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Consumer behaviour in the market of catering services in selected countries of Central-Eastern Europe
Anna Dabrowska
Institute for Market, Consumption and Business Cycles Research, Warsaw, Poland
Abstract
Purpose New member countries of the European Union such as Lithuania, Latvia and Poland are an interesting subject of study due to the fact that processes of changes in consumption and consumer behaviour in these countries are characterized by large dynamics. The purpose of this paper is to present consumer behaviour in the market of catering services in all the above-mentioned countries as well as in Ukraine. Catering services are an important market on account of their functions and the needs they satisfy. Moreover, on the one hand, under favourable conditions the market of catering services develops dynamically, and, on the other, in time of economic crisis we can feel its consequences fast because of decreasing demand. The possibility of observing consumer behaviour and its sensitivity to factors inuencing food purchase decisions is interesting to both researchers and business practice. Design/methodology/approach This paper is of an empirical character. The presented consumer research ndings, which refer to gastronomic services are a part of a study aimed at examining the situation of consumers and consumer behaviours in four countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine. Consumer research like Omnibus, which has been conducted by GfK Research Company for a research project: The Position of a Consumer and Changes in Consumption in the Central-Eastern Europe following the EU Enlargement (the author has been the manager of the project), is representative with regard to: age, sex and the size of location. The research method was a direct (face-to-face) interview, based on a standardized questionnaire, conducted in a respondents house. Findings Analysis of the obtained qualitative and quantitative data allows us to conclude that consumers react to factors creating demand in various ways; consumers-respondents are differentiated with regard to frequency of using catering outlets; social and demographic features also inuence consumer behaviour; and the greatest number of respondents use the services of cafes. Originality/value The paper examines consumer behaviour in the gastronomic services market. The ndings may be interesting for entrepreneurs whose activity is connected with the gastronomic sector or who are interested in diversifying onto the markets analysed in the research. What is worth emphasizing is that the majority of respondents perceive a positive inuence of Europeanisation on quality, competition, the level of service or observing consumer rights. These evaluations also concern the changes which occur in domestic markets of catering services. Keywords Consumer behaviour, Catering industry, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Ukraine Paper type Research paper

British Food Journal Vol. 113 No. 1, 2011 pp. 96-108 q Emerald Group Publishing Limited 0007-070X DOI 10.1108/00070701111097367

1. Introduction The process of services consumption in economic and social life is taking place in countries such as: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland or the Ukraine at a different pace. We observe an increasing importance of services in households consumption, which refers also to catering services. Gastronomy plays a signicant role in the contemporary

service market as it satises consumers nutritional needs outside their households. Catering services contribute to raising the populations standard of living, modernizing consumption structure, relieving (still mainly) housewives of performing onerous and frequently monotonous housework. It is impossible not to notice the role of catering services in shaping and strengthening emotional bonds between people. Moreover, economic polarization of societies establishes various roles of catering services in particular countries. In the countries of the European Union, expenses on eating out take the highest position in Great Britain about 34 per cent (Maslowski, 2005, p. 7). We may say that households in the analysed countries aspire to such a level; however, it seems to be a rather distant future. Catering services are connected with spare time. Spare time is, in fact, the time which we have saved or gained (Baudrillard, 2006, p. 207). Catering services serve to free or use our spare time. The level of consumption of these services inuences the standard and quality of life of contemporary societies. One may also say that this market, which is becoming more and more difcult due to increasing competition, motivates entrepreneurs to engage increasingly sophisticated activities in order to draw consumers attention. The aim of this article is to show consumer behaviour in selected countries in the Central-Eastern Europe on the market of catering services, based on empirical research. We should note that consumers belong to a group of main actors of market transformations which occur in such countries as: Lithuania, Latvia, Poland or Ukraine, because they are the rst to feel the consequences of this process. There is a feedback interrelation between the social and economic changes taking place, and we observe the development of the market, including catering services market. 2. Research methodology Gastronomic services have been one of the research areas connected with the project: The Position of a Consumer and Changes in Consumption in the Central-Eastern Europe following the EU Enlargement, nanced with the nancial resources of Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland. The project has been realised by IBRKK Institute for Market, Consumption and Business Cycles Research. The author has been the manager of the project. When undertaking the study, the researchers formed a hypothesis which stated that consumer behaviour is conditioned by the social and economic situation of particular countries, and consumer behaviour is diversied with regard to social and demographic features (sex, age, education, place of residence, occupational status). In order to examine consumer behaviour in the four countries of Central-Eastern Europe (Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine) the researchers have carried out a consumer study of an Omnibus type. The research has been performed by GfK Research Company. The source of addresses was the Common Electronic System of Population Register (PESEL) in Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine. Sampling was of a multistage character, and the selection of groups was stratied (Stratied Multistage Clustered Sampling). The applied research method was a direct (face-to-face) interview in a respondents house based on a standardized interview questionnaire. Methodology of sampling: in the rst phase the assumed number of the

