Probl Hig Epidemiol 2013, 94(3): 653-657pl

Consumer preferences for tea and coffee consumption among respondents living in Lublin and vicinity - preliminary report

Elżbieta Rusinek-Prystupa ^1/, Wioletta Samolińska ^2/

1/ Katedra Biochemii i Toksykologii Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego w Lublinie
2/ Zakład Bromatologii i Fizjologii Żywienia Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego w Lublinie

Summary
Aim. To determine consumer preferences for the purchase and consumption of tea and coffee among the inhabitants of Lublin and vicinity.
Material & method. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among 100 adults declaring consumption of tea or coffee. The representative consumer group consisted of the inhabitants of Lublin and vicinity. The questions concerned the frequency of beverage consumption, most often purchased types of teas and coffees, favorite brands, circumstances of consumption, opinions about the price of these products. 83 properly completed questionnaires were statistically evaluated.
Results. The study included 78.3% of women and 21.7% of men. The vast majority of the women (84.6%) and 88.9% of the men drank both tea and coffee, and professionally active people (93.8%) were the most numerous respondent group. The most popular were tea-bags (60.2%) as well as instant and substitute coffee (59.2%) then ground and bean coffee (50.7%). In reference to brands: Lipton (61.4%) and Saga (41%) teas as well as Tchibo (49.3%) and Jacobs (47.9%) coffee brands appeared to be the most popular. Gender was the preference factor for leaf tea, and brands such as Dilmah and Nescafe Gold (p <0.05). A significant influence of the beverage type on the circumstances of its consumption was observed (p <0.05).
Conclusions. Recognizing the consumer preferences in tea and coffee intake, as well as evaluating their determinants may be a valuable source of information for the producers and merchants of these beverages.

Key words:  tea, coffee, consumer preferences