Individuals’ buying behaviors and attitudes towards frozen foods: The case of Eastern Mediterranean Region

Abstract The aim of this study is to determine the thoughts and attitudes of individuals towards frozen foods. Additionally, it is to reveal the factors that are effective in purchasing these products in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The data of 484 individuals (n = 484) determined by sampling among the individuals in the region was the subject of this study. The data were obtained through face to face interviews during the period of Jan-2023. Individuals’ thoughts on frozen food consumption, purchasing behavior, preferences and attitudes were examined in the study. Factor analysis was used to determine individuals’ the factors affecting the frozen food consumption. Most of the individuals reported that frozen foods were stored for a long time. In addition, individuals are practical to use and make their life easier. Additionally, easy access is among the reasons why individuals’ prefer it. When buying frozen foods, the production and expiry date, brand, storage conditions on the label and packaging of the individuals are always among the criteria that are checked. The products with the highest frequency of preparing frozen food products at home are meat, chicken meatballs, etc. are products. Consumers see frozen foods as easy to use and safe. As a result, the production of purchased products by taking into account individuals’ preferences will increase the competitive advantage of the companies. Additionally, the development of the frozen food sector is thought to increase the welfare of rural areas. Also, it will offer new employment opportunities for women in rural areas.


Introduction
Agricultural raw materials are processed to produce high quality, healthy, reliable, long-lasting and nutritious foods (Hekimoğlu & Altındeğer, 2016).Processing methods should be applied to ensure ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aybüke Kaya is an Agriculture Economist and researcher at the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University.She works as an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics.She has a MSc and PhD degree in the same department at Cukurova University.Her special research interests are agricultural extension, socio-economic studies, food and agriculture, rural area and women, environment and sustainability.
that the raw material is preserved with minimum loss in quantity and quality (Xu et al., 2017).Humans have long used food preservation methods to keep their food supplies from spoiling (Jain & Jain, 2022).Food processing industries grow rapidly by the emergence of frozen food which is often found and rising the competition level (Purwaningsih et al., 2021).Frozen foods are also in the sub-sectors of the food industry.In addition, frozen foods have an important place in human nutrition.In recent years, the production and consumption of frozen food has increased all over the world.This increase varies in parallel with the increase in both foreign and domestic demand and the growth of the tourism sector.The frozen food sector is the sector that provides the most employment per capital investment.The rising value to a large extent is oriented towards the tourism sector and exports.Also, it is a transition bridge from agriculture to industry.Additionally, it improves the well-being of rural areas, especially in developing countries (Hekimoğlu & Altındeğer, 2019).Recently, demand for food in frozen conditions started growing during in the developed countries and in the developing countries.As a result of socio-economic changes along with population growth in the world, changes in human needs, habits and tastes also affect the consumption model (Sahin & Meral, 2012).Product attributes play a vital role in making foods attractive to individuals and also affect the positioning of foods so they could be easily buyed (Ahmed et al., 2020;Tarasenko, 2022).In terms of food safety, consumers form the most important part of the "farm to fork" chain (Yanğıç Yüksel & Karagözlü, 2022).Since the pandemic, the demand for frozen foods has grown even faster as more people choose to eat at home.Sales of frozen foods such as meat, poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables increased significantly (Roerink, 2021).Consumption of frozen food products is quite common in countries with high per capita income (Datamonitor, 2005;Hekimoğlu & Altındeğer, 2019).Frozen foods have the advantage of being very close in taste and quality to fresh foods (Saini et al., 2022).Frozen foods' features such as long-term storage, easy processing, elimination of seasonal restrictions, practicality, almost no loss of nutritional value, compatibility with household appliances in freezing, thawing, cooking processes and ease of use increase the importance of these products.The fact that the supply of frozen food products could be adjusted against price changes in the market increases the flexibility of supply of these products (Kulekçi et al., 2006).The level of conflict between independent retailers and wholesalers is remarkable in the frozen ready-to-eat food industry.In Turkey, the marketing activities of this sector are not fully implemented.Especially distribution institutions are not mature enough (Ayyıldız & Keskin, 2010).It produces for foreign markets rather than the domestic market.Frozen fruits and vegetables constitute a large part of the frozen food production.Suitable climatic conditions provide significant advantages for the frozen fruit and vegetable sector in terms of raw materials.The increase in demand for frozen fruit and vegetable products in international markets is expected to continue in the coming years.Turkey's suitable ecological conditions provide significant advantages in terms of raw materials for the frozen fruit and vegetable sector.Consumers could access frozen fruits and vegetables more easily (Curkan et al., 2012).Socio-demographic factors and product's intrinsic & extrinsic factors have an effect on purchase behavior (Jain & Jain, 2022).With the increase in the number of working women with the increase in social change, this type of frozen food is needed to save time (Saini et al., 2022).Past studies showed that the nutritional content, purity, advertising, packaging, branding, and quality of products were important (Chaudhury, 2010;Dabadi & Gurung, 2020;Hawa et al., 2014;Patel & Rathod, 2017;Sen et al., 2021).Similarly, food labeling is crucial in informing consumers about the contents of the food they are buying, including the ingredients, nutritional information, and potential allergens (Pomeranz et al., 2022).Previous research has indicated that brand reputation strongly influences individuals' buying decisions for frozen food products (Dabadi & Gurung, 2020;Rose et al., 2016;Sen et al., 2021).
The aim of this study is to determine individuals' views and attitudes towards frozen foods and to reveal the factors that are effective in buying these products in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.How the data was obtained in the research was examined in the methodology section.Evaluations and analyzes of individuals' thoughts were made in the results.Studies examining consumer preferences and buying behaviors about frozen food products are scarce.Additionally, it was determined that there was no previous study in the research area.The fact that the research was carried out in a wide area such as the Eastern Mediterranean Region makes a significant contribution to the literature.It is thought that this study will provide important contributions to the relevant companies/firm in terms of investment, product diversity and development.