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sample has been randomly divided between the size of location and region, in the second phase locations and their citizens are selected by draw, and in the third phase realized by GfK interviewers respondents are randomly chosen from a group of people residing at the selected address. The Omnibus ndings are representative in respect of age, sex and the size of a location. The obtained results concerning the situation of consumers and consumer behaviour, including the research into gastronomic services are signicant contribution, which lets us analyse and dene transformations in the uniting Europe. We may observe a decit of the studies, which would examine and record consumer behaviour in the markets of a new group of the so-called 12-UE MS, or the countries aspiring to membership of the Community, like Ukraine. Thus, the presented research may be considered as original and innovative. 3. Characteristics of catering services Food in the hierarchy of a mans needs takes a very specic place: rstly, because it satises physiological needs, and, secondly, there are no substitutes for it. The development of market economy in the analysed countries contributed to widening of a selection of food products. Food products should meet the needs of consumers, and also, primarily, they should be safe. Therefore, we should agree on the opinion that consumers expect both: a large selection of competitive (in terms of price), highly processed, convenience food products as well as fresh food with high nutrition values which is tasty and rst-of-all safe (Ozimek, 2006, p. 11). Factors such as: individual experience, the inuence of environment, fashion and imitation, social and economic situation of a household, changes in a lifestyle and diet as well as womens professional activity exert a signicant inuence on the consumers purchasing decisions in the food market. Among the motives for food consumption we may differentiate such factors as: improving tness and slimness (e.g. buying low-calorie food), reducing the difculty of preparing meals (e.g. buying semi-nished products) and the development of social and business relations. Motives and directions of changes in food consumption are presented in Figure 1. When making decisions concerning food purchases, similarly to the case of other products and services, consumers are driven by various factors of economic and non-economic character. Getting to know purchasing habits of societies in particular countries allows us to discover similarities and differences, and it presents important information for business. In the quantitative research, which has been conducted among people living in Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and Poland, the following factors have been distinguished: . Quality, ecology the quality of products (goods, services) may be considered in the context of (Kraszewski, 2006, p. 24): market quality (the degree in which a given product satises the needs of a particular buyer), quality of conformance (the degree of the conformity with the model), preference quality (the priority of selection of a given product over other products available on the market), or as a degree in which product class has a potential capacity to bring satisfaction to consumers. In this study quality has been considered as a factor in consumer decisions.

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Figure 1. Changes in food consumption

Price an indicator of the value of products (goods and services) for a client, a means to build an image of a company and product on the market as well as information concerning quality. Price plays an important role in consumers perception of the above characteristics. Promotion/advertising promotion is a process of communication between an enterprise and the market, and these are the activities and measures by means of which you inform consumers about a product and/or a company, shape buyers needs, stimulate and direct demand. For a consumer, advertising is one of sources of marketing information which establishes non-personal communication that does not demand any particular involvement or effort on the clients part. Consumers reaction mechanisms to advertising messages are diversied and conditioned by the form of commercial communications, character of a product or service and individual consumers features (e.g. responsiveness to advertising). Brand can be dened as a group of characteristics communicated in a symbolic form by an enterprise to buyers. It expresses the features of an offer, which, according to a companys assumptions, should be associated with a particular brand. Brand is also dened through consumer feelings and experiences of those who use a particular product (Mazurek-Lopacinska, 2003, p. 100). Habit a factor which can be associated with a consumers loyalty towards a product or company.

