Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Türkiye

The COVID-19 pandemic has notably reshaped consumer perceptions of food safety, with lasting effects on food purchasing and consumption behaviors. This study examines Turkish consumers’ perceptions of food safety risks during and after the pandemic, aiming to contribute to both national and internat...

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Main Authors: Osman İnanç Güney, Levent Sangün
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hasan Eleroğlu 2025-04-01
Series:Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://agrifoodscience.com/index.php/TURJAF/article/view/7556
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author Osman İnanç Güney
Levent Sangün
author_facet Osman İnanç Güney
Levent Sangün
author_sort Osman İnanç Güney
collection DOAJ
description The COVID-19 pandemic has notably reshaped consumer perceptions of food safety, with lasting effects on food purchasing and consumption behaviors. This study examines Turkish consumers’ perceptions of food safety risks during and after the pandemic, aiming to contribute to both national and international literature on the topic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and July 2023 in seven major Turkish cities (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Trabzon, Adana, Van, and Gaziantep), with 1,016 respondents participating. The survey explored various socio-demographic factors influencing food safety risk perception using an ordered probit model. The results reveal that 86% of respondents consider food produced and sold in Türkiye risky, with 20.4% rating it as critically unsafe. Key factors influencing risk perception include concerns about open market sales, food additives, food labeling accuracy, and vendor hygiene practices. Additionally, socio-demographic characteristics such as marital status, age, education level, and household size significantly impact risk perception. Married individuals, older adults, and those with higher education levels tend to have heightened food safety concerns. These findings highlight the importance of targeted food safety education and policies that address diverse consumer profiles. The study provides insights for enhancing food safety strategies and fostering consumer confidence, especially during and after health crises.
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publisher Hasan Eleroğlu
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series Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology
spelling doaj-art-293e975cec5b45ed95d04097b3c0ce582025-08-20T03:17:46ZengHasan EleroğluTurkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology2148-127X2025-04-011341055106110.24925/turjaf.v13i4.1055-1061.75566257Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on TürkiyeOsman İnanç Güney0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8467-2079Levent Sangün1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2363-8977Çukurova University, Vocational School of Adana, 01160, Adana, TürkiyeÇukurova University, Vocational School of Adana, 01160, Adana, TürkiyeThe COVID-19 pandemic has notably reshaped consumer perceptions of food safety, with lasting effects on food purchasing and consumption behaviors. This study examines Turkish consumers’ perceptions of food safety risks during and after the pandemic, aiming to contribute to both national and international literature on the topic. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and July 2023 in seven major Turkish cities (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Trabzon, Adana, Van, and Gaziantep), with 1,016 respondents participating. The survey explored various socio-demographic factors influencing food safety risk perception using an ordered probit model. The results reveal that 86% of respondents consider food produced and sold in Türkiye risky, with 20.4% rating it as critically unsafe. Key factors influencing risk perception include concerns about open market sales, food additives, food labeling accuracy, and vendor hygiene practices. Additionally, socio-demographic characteristics such as marital status, age, education level, and household size significantly impact risk perception. Married individuals, older adults, and those with higher education levels tend to have heightened food safety concerns. These findings highlight the importance of targeted food safety education and policies that address diverse consumer profiles. The study provides insights for enhancing food safety strategies and fostering consumer confidence, especially during and after health crises.https://agrifoodscience.com/index.php/TURJAF/article/view/7556food safety perceptioncovid-19 pandemicfood consumption behaviorrisk assessmentconsumer confidence
spellingShingle Osman İnanç Güney
Levent Sangün
Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Türkiye
Turkish Journal of Agriculture: Food Science and Technology
food safety perception
covid-19 pandemic
food consumption behavior
risk assessment
consumer confidence
title Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Türkiye
title_full Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Türkiye
title_fullStr Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Türkiye
title_full_unstemmed Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Türkiye
title_short Consumers’ Perception of Food Safety Risks After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study on Türkiye
title_sort consumers perception of food safety risks after the covid 19 pandemic a study on turkiye
topic food safety perception
covid-19 pandemic
food consumption behavior
risk assessment
consumer confidence
url https://agrifoodscience.com/index.php/TURJAF/article/view/7556
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AT leventsangun consumersperceptionoffoodsafetyrisksafterthecovid19pandemicastudyonturkiye