Study of area
The main material of the research was obtained from the provinces that make up the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey (Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay and Kahramanmaraş provinces).A face-to-face survey was conducted with individuals living in this region (n = 484).Agricultural activities are intense in the Eastern Mediterranean Region due to both climate and other conditions.Additionally, it is a region that has an important place in Turkey's agriculture and trade (internal and external).Moreover, this region has an important port cities of Turkey.In addition, the Eastern Mediterranean has an extremely important strategic importance, which also attracts the attention of the EU and the USA.In the region, no study has been done earlier about frozen foods consumption.

Determination of sample size
In the study, a simple random probability sampling method based on population ratios was used to determine the sample size.This method is often used in consumer research.The probability of individuals consuming frozen foods was taken as 0.5.The sample number was set at 384 with a confidence limit of 95% and an error rate of 5% on average.The calculation was made with the following method (Collins, 1986): n: sample size z: 1,96 (95% confidence level) p: probability q: (1-p) d: tolerance (±5%) In order not to encounter any problems in data analysis, a survey study was conducted with a total of 484 people.Reaching more consumers than the sample volume has increased the sensitivity of the research.The data of 484 individuals (n = 484) determined by sampling among the individuals in the region was the subject of this study.The data were obtained through face to face interviews during the period of Jan-2023.

Statistical analysis
In the study, factor analysis was conducted to determine the factors affecting individuals' views on frozen food consumption and behavior of buying frozen food.Factor analysis enables us to obtain fewer factors by collecting interrelated variables in a category.Also, advantages such as ease of visualization and interpretation of the analysis by reducing the number of variables (İ ̇slamoğlu & Alnıaçık, 2016).KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett tests were used to verify the suitability of the scales used for factor analysis.By the analysis, the KMO values were found to be 0.858 for consumer thoughts and 0.905 for label and packaging control.The Bartlett sphericity value was found to be 0.000, and it was determined that the scale and the data were suitable for factor analysis.In addition, the Kruskal Wallis H test was conducted to reveal the difference between the provinces in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.The Kruskal Wallis H test is the nonparametric equivalent of one-way analysis of variance between groups.This test allows comparisons for three or more groups with continuous variables.In addition, Mann Whitney U test was applied to determine from which province the difference originated.This test is the nonparametric equivalent of t-tests for independent samples.It is used to determine the differences between two independent groups measured continuously (Kalaycı, 2016).
In the study, it was determined using a point 5 Likert scale individuals' thoughts on frozen food consumption, label and packaging control, and frequency of food product preparation.The reliability of the scales was tested with Cronbach's Alpha value.The fact that the alpha (α) coefficient is 0.80 ≤ α < 1.00 indicates that the scale is highly reliable (Kalaycı, 2016).Tekin (2000) it was reported that reliability is an indicator of the stability of the measurement tool, Tavşancıl (2014) it was stated that understanding the relationship between attitude and behavior depends on its reliable measurement.Additionally, the research includes questions to determine individuals' socio-demographic characteristics.Also, there are questions about frozen food consumption habits and product preferences.