In the study respondents answered the following question: Which of the factors are of decisive importance in making decisions concerning purchases of goods and services in your household? The ndings pertaining to food purchases are presented in Table I. Based on the data presented above, we may conclude that the majority of respondents considered quality and ecology to be the most important factor in the selection of food. Only in Poland this factor has been outdistanced by price, which was pointed to by nearly 80 percent of respondents. It means that nancial means are the main determinant of purchase of food products. In the remaining countries indications were several (or dozens) percentage points lower.

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Factors Quality, ecology Price Promotion/advertising Brand Habit

Lithuania n 301 64.5 60.1 33.2 27.9 49.5

Latvia n 298 63.8 57.7 34.6 17.4 28.2

Poland n 894 52.7 79.6 19.5 28.0 38.5

Ukraine n 1000 83.3 64.2 6.5 13.6 24.8

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Table I. Main factors inuencing decisions concerning food purchases (% indications)

Source: On the basis of reports from a study: Consumers position and changes in consumption in Central-Eastern Europe following the EU Enlargement (Pozycja konsumenta i zmiany w konsumpcji w krajach Europy Srodkowo-Wschodniej po rozszerzeniu Unii Europejskiej). (The author was the manager of the research project)

Considerable discrepancies in indications relate to a subsequent factor promotion/advertising. Advertising and other marketing activities attempt to inuence consumers everywhere and in every moment. Advertising can be seen in virtually all areas of everyday life; moreover, consumers are exposed to its inuence since very young age. Both, the knowledge of purchase motivation and emotions are used in advertisements and other marketing activities. As Lewicka-Strzaecka observes It is not consumers who decide on the quantity, kinds, prices, ways and conditions of producing goods which exist in the market, it is the business which persuades them to make the decisions which are in its interest (Lewicka-Strzalecka, 2002, p. 162). Respondents in Ukraine are the most resistant to promotional/advertising activities (below 10 per cent indications). The situation in Latvia is entirely different (nearly 35 per cent indications). Brand is another factor differentiating the consumers approach towards the selection of food products. Respondents in Ukraine and Latvia attach less importance to brand (indications at the level of several per cent). Undoubtedly, this factor gains in importance among consumers in Poland and Lithuania. Interestingly, habit bears the greatest importance for consumers in Lithuania. Factors inuencing food purchase decisions are differentiated by social-demographic features of respondents (Table II). Quality and ecology, which in the case of food play a signicant role due to their inuence on health, were pointed by women in Lithuania and Poland, men in Latvia and Ukraine, people aged 25-34 (Lithuania), 55-64 (Latvia), 45-54 (Poland) and those aged 25-34 and 45-54 (Ukraine), as well as people with tertiary education, inhabitants of urban agglomerations (in all countries) and those living in rural areas (Latvia, Ukraine). Price, a value expressed in monetary units which the purchaser is obliged to pay to the seller for a product or a service, is the most important factor for men (in all countries), people from the highest age groups (only in Latvia these are people aged 55-64), people with secondary education (Lithuania, Latvia) or with education lower than secondary (Poland, Ukraine) and villagers (in all countries). Promotion/advertising, whose aim is to deliver necessary information, are the factor which most frequently is a basis for food purchase decisions of men in Lithuania and Latvia, and women in Poland and Ukraine, people aged 54-65 (Lithuania), those aged 25-34 (Latvia), and those under 24 years of age (Poland and Ukraine), people with

Sex

Age of a respondent (years)

