Evaluating Stellenbosch University students’ perceptions, knowledge and the factors affecting willingness-to-pay for organic vegetables
| dc.contributor.advisor | van der Merwe, Melissa | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Mtwesi, Sinako | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Agricultural Economics. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-03-04T17:51:42Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-04-26T21:08:51Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-03-04T17:51:42Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-04-26T21:08:51Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2024-03-04 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MAgric) --Stellenbosch University, 2024. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH SUMMARY: The demand for organic foods is increasing significantly globally and in South Africa. Previous studies cite four reasons for this. Firstly, most consumers perceive organic food as a healthier alternative to conventional foods because of the belief that organic foods contain more nutrients. Secondly, consumers consider organic food safer, better in taste, and more enjoyable than conventional foods. Thirdly, consumers perceive organic foods as safe with no chemical residues. Lastly, consumers’ increasing knowledge about organic food products increased their organic food purchases. Very little studies have analysed the demand of students for organic products. Therefore, this study aims to determine students’ level of knowledge about organic foods, explore their perceptions about organic foods, and further assess the factors that affect their willingness to pay (WTP) for organic food, particularly carrots and spinach. Online surveys were sent out to all Stellenbosch University students. The total sample size was 339 after 103 surveys were eliminated due to incompleteness. Data was analysed using the R Statistical software version 4.0.2. Descriptive statistics were analysed by way of an ANOVA analysis. Multiple regression model and a double-bound dichotomous choice format of contingent valuation method used to evaluate the factors affecting willingness-to-pay for organic foods. The results show that 64% of the students defined organic food correctly, while 36% defined organic foods incorrectly. Students perceive organic food as expensive, environmentally friendly, and safe to consume. When purchasing organic foods, students reported to be motivated by health considerations, quality, and environmental impact. The majority of the students (55.5%) reported to purchase organic vegetables, with 56.4% reporting to purchasing organic vegetables occasionally. The most purchased vegetable category was leafy vegetables (53.7%). Woolworths (40.4%) was the most preferred supermarket, followed by Checkers (20.7%), other supermarkets such as Greengrocers (20.7%) and Pick n Pay (10.1%). On the contrary, 44.5% of the students reported that they do not purchase organic vegetables. The main deterrents to organic vegetable purchases were high price (30.9%), satisfaction with conventional vegetables (20.5%), and unavailability of organic vegetables (18.9%). Regarding WTP for organic vegetables, 62% of the surveyed students were willing to pay more for both organic spinach and carrots, while only 38% of the students surveyed were unwilling to pay more. The study found that 24% of the students, representing the highest majority, were willing to spend between R2 and R4 more for organic spinach over the assumed retail price of R15 per bunch of spinach. For organic carrots, 25% of students, which was the highest majority, were unwilling to pay more than R12.50 per kg for organic carrots. The multiple regression results revealed that the nutrient contents of food and WTP for nutrient-rich foods had a positive and significant effect on WTP for organic spinach and carrots. Education level also had a positive and significant effect on WTP for organic carrots. The age variable was found to have a negative and statistically significant effect on WTP for organic carrots. The income variable was found to have a negative and significant effect on WTP for organic spinach. