Consumer attitudes towards healthy and organic food in the Kurdistan region of Iraq

Abstract

There has been increasing awareness of the benefits of healthy and organic food products as more knowledge has been gained on their effects on health, environment, social convenience and sustainable development. Acquiring insight into consumer attitudes is essential for the industry to grow. Compared with the rest of the world, the Kurdistan region of Iraq is still in the early stages of understanding the importance of healthy and organic food products. The study aim was to investigate the attitudes of Kurdish consumers concerning healthy and organic food. I administered an online survey to 452 respondents, and their responses were analysed by using descriptive statistics and performing correlation, linear regression and factor analysis. The findings indicated that health concerns were the main reason for healthy and organic food consumption. I also found that quality and taste were important factors in purchasing decisions and that consumers were willing to pay a premium price if these foods were available. However, there was a general lack of concern about food production effects on the environment and animal welfare. This research provides a new insight into the attitudes of Kurdish consumers in Iraq towards healthy and organic food. This population has not been covered before, which in turn will add to the literature on this subject.