Education

Factors 67.6 57.4 27.2 30.1 48.5 56.2 49.5 34.3 16.2 27.6 53.0 79.6 22.2 28.7 42.3 82.5 63.7 7.6 13.3 23.6 84.0 64.7 5.5 13.8 25.9 83.7 59.8 7.9 15.1 23.8 84.4 63.2 6.1 16.0 27.7 82.7 64.9 6.3 13.5 22.1 84.3 62.9 7.6 13.8 26.7 79.5 76.8 2.7 5.4 22.3 X X X X X 82.2 65.5 5.7 17.2 23.0 52.5 79.7 18.2 27.6 36.7 50.0 76.9 34.6 28.8 36.5 48.5 76.5 20.5 35.6 40.2 54.2 79.1 20.3 29.4 39.9 58.5 77.4 18.4 33.3 43.2 51.0 81.8 18.2 26.6 32.2 48.9 84.4 16.1 15.0 35.6 49.3 86.6 22.2 21.4 32.8 53.3 75.7 18.6 33.9 44.9 82.3 64.6 6.6 13.1 24.5 66.3 61.1 9.5 37.9 42.1 86.9 62.0 6.8 12.2 27.1 67.9 62.2 34.7 18.1 28.5 60.0 50.0 18.0 28.0 32.0 60.8 52.9 49.0 19.6 29.4 67.8 50.8 30.5 20.3 23.7 66.0 56.6 37.7 11.3 24.5 68.9 62.2 31.1 11.1 35.6 57.5 80.0 42.5 12.5 25.0 52.1 47.9 29.2 16.7 35.4 63.1 63.1 36.9 16.4 24.6 78.4 47.1 27.5 21.6 35.3 68.4 61.8 40.8 9.2 32.9 51.9 85.0 14.7 29.2 34.4 84.4 69.5 6.4 14.9 25.8 57.3 58.1 41.1 21.8 25.8 51.8 77.8 25.9 26.4 42.7 81.9 65.5 7.8 13.3 24.8 61.8 62.4 38.2 26.1 50.3 65.9 51.2 24.4 22.0 53.7 74.6 54.0 30.2 42.9 42.9 72.0 65.3 32.0 26.7 42.7 58.1 62.9 38.7 22.6 59.7 50.0 67.6 41.2 20.6 52.9 50.0 57.7 34.6 26.9 50.0 52.0 56.0 36.0 28.0 48.0 63.2 63.6 35.5 27.2 50.9 78.7 44.7 21.3 31.9 44.7 65.6 63.4 37.6 22.6 43.0 60.4 59.1 32.1 32.7 49.1

Male Female $24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

Size of location City with Lower City up to more than than 500,000 500,000 .64 secondary Secondary Higher Village inhabitants inhabitants 75.5 57.1 28.6 22.4 63.3 68.4 54.1 21.4 18.4 27.6 59.2 68.4 8.2 30.6 34.7 84.9 54.1 3.7 12.4 23.4

Lithuania (n 301) Quality, ecology Price and terms of payment Promotion/advertising Brand Habit Latvia (n 298) Quality, ecology Price and terms of payment Promotion/advertising Brand Habit Poland (n 894) Quality, ecology Price and terms of payment Promotion/advertising Brand Habit Ukraine (n 1,000) Quality, ecology Price and terms of payment Promotion/advertising Brand Habit

Source: On the basis of reports from a study: Consumers position and changes in consumption in Central-Eastern Europe following the EU Enlargement (Pozycja konsumenta i zmiany w konsumpcji w krajach Europy Srodkowo-Wschodniej po rozszerzeniu Unii Europejskiej). (The author was the manager of the research project)

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Table II. Decisive factors inuencing food purchase decisions according to demographic and social characteristics (% indications)

