LATVIA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE - Latvijas ...

quality as average, 26.0% – as poor, but confectionery – as average (37.4%) or good (30.5%) (Fig. 5).Consumers are satisfied with the quality of gluten-free flour, flour blends and pasta available in the markets andmainly characterize it as good, but they are not satisfied with the quality of bread and confectionery and mainlyevaluate it as average. Therefore, this is a great opportunity CONSUMERS’ to producers ATTITUDE develop TOWARDS flour blends AVAILABILITY which could AND beused for Laila production Ozola, Evita of Straumite quality gluten-free bread. QUALITY If flour OF GLUTEN-FREE blends would be PRODUCTS produced IN and THE sold LATVIAN in Latvia, MARKET it wouldreduce the price of the product and it would be more competitive.6050Respondents, %403020100Flour Flour blends Bread Pasta ConfectioneryFigureFigure5. Celiac5. Celiacpatients’patients’opinionopinionononthethequalityqualityofofcommercialcommercialgluten-freegluten-freeproductsproducts availableavailableininmarket:market:Very- VerypoorpoorPoor- PoorAverage- AverageGood- GoodVery- VerygoodgoodAll respondentsOne thirdnotedof respondentsthat it isarenecessarypurchasingtoglutenfreeproductsincreaseofthebreadrangeandandconfectioneryassortmentandof gluten-freemainly evaluateproducts.itRespondents (37.3%)inwouldsupermarketslike to have– mostlycheaperin ‘Rimi’,products,as36.4%average.of themTherefore,are interestedthis is aingreatproductsopportunityproducedtoinLatviabecauseand hopethisthatsupermarketit wouldstorereducechainpricesnetworkof gluten-freeis producersproducts.developRespondentsflour blendswerewhichaskedcouldtobeleaveusedacomment;spreadtheyallmentionedover the territorythat the labelof Latvia,of a gluten-freewhile theproductfor productionshould includeof qualitymoregluten-freedetailed informationbread. If flouron thecomposition‘Stockman’of theandproduct.‘Maxima’Consumersstore networkwouldofferslike tothehaveblendsincreasedwouldrangebe producedof gluten-freeand soldproductsin Latvia,–itchocolatewouldbars,largestsweets,choiceice cream,of gluten-freeconvenienceproducts.foodsApproximatelysuch as meatreduceproducts.theAspricewellof theit wouldproductbeandnecessaryit wouldtobeeducatemoreemployees 30% of in the respondents commercial purchase sector gluten-free about celiac products disease and competitive. gluten-free products, because respondents indicatefrequent in pharmacies, situations – mostly when mentioning consumers ask, ‘Meness where aptieka’, gluten-free All products respondents are located noted in that the it store, is necessary employees to areunable ‘A to aptieka’ answer and because ‘Mana they Aptieka’, do not understand spread all over the question. the increase Gluten-free the range products and should assortment be located of gluten-free together atthe same territory spot of of Latvia the supermarket as well. Those having respondents the special (20.8%) sign ‘gluten-free’, products. Respondents which would (37.3%) help consumers. would like The to have publiccatering who system prefer should to have include different gluten-free varieties flour of glutenfreeproducts (frozen products, candy, beer, etc.) products produced in Latvia and hope that it wouldproducts cheaper in the menu products, or be 36.4% ready of to them offer are such interested dishes upon inrequest.mainly do shopping in specialized shops (‘Veselibas reduce prices of gluten-free products. RespondentsConclusions Veikals’ in Riga, and ‘Pie Undines’ in Kuldiga). Some were asked to leave a comment; they mentioned1. The respondents consumers (11.1%) mainly prefer buy gluten-free to buy products flour, pasta, online bread, that the confectionery label of a gluten-free and flour product blends in should supermarkets, includepharmacies (www.bodebode.lv, and specialized www.pirkumins.lv, shops. a German more detailed information on the composition of the2. The online results shop), of the because questionnaire some products show that are the cheaper consumers product. are satisfied Consumers with would the quality like to of have gluten-free increased flour,flour in online blends stores and pasta than in available supermarkets in the or Latvian specialized markets range and mainly of gluten-free characterize products it – as chocolate good, but bars, they sweets, are notsatisfied shops. The with rest the of quality respondents of bread (4.7%) and prefer confectionery to choose and ice characterize cream, convenience it as average. foods such as meat products.3. The other quality option and – ordering health of gluten-free the life of products the patients from with As well celiac it would disease be necessary could be to improved educate employees by increasingavailability foreign countries of good where quality their gluten-free relatives or friends products live. in the the markets commercial and sector restaurants, about celiac and disease more by and a glutenfreeproducts, because respondents indicate frequentdetailedlabelling Respondents of food declare ingredients. that it is almost impossible tobuy gluten-free products in rural areas.situations – when consumers ask, where gluten-freeAcknowledgements The results of the questionnaire show that the products are located in the store, employees areThe authors celiac patients are grateful mainly to evaluate Vita Zarina, the quality SIA of Raisio glutenfreeflour, and just persons like the with quality celiac of disease flour blends who participated as good the in this question. study. Gluten-free products should be locatedLatvija, unable for to answer her help because in questionnaire they do not distribution understand toconsumers(54.2%). Flour quality as average was characterized together at the same spot of the supermarket havingby 22.9% of respondents, while flour blends got the special sign ‘gluten-free’, which would helpaverage evaluation in 27.5% cases. About 37% of consumers. The public catering system should includerespondents evaluate bread quality as average, 26.0% gluten-free flour products in the menu or be ready to– as poor, but confectionery – as average (37.4%) or offer such dishes upon request.good (30.5%) (Fig. 5). Consumers are satisfied withthe quality of gluten-free flour, flour blends and pasta Conclusionsavailable in the markets and mainly characterize it 1. The consumers mainly buy gluten-free flour,as good, but they are not satisfied with the quality pasta, bread, confectionery and flour blends inResearch for Rural Development 2012153