This year, the CVVM has included a large block of questions on local food in its special Potraviny (Food) 2024 survey, which focuses mainly on food waste and the purchasing and consumption behaviour of Czech citizens. For example, the survey asked whether respondents are interested in the topic of local food, whether they buy local food, and if so, what kind, how often, where and why. We also looked at respondents' views on the availability of local food where they live, the barriers that prevent them from buying local food more often, and support for local food production from different local authorities. The answers to the above questions and many more are the subject of this press release.
Almost two-fifths (39%) of the public in the Czech Republic are interested in the topic of local food, while three-fifths (60%) are rather or not at all interested.
More than half (55%) of the respondents said that they buy local food at least sometimes, of which 13% often and 42% sometimes.
More than three-fifths (62%) of people prefer to buy local food at least sometimes. Another third (35%) of respondents say they almost never intentionally prefer local food.
The most common reasons for buying local food are the assumption that it is fresher (17%), people want to support local farmers (15%), they consider it to be of better quality (13%), they want to support their own region (12%) or they believe it tastes better (12%).
Fruits and vegetables, eggs and honey are the most frequently purchased locally sourced foods.
Just under two thirds (65%) of respondents would prefer local food even if it were more expensive. Most often, people would be willing to pay no more than a quarter more for local food than for an imported equivalent.
People would most often be willing to travel less than 20 km from their home to buy local food in person (52%). However, a fifth of respondents (21%) would not be willing to travel at all to buy local food in person.
Opinions on the sufficiency of the local food offer in the place of residence and the surrounding area are split exactly down the middle, with 42% perceiving the offer as sufficient and the same proportion of 42% perceiving it as insufficient, with the remaining 16% choosing the answer 'don't know'.
Of the range of local food, people are most lacking in fruit and vegetables (21%), followed by meat, fish, cold cuts (13%) and milk and dairy products (6%). Less than a fifth of the responses were that respondents did not miss any item in the range (19%).
From the respondents' perspective, the most common constraints to more frequent purchases of local food are closely related to lack of availability, time and the complexity of organising the purchase.
According to the absolute majority (91%) of respondents, the production of local food should be encouraged.
Support for local food production from the EU, the Czech Republic, the region and the micro-region in which the respondents live is perceived by the majority as insufficient. Compared to the 2020 results, the proportion of people who perceive support as sufficient has decreased significantly, both from the Czech Republic, regions and micro-regions.
According to the Czech public, the biggest problems for the development of local food production and sales are cheap foreign competition (80%), bureaucracy (73%) and competition from large farms in the Czech Republic (72%).
"The activity was supported by the Strategy of the Academy of Sciences AV21 within the research programme "Food for the Future". http://www.potravinyav21.cz/
¨>>>Fulltext available in Czech only<<<
- Download the full press release here: or240903.pdf