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education lower than secondary (Lithuania, Poland), secondary education (Latvia) or higher education (Ukraine) as well as inhabitants of cities up to 500,000 inhabitants (Latvia, Poland, Ukraine) or villagers (Lithuania). The respondents who pointed to a brand, understood as an image, were women in Lithuania and Poland, men in Latvia and Ukraine, people aged 25-34 (Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine) and under 24 years of age (Latvia), people with higher education (Lithuania, Latvia, Poland) and with lower than secondary (Ukraine), people from cities up to 500,000 inhabitants (Lithuania, Latvia), inhabitants of cities with over 500,000 inhabitants (Poland) or those living in rural areas (Ukraine). Habit, which is associated with repeated purchase, was important for women in Poland and men in other countries, consumers aged 25-34 (Poland, Ukraine), those aged 45-54 (Lithuania) and 55-64 (Latvia), people with secondary education (Lithuania, Poland) and lower than secondary (Latvia), respondents with higher education (Ukraine), people from cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants (Lithuania), and the ones from cities below 500,000 inhabitants (Poland) as well as people from rural areas (Latvia, Ukraine). Based on the information presented above, we may conclude that consumers in the examined countries are diversied in their choices. Consumers in the analysed countries differ in terms of assigning a decisive role to particular factors with regard to their social and demographic features. It may be a signicant indication for entrepreneurs wanting to enter these new markets. 4. Frequency of using catering services Catering service is a specic good, because, on the one hand, a consumer has an increasingly larger possibility of comparing offers; on the other, the evaluation of the purchase can take place only after its consumption. Together with the development of catering services market, there occur changes in perceiving the role of these services in the context of satised needs. Apart from physiological needs (satisfying hunger, thirst), we more and more frequently point to social and esthetical needs (recreation and contact with other people, strengthening interpersonal and family bonds). Also, we observe a process of services adapting to the norms of satisfying nutritional needs pertaining to a particular social group (professional group). Furthermore, catering services may be a source of prestige (Bombol and Dabrowska, 2003, p. 113). Gastronomy is described by J. Sala as a separate, distinguished in the social division of work, organized business activity, which consists in satisfying consumers nutritional needs through selling ready dishes and beverages, creating conditions enabling their consumption in the place of purchase and rendering various services satisfying needs in terms of entertainment, rest, psychical regeneration etc (Sala, 2004, pp. 14-15). A widening range of offers aimed at diversied consumer groups (young and older age groups, more and less wealthy consumers, mass and individualized consumer, businesspeople, consumers appreciating world cuisine) induces more and more people to an even occasional consumption of catering services. We may not disregard the fact that the development of catering services market is connected with the development of urbanization. This development implies many important changes with regard to using catering services, simultaneously creating conditions for transformations in functions and forms of gastronomy activity.

Three subsystems individual, system and special gastronomy create the market of catering services (Table III). In the catering services market we may consider fast food outlets as a separate category within system gastronomy. Worldwide trends connected with globalisation affected also the examined countries. In the period of socio-political system changes there occurred a development of the chains of international corporations outlets specialising in offering fast food catering services, such as: McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC etc. Emergence of these outlets, offering a set of specied dishes, inuences the changes in dietary patterns and the way of spending free time, in particular that of a younger generation. This study analysed catering services and the frequency of using them by consumers in Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine. The author tried to establish which gastronomic outlets respondents use, and how frequently they use them. The ndings are presented in Table IV. What attracts our attention is the fact that the majority of people in Poland and Ukraine answered that they do not use catering services, even occasionally. The people who do not use the services of restaurants, fast-food outlets, cafes and canteens are mainly elderly people, people with secondary education or lower than secondary, villagers and those who support themselves using non-earned sources (e.g. social benets, scholarships). Respondents in all examined countries most frequently visited cafes. It can be associated with the importance of price in selecting food products. The largest number of respondents who visit restaurants at least once a week or a few times a month was recorded in Lithuania (11.6 per cent), the smallest in Ukraine (3.4 per cent). When we considered fast-food outlets it was Latvia (17.4 per cent) and Poland (4.7 per cent), similarly to cafes 34.8 per cent and 4.5 per cent, whereas the canteens were used by the largest group of people in Latvia 18.1 per cent, and the smallest in Poland 2.7 per cent. We should note that in these countries the gastronomy market in recent years has changed dramatically, also due to foreign capital. Gastronomic outlets often become specic showcases for cities.
Individual gastronomy Gastronomy offering catering services: Outlets of individual owners Ethnic restaurants Luxurious restaurants Snack bars Vegetarian cuisine outlets Specialized outlets Taverns Outlets offering beverages: Beer-pubs Clubs Discos Night clubs Source: Jenn (2004, p. 28) System gastronomy Fast food outlets Gastronomic systems Gastronomic outlets in shopping centres Gastronomy in department stores Special gastronomy Gastronomy near transport infrastructure: Gastronomic outlets near motorways Outlets near railway/bus stations Outlets in means of transport Catering: Canteens School canteens Canteens in companies Catering in hospitals and welfare centres

