A Study on Consumers' Knowledge of Distinguishing Natural and Organic Honey


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Bilici F., Seren N.

TURKISH JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE: FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, cilt.13, sa.3, ss.545-552, 2025 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

In today's marketing processes, knowing what consumers want plays an active role in shaping the products businesses offer and gaining a competitive advantage. This study aims to obtain a guiding result  for  companies  in  this  sector  by  questioning  the  knowledge  levels  of  consumers  regarding  honey products. The study aims to reveal the uncertainties in consumer perception between natural and  organic  honey  and  examine  this  distinction's  impacton  purchasing  decisions.  The  research  seeks  to  create  more  informed  consumer  preferences  in  the  honey  market  and  to  show  the  contributions of positioning the product correctly in the minds of consumers. In this study, content analysis was conducted to determine the responses of 117 participants to the statement, “There is a difference  between  natural  honey  and  organic  honey,  and  I  have  information  about  what  this  difference  is.”  After  the  analysis,  the  study  is  shaped  by  dividing  consumers  into  four  categories according  to  their  level  of  knowledge  about  honey.  The  qualitative  research  aims  to  obtain  comprehensive information on the participants' awareness of natural and organic honey. The study results show that the concepts of natural and organic honey can be confused by consumers, and the difference  between  these  two  products  cannot  be  fully  conveyed.  This  result  shows  that  organic  honey  businesses  and  regulatory  organizations  should  inform  consumers  more  accurately  and  clearly  through  marketing  communication  efforts  in  marketing  their  products.  In  the  study,  recommendations are presented to consumers and businesses based on the results of the qualitative analysis, and the methods that companies should apply to overcome the deficiencies in consumer perception of the distinction between natural and organic honey are included.