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vraag na organiese voedselprodukte neem wereldwyd en in Suid-Afrika toe weens vier hoof redes. Eerstens, sommige verbruikers verkies organiese voedselprodukte omdat dit gesien word as ‘n gesonder alternatief in vergelyking met voedselprodukte wat op konvensionele produksiemetodes verbou word. Hierdie voorkeur spruit uit die oortuiging dat organiese voedselprodukte meer voedingstowwe bevat. Tweedens beskou verbruikers organiese produkte as veiliger, beter in smaak en oor die algemeen meer genotlik. Derdens beskou verbruikers organiese voedselprodukte as veilig en sonder chemiese residue. Laastens het verbruikers se toenemende kennis oor organiese voedselprodukte hul aankope van organiese voedselprodukte verhoog. Min studies ondersoek egter studente se vraag na organiesevoedselproduke. Hierdie studie het daarom ten doel om studente se kennisvlak en persepsies oor organiese voedselprodukte te bepaal en die faktore wat hulle bereidwilligheid om vir organiese voedselprodukte, spesifiek wortels en spinasie beinvloed, te ontleed. Aanlyn vraelyste is aan alle Stellenbosch Universiteit studente uitgestuur. Die totale steekproefgrootte was 339 nadat 103 vraelyste weens onvolledigheid uitgeskakel is. Data is ontleed met behulp van die R Statistiese sagteware (weergawe 4.0.2). Beskrywende statistieke is deur middel van 'n ANOVA-analise ontleed. ‘n Meervoudige regressiemodel en 'n dubbelgebonde digotome keuseformaat van voorwaardelike waardasiemetode is ook ingespan om die faktore wat die bereidwilligheid van studente om vir organiese voedselprodukte te betaal te evalueer. Die resultate toon dat 64% van die studente organiese voedselprodukte korrek gedefinieer het, terwyl 36% organiese voedselprodukte verkeerd gedefinieer het. Studente beskou organiese voedselprodukte as duur, omgewingsvriendelik en veilig om te verbruik. By die aankoop van organiese voedselprodukte word studente gemotiveer deur gesondheidsoorwegings, kwaliteit en omgewingsimpak. Die meerderheid (55,5%) van die studente het gerapporteer dat hulle organiese groente koop, met 56,4% wat af en toe organiese groente koop. Die meeste gekoopte groentekategorie is die blaargroentekategorie (53,7%). Woolworths (40,4%) is die supermark wat die meeste verkies word, gevolg deur Checkers (20,7%), ander supermarkte soos groentewinkels (20,7%) en Pick n Pay (10,1%). Daarteenoor het 44,5% van die studente gerapporteer dat hulle nie organiese groente koop nie. Die belangrikste redes hiervoor is: hoe pryse (30,9%), tevredenheid met konvensionele groente (20,5%) en onbeskikbaarheid van organiese groente (18,9%). Wat die studente se bereidwilligheid om vir organiese groente te betaal betref, was 62% van die ondervraagde studente bereid om meer te betaal vir beide organiese spinasie en wortels, terwyl slegs 38% van die studente wat ondervra is, nie bereid was om meer te betaal nie. Die studie het bevind dat 24% van die studente, wat die hoogste meerderheid verteenwoordig, bereid was om tussen R2 en R4 meer vir organiese spinasie te bestaal teenoor die veronderstelde kleinhandelprys van R15 per bossie spinasie. Vir organiese wortels was 25% van studente, wat die hoogste meerderheid was, nie bereid om meer as R12,50 per kg vir organiese wortels te betaal nie. Veelvuldige regressieresultate het bevind dat die voedingswaarde van voedselprodukte en die bereidwilligheid om te betaal vir voedselprodukte ryk aan voedingswaarde ‚n positiewe en beduidende uitwerking het op die bereidwilligheid om te betaal vir organiese spinasie en wortels. Vlak van geskooldheid het ‚n positiewe en beduidende uitwerking gehad op die studente se bereidwilligheid om vir organiese wortels te betaal. Verder dui die resultate op ‘n negatiewe en statisties beduidende verhouding tussen ouderdom en die studente se bereidwilligheid vir organiese wortels te betaal, asook inkomste en die studente se bereidwilligheid het om vir organiese spinasie te betaal. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Masters | |
| dc.format.extent | vi, 79 pages : illustrations, includes annexures | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/130535 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.subject | organic, vegetables, willingness-to-pay, students | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Natural foods -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Students -- Attitudes -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Food industry and trade -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.lcsh | Consumers' preferences -- Stellenbosch (South Africa) | en_ZA |
| dc.subject.name | UCTD | |
| dc.title | Evaluating Stellenbosch University students’ perceptions, knowledge and the factors affecting willingness-to-pay for organic vegetables | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |
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