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Table III. Basic subsystems of catering services market

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Specication Restaurants At least once a week A few times a month Occasionally We dont use them Its difcult to say Fast-foods At least once a week A few times a month Occasionally We dont use them Its difcult to say Cafes At least once a week A few times a month Occasionally We dont use them Its difcult to say Canteens At least once a week A few times a month Occasionally We dont use them Its difcult to say

Lithuania n 301 5.6 6.0 39.2 46.2 3.0 1.7 10.3 34.9 49.8 3.3 7.3 25.2 37.5 28.6 1.3 13.3 3.7 19.9 59.5 3.7

Latvia n 298 2.0 7.4 25.8 59.4 5.4 5.0 12.4 28.9 48.7 5.0 17.4 17.4 29.9 32.6 2.7 9.7 8.4 21.8 56.4 3.7

Poland n 894 1.2 4.3 29.6 63.5 1.3 0.6 4.1 24.4 69.6 1.3 0.8 3.7 30.1 64.0 1.5 1.7 1.0 8.5 87.2 1.6

Ukraine n 1,000 0.5 2.9 22.6 72.1 1.9 1.5 3.9 21.0 71.6 2.0 6.1 8.9 39.6 44.6 0.8 4.2 2.2 12.5 78.7 2.4

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Table IV. Frequency of using catering services (% replies)

Source: On the basis of reports from a study: Consumers position and changes in consumption in Central-Eastern Europe following the EU Enlargement (Pozycja konsumenta i zmiany w konsumpcji w krajach Europy Srodkowo-Wschodniej po rozszerzeniu Unii Europejskiej). (The author was the manager of the research project)

Below the author has presented the prole of consumers using gastronomic services in particular countries with the consideration of demographic and social characteristics and the frequencies of using the services: a few times a month and/or at least once a week(Table V). In Lithuania the services of restaurants, fast-food outlets and cafes are used more often by young people (under 24 years of age), men (apart from cafes), and people with higher education, inhabitants of large agglomerations (except for fast-food outlets inhabitants of rural areas) and non-working people. The canteens are most frequently used by people aged 55-64, with education lower than secondary, people from cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants and non-working people. In Latvia the services offered by restaurants and fast-food bars are more frequently used by men, while women and people under 24 years of age visit cafes and canteens (canteens people aged 35-44). Other groups of respondents who use gastronomic services are: people with education lower than secondary (restaurants and fast food restaurants) and with higher education (cafes, canteens), people from cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants and non-working respondents (canteens working people).

Factors 6.0 9.7 32.2 16.9 8.3 16.6 35.8 18.6 4.5 3.6 3.9 2.8 2.0 4.5 11.9 5.7 4.6 10.0 17.2 10.9 6.0 6.5 17.7 6.1 1.4 2.9 6.7 4.8 2.4 3.8 10.9 5.3 0.9 0.9 6.3 2.7 X X X X 0.6 5.2 11.5 5.7 3.0 4.7 14.2 5.8 7.7 15.4 11.6 3.8 13.6 9.1 9.8 2.3 5.9 2.9 3.3 5.3 3.0 5.2 3.8 1.3 0.0 4.2 2.8 3.5 0.0 0.6 1.7 1.7 2.4 2.8 0.9 1.8 5.5 6.1 5.7 1.8 20.0 8.5 16.9 10.5 6.8 7.7 19.9 8.6 3.6 3.6 2.8 1.2 2.0 1.7 10.2 3.4 26.0 36.0 48.0 20.0 11.7 19.6 33.3 27.4 10.2 25.4 45.7 23.7 5.7 9.4 37.8 20.8 0.0 6.7 15.5 4.4 0.0 2.5 10.0 7.5 18.8 25.0 34.4 14.6 8.8 14.9 32.3 15.9 3.0 17.6 45.1 29.4 0.0 9.2 18.4 17.1 7.2 9.7 29.0 17.0 4.4 4.4 2.8 2.3 3.9 4.5 16.8 8.2 19.5 33.7 55.1 20.4 16.3 10.2 14.4 10.2 4.1 12.4 17.5 6.5 24.4 19.5 43.9 2.8 12.7 6.3 36.5 11.1 8.0 12.0 34.7 18.7 8.0 14.5 24.2 14.5 11.8 17.6 26.4 23.5 7.7 0.0 26.9 7.7 12.0 4.0 36.0 24.0 10.5 12.3 30.2 17.1 14.9 14.9 40.4 12.8 7.6 12.9 23.7 16.2 10.7 12.0 34.5 16.4 22.4 10.2 42.9 20.4 11.1 11.5 23.8 17.6 10.0 20.7 41.9 25.0 2.4 2.8 0.9 1.8 4.0 5.1 15.0 6.6

