food consumption in the Western Balkans it will be a valuable benchmark for future studies in the field.