Determination of Bee Products Consumption Habits and Awareness Level in Some Provinces in Turkey

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the consumption of bee products and honey and also determine consumption habits and awareness of bee products in some selected province in Turkey. The main material of the study was formed by the original survey data which were collected from randomly selected 1112 people from Batman, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Erzincan, Kayseri, Kırşehir, Mersin, Muğla, Muş, Ordu, and Samsun as random provinces in 2014. The data in the study were examined in two parts. The first part consisted of the consumption habits and awareness of honey, whereas the preferences of individuals usage of bee product such as pollen, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom were examined in the second part. Multivariate logistic regression model was applied for each section including variables data for bee products. According to the survey, it was found that 39.6% of consumers consumed honey between 0-500 grams on a monthly basis. 51.2% of consumers bought honey from beekeepers, and 41% of them stated that they received from the market and bazaar. 5.9% of consumers believe the advertisement on television about bee product. 45.8% of consumers using honey stated that they could understand the quality of the honey. The proportion of consumers who kept a trademark for bee products was determined as 52.7%. Age of the consumer, honey that where consumers bought, honey brand preference and convincing of honey advertisement were significant for P<0.05. Also education level, monthly income, honey type preferences and affected by honey advertisement conditions were significant for 0.01. Awareness of propolis, pollen, bee venom and royal jelly was determined as 28.2%, 22.9%, 56.8% and 23.3%, respectively. In conclusion, despite the consumers were relatively well-informed about the benefits of bee products, it was showed that there were serious problems with confidence against this products.