Results
In Turkey, socio-demographic characteristics of individuals living in the Eastern Mediterranean Region were determined.In addition, the factors affecting individuals' frozen food consumption and their thoughts, preferences, habits and purchasing behaviors are also included in the study.

Individuals' socio-economic characteristics
In the research conducted to determine individuals' approaches (n = 484) towards frozen food in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.In the study, 63% of the individuals were men and 37% were women.Additionally, individuals vary between the ages of 18 and 75.The average age of individuals is 35.16, and nearly 57% of them are in the active population.Almost 65.8% of the consumers are married and have family responsibilities.Individuals have families of 4 on average, and the number of household members varies between 1 and 11 people.In addition, approximately 88% of the individuals are conscious individuals who are high school and university graduates.While approximately 76.3% of individuals are actively involved in working life, and 23.7% are not engaged in any activity.In study, it has been determined that 39.3% of the individuals have an income level between ₺10001-15000.Moreover, it was decided that approximately ¼ of the individuals participating in the study generally consumed frozen foods.Also, most of the individuals consider that the product prices are high and too high (58.2%)(Table 1).

Individuals' thoughts on frozen foods
Factor analysis was conducted to determine the factors affecting individuals' thoughts about frozen foods.For this purpose, 12 variables were used and as a result of the analysis, 3 variables (naturalness, taste and health concerns) were excluded from the analysis because they had close values in more than one factor.The analysis was made on nine variables.Cronbach's Alpha value for nine variables was calculated as 0.840 and the KMO coefficient as 0.858.These values show that the sample size is sufficient and the analysis is reliable.As a result of the analysis, two factors with an eigenvalue greater than 1 were determined.The first factor consists of six items and explains 39.935% of the total variance.The second factor consisted of three items and explained 20,767% of the total variance.The total variance explained by both factors was determined as 60.702%.The first is the facilitating factors consisting of the advantages of using frozen foods.The second factor was named as the factors related to the trust in frozen foods.Individuals see frozen foods as easy to use and safe in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (Table 2).Additionally, the factors affecting the individuals' purchase of frozen foods are shown in Figure 1.
The difference between provinces regarding individuals' opinions about frozen foods was determined by the Kruskal Wallis H test.By the test, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference between provinces in terms of facilitation factor (X 2 = 23.943;p < 0.05) and confidence (X 2 = 13.294;p < 0.05) factors (Table 3).Also, in order to understand from which province this difference originated, the Mann Whitney U test was conducted.As a result of Mann Whitney U test, the difference between the facilitation factor (z = −2.367;p < 0.05) and confidence factor (z = 0.849; p < 0.05) was statistically significant for the provinces of Hatay and Adana (Table 4).In other words, especially in the provinces of Hatay and Adana, there is a prevailing opinion that frozen foods make human life easier.Although the consumers are located in the same region and have almost the same culture, the difference between the provinces was found to be statistically significant.Despite individuals living in nearby provinces having similar thoughts about frozen foods consumption, it is understood that there are statistical differences.

