Traceability issues of honey from the consumers' perspective in Romania

The Romanian honey market is facing a problem related to traceability, especially when honey is produced in more than one country and its origin is indicated as a blend of EC and non-EC honeys. The increase of honey adulteration has consequences on both consumers and honey producers with considerable negative effects. The aim of the study was to identify the factors that influence honey purchasing behaviour and to evaluate consumers' awareness related to honey adulteration in Romania among selected age segments. An online survey was conducted between 2020-2021 on a sample of 1,233 respondents. The questionnaire covered aspects related to purchasing behaviour and honey adulteration, complemented with socio-demographic questions. The data were evaluated using descriptive, non-parametric and multivariate statistics. The results showed that the most important factors considered during the purchasing process by Romanian honey consumers were health factor and country of origin followed by producer reputation and ecological aspect, while the least important were discounts, promotion and brand reputation. The older respondents are more aware of honey adulteration and know better that crystallisation is an indicator of quality. This study provides important information for policymakers and the whole beekeeping chain in Romania. Education in terms of honey authenticity and traceability will help consumers to choose local honey of high quality and to avoid adulterated products. This consumption and purchasing behaviour will discourage producers from honey counterfeiting.