Determination of Consumer Perceptions of Eco-Friendly Food Products Using Unsupervised Machine Learning

Year 2024, Volume: 21 Issue: 3, 634 - 647, 27.05.2024

Yusuf Çakmakçı , Harun Hurma , Cihan Çakmakçı

https://doi.org/10.33462/jotaf.1319077

Abstract

This study aims to comparatively determine the consumer perception of food products marketed under ecologically friendly concepts (organic food, good agriculture, and natural production) and food sold directly by farmers, conventional food, and farmer cooperative branded food. For this purpose, a face-to-face survey was conducted with 171 identified consumers. R program was used to perform all of the analyses. Machine learning methods such as Logistic Regression (LR), Correspondence Analysis (CA), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) are used for determining consumer perception from obtained data. Descriptive statistics results showed that 51.5 percent of those polled were male and 48.5 percent were female. It found that the mean age of the consumers was joined to the survey was 36.4. According to the LR findings, consumer socioeconomic characteristics have a considerable impact on the purchase of various foods (such as organic labeled foods, good agricultural practices foods, producer cooperative branded foods, etc.). It has been discovered as the result of the PCA, people perceived organic branded food and good agricultural practices foods, which are healthier, more flavorful, and more trustworthy than other food. however, it has been discovered that they believe the costs of these types of food are expensive and that they are difficult to obtain. On the other hand, they perceive the pricing of farmer cooperative branded foods and food sold directly by the farmer to be lower. Furthermore, it was observed in CA findings that there was a correlation between these various food groups and purchase locations. While products sold directly by farmers are mostly purchased from public markets, they prefer grocery stores and supermarkets when purchasing foods with good agricultural practices and natural labeled (from the markets). When seen from this perspective, it is possible to conclude that ecologically friendly food and other food products are regarded differently by customers based on product characteristics. The use of marketing techniques that create a positive perspective in terms of affordability and accessibility and the development of policies and production techniques that boost consumers' current perceptions of these items are considered will promote the consumption of these products.

Keywords

Eco-friendly foods, Consumer perceptions, Machine learning, Product appreciation, Purchasing decision

Çevre Dostu Gıda Ürünlerine Yönelik Tüketici Algısının Denetimsiz Makine Öğrenmesi Kullanılarak Belirlenmesi

Abstract

Bu çalışma, çevre dostu konseptler (organik gıda, iyi tarım ve doğal üretim) altında pazarlanan gıda ürünleri ile doğrudan çiftçiler tarafından satılan gıdalar, konvansiyonel gıdalar ve çiftçi kooperatifi markalı gıdalara yönelik tüketici algısını karşılaştırmalı olarak belirlemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu amaçla belirlenen 171 tüketici ile yüz yüze anket yapılmıştır. Tüm analizleri gerçekleştirmek için R programı kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen verilerden tüketici algısının belirlenmesi için Lojistik Regresyon (LR), Yazışma Analizi (CA) ve Temel Bileşenler Analizi (PCA) gibi makine öğrenmesi yöntemleri kullanılmıştır. Tanımlayıcı istatistik sonuçları, ankete katılanların yüzde 51,5'inin erkek ve yüzde 48,5'inin kadın olduğunu gösterdi. Araştırmaya katılan tüketicilerin yaş ortalamasının 36,4 olduğu tespit edildi. LR bulgularına göre, tüketici sosyoekonomik özelliklerinin çeşitli gıdaların (organik etiketli gıdalar, iyi tarım uygulamaları gıdaları, üretici kooperatifi markalı gıdalar vb.) satın alınmasında önemli bir etkisi vardır. PCA sonucunda insanların organik markalı gıdaları ve iyi tarım uygulamaları gıdalarını diğer gıdalardan daha sağlıklı, daha lezzetli ve daha güvenilir olarak algıladıkları saptanmıştır. Ancak bu tür gıdaların maliyetinin pahalı ve elde edilmesinin zor olduğuna inandıkları tespit edilmiştir. Öte yandan, çiftçi kooperatifi markalı gıdaların ve doğrudan çiftçi tarafından satılan gıdaların fiyatını daha düşük olarak algılamaktadırlar. Ayrıca CA bulgularında çeşitli gıda grupları ile satın alma yerleri arasında bağlantı olduğu belirlenmiştir. Çiftçiler tarafından doğrudan satılan ürünler daha çok halk pazarlarından satın alınır iken, iyi tarım uygulamalı gıdalar ve doğal etiketli (marketlerden)gıdalar satın alınırken, daha çok bakkal ve süpermarketleri tercih etmektedirler. Bu açıdan bakıldığında, çevre dostu gıda ve diğer gıda ürünlerinin, ürün özelliklerine göre müşteriler tarafından farklı değerlendirildiği sonucuna varmak mümkündür. Satın alınabilirlik ve erişilebilirlik açısından olumlu bir bakış açısı oluşturan pazarlama tekniklerinin kullanılması ve tüketicilerin bu ürünlere yönelik mevcut algılarını yükselten politikalar ve üretim tekniklerinin geliştirilmesinin bu ürünlerin tüketimini artıracağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Çevre dostu gıdalar, Tüketici algıları, Makine öğrenimi, Ürün takdiri, Satın alma kararı

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