Factors affecting individuals' frozen food consumption
Factor analysis was conducted to determine the factors affecting the individuals' purchase of frozen foods.For this purpose, 9 variables were used in the study.Additionally, Cronbach's Alpha value was calculated as 0.926 and KMO coefficient as 0.905.These values show that the sample size is sufficient and the analysis is reliable.Consequently, two factors with an eigenvalue greater than 1 were determined.The first factor consists of five items and explains 38.904% of the total variance.The second factor consists of four items and explains 36,527% of the total variance.The total variance explained by both factors was determined as 75,431%.The first factor was named as the firm producing the frozen foods, and the second factor was named as the products.Consumers attach most importance to the production and expiration dates of frozen foods and their brand (Table 4).
The Kruskal-Wallis H test was conducted to measure the differences between the provinces of the factors affecting the consumers' purchase of frozen foods.By the test, it was determined that there was a significant difference between provinces in terms of producer firm (X 2 = 17.627; p < 0.05) and product (X 2 = 10.681;p < 0.05) (Table 3).The Mann Whitney U test was used to determine which provinces caused the significant difference between the factors.According to this test, there was no statistically significant difference in favor of any province in terms of producer firm (z = −1.224;p > 0.05) and product (z = −1.645;p > 0.05).So, the variables show similarity among the provinces surveyed in the region.

Preparation of frozen food products at home
In study, individuals' thoughts on frozen food preparation were examined.It has been determined that the majority of consumers prepare frozen products at home.It is understood that individuals consume frozen products more often than they buy.It was determined that the individuals participating in the research mostly supplied frozen foods from the markets (299 people).But, there are individuals who report that they prepare themselves (242 people) according to the product at the same time.
Additionally, it was determined that some individuals both prepared frozen foods at home and bought them from the market.
Meat, chicken meatballs, etc. (3,30 ± 1.283), manti (3,15 ± 1.311), vegetables (2,87 ± 1.344), chickpeas (2,84 ± 1.395) and red pepper (2,61 ± 1.412) are the products with the highest frequency of preparation of frozen food products at home.In addition, it was observed that the frequency of preparation of french fries (2.18 ± 1.362), fruits (2.27 ± 1.287) and dairy products (2.37 ± 1.321) at home was less.A Cronbach's Alpha coefficient of 0.871 indicates that the scale is highly reliable (Figure 2).Kulekçi et al. (2006); Gündüz and Emir (2010); Saleem et al. (2017) it was been said that socioeconomic variables have a significant effect on the frequency of frozen food consumption.Cusa et al. (2021) it was been reported that the tendency of young people to eat frozen foods is high.Ahmed et al. (2020) it was said that variables such as price, income, culture, taste, family size and brand has great influence on individuals'buying behavior to eat frozen foods.Also, Kulekçi et al. (2006) it was reported that the prices of frozen food products are high.Sen et al. (2021) it was determined that the rising demand for frozen foods is due to women's involvement in the workforce, urbanization, and rising household incomes.Dabadi and Gurung (2020) stated that full-time workers are likely to choose products that can save them time, such as frozen foods.Bektaş Kenanoğlu et al. (2010) decided that the frequency of purchasing frozen products is not high.

Discussion
Bektaş Kenanoğlu et al. (2010); Gündüz and Emir (2010); Yatağan et al. (2015); Sitohang and Sprehatin Adhi ( 2021) it has been reported that the most important reasons for individuals to consume frozen food are ease of preparation and time savings.Horning et al. (2017); Ahmed et al. (2020) Saini et al. (2022) stated that benefits such as the convenience and time-savingness of frozen foods have motivated many parents and working women to purchase them.Kulekçi et al. (2006); Hekimoğlu and Altındeğer (2019); Jain and Jain (2022) reported that factors such as the greater involvement of women in working life and the length of their working hours led to significant increases in the consumption of these products.Chianardi and Permatasari (2021) said that hectic lifestyles have caused individuals to resort to convenience foods such as frozen foods.Also, Sitohang and Sprehatin Adhi (2021) decided that the rise in consumers' preferences for frozen foods is mainly due to the minimal preparation and cooking time they require, plus the longer time they can be stored, which avoids food wastage.Jain and Jain (2022) it was determined that the increase in disposable money, health advantages, accessibility in retail establishments are further motivating factors.
Similarly, Dabadi and Gurung (2020) said that individual's motivation in regards to buying frozen foods are highly based on intrinsic factors (taste, content, nutritional value, price), and extrinsic factors (brand, advertisement, convenience, education).Nagy et al. (2022); Omar et al. (2023) findings indicated that brand, label, convenience, and food quality were related to attitude.Hwang et al. (2021); Sen et al. (2021) it was said that individuals' perceptions of a brand's reputation can reflect the perceived quality of a product and shape their attitude toward it.Jeng (2016) it was determined that a positive brand reputation can give consumers feelings of security, confidence, and credibility, making it convenient for them to recognise and choose a product.Kadanalı and Dağdemir (2016); Hekimoğlu and Altındeğer (2019) reported that there are important factors affecting consumer demand such as quality, health, shape, weight, price, packaging, accessibility, and continuity.Also, the company, which analyzes these factors well, said that it will profit from intense competition.Erickson et al. (1984); Hoque et al. (2018) said that the extrinsic characteristics are those that allow differentiation from competing goods, such as brands, pricing, labels, designs, product information, authenticity, and cultural implications.Kulekçi et al. (2006); Erkmen and Hancer (2019) stated that it guides the producer firm in determining the demands and needs of the consumers.Meijer et al. (2023) said that the labelling must be clear and easy to understand so that consumers can make informed choices about what they eat.So that's why, Islam et al. (2018) it was emphasized that the need for companies to focus on product quality, taste and price.Yatağan et al. (2015) examined frozen food products as only those who buy, those who prepare only at home, and those who buy and prepare at home.Kulekçi et al. (2006) reported that frozen foods can be purchased, as well as produced under home conditions with today's technology.Also, it was said that there is a seasonal effect in the preparation of some products such as fruits and vegetables at home.Moreover, Bektaş Kenanoğlu et al. (2010); Yatağan et al. (2015) found that the factor of believing that consumers who prepare frozen foods at home produce them in healthier conditions is quite effective.Kumar and Kalai Lakshi, (2022) it was determined that the buyers can buy these frozen food products through various distributions like supermarkets and hypermarkets, convenience stores, departmental stores, online etc. Purwaningsih et al. (2021) it was been determined that products such as chicken and nuggets are mostly consumed frozen.Bektaş Kenanoğlu et al. (2010) it was been reported that among the frozen foods that consumers prepare at home, there are products such as red pepper, tomato, cowpea, artichoke, meatballs, and fish.Kulekçi et al. (2006) it was stated that the high prices of frozen foodstuffs caused individuals to prepare the ice cream process themselves.Yatağan et al. (2015) it was been revealed that increasing the product variety in frozen foods will further increase the product demand.

Conclusion
Meeting the needs and demands of the increasing population and women taking more place in working life increase the consumption of frozen food products.Additionally, the number of family members and income play an important role in frozen food consumption.The certificate and food label, which conveys product information, helps consumers make an informed decision about products, so that individuals will feel safe in their purchases.Frozen foods are among the reasons why individuals prefer them because they are easy to prepare, practical and almost every product can be consumed out of season.All of these, its reliability indicates that frozen foods consumption will become more widespread.Marketers may be able to incorporate attributes into their products that can influence buyers' choices if they learn about consumer preferences and how consumers make decisions about what to buy.Pleasing attributes are essential from the perspectives of both the customer and the marketer and can be used as benchmarks to differentiate one company's brands from competitors' brands.For this reason, frozen products should be offered in forms suitable for the needs of consumers, by ensuring that consumers have confidence in frozen products.Also, consumers attach great importance to the production and expiration dates of frozen foods and their brand.The control of the products offered for sale in the markets, and the place of the brand image in the marketing affect the frozen food consumption.Moreover, considering the consumer demands for frozen foods, it is expected that there will be an increase in product firm income.In addition, increasing the product variety in frozen foods will meet the needs of individuals more.Product diversity provides important contributions to the country's economy in terms of production and foreign trade.Additionally, education and extension activities help individuals become more conscious.
Figure 1.The factors affecting the individuals' purchase of frozen foods.
Figure Frequency of preparing frozen food products at home (n=483).