Respondents Sex Respondents age (years) Education Size of location occupational status Male Female $ 24 25-34 35-44 Male Female $ 24 25-34 35-44 Male Female $24 25-34 35-44 Male Female 7.7 7.7 23.1 13.4 3.8 6.3 15.1 6.3 5.5 6.1 5.7 1.8 1.8 1.2 5.9 2.4 20.6 20.7 41.4 20.6 16.1 23.2 42.9 14.3 20.0 8.5 16.9 10.5 2.9 9.7 22.4 9.2

18.4 14.7 23.1 16.9

11.5 19.0 33.3 17.1 7.6 7.2 5.7 2.5

Lithuania (n 301) Restaurants Fast food restaurants Cafes Canteens Latvia (n 298) Restaurants Fast food restaurants Cafes Canteens Poland (n 894) Restaurants Fast food restaurants Cafes Canteens Ukraine (n 1.000) Restaurants Fast food restaurants Cafes Canteens

5.9 6.3 18.3 7.2

Catering services

Table V. Prole of consumers using gastronomic services with the frequency of at least once a week and/or a few times a month divided with regard to social and demographic features (% replies)

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In Poland the services of restaurants, fast food outlets, cafes and canteens are most frequently used by men, young people under 34 years of age (canteens people aged 35-64), people with higher education, inhabitants of large agglomerations (over 500,000 inhabitants) and non-working people. In Ukraine catering services are more frequently used by men, people under 34 years of age, people with higher education, inhabitants of large agglomerations (in the case of canteens cities under 500,000 inhabitants), non-working people (in the case of restaurants working people). 4. Conclusions More popular use of catering services and an increase of their market importance attracts attention of researchers as well as business practice (at least it should) to consumers behaviours and factors generating demand. Undoubtedly, consumers are main judges of the offered services, and due to this fact they decide, to a large extent, about their success and market position of gastronomic entities. Consumers, who are more and more aware of their position on the market (and also of their rights), expect not only proper quality but also a satisfying correlation between price and quality. As can be seen in the research, price is a very important selection factor for many consumers, and probably this information should be of interest to entrepreneurs. We should also point to the fact that catering services play a very specic role because they are connected with consumers safety. They should not endanger their lives or health. Therefore, quality, in the broad sense, should be of priority importance. In the context of the above statement, we should pay attention to the fact that the so-called self-service i.e. meals prepared on ones own at home are a threat to the level of consumption of catering services. There appear more and more frequent efforts to valuate homemade food production, also in terms of providing nutrition (Holloway et al., 2002). Consumer research with international scope provides us with knowledge about consumers reactions and behaviours in particular countries, with the consideration of social and economic features. This information can be used in creating the offer of services, market and marketing strategy. The knowledge of consumer behaviour also gives an opportunity to adapt gastronomy more accurately to various segments. Finally, it is worth noting that in recent years there appeared a rather paradox situation in the examined countries. On the one hand, the availability of services is rising (the product and service range is more and more diversied, the number of outlets offering catering services increases, and the standard and quality of catering services increasingly improve), and there emerge gastronomic outlets popularising world cuisine. On the other hand, many consumers still do not have sufcient nancial means at their disposal, which makes it impossible for them to fully satisfy their needs with regard to eating out. The possibilities and directions for development of catering services market will shape demand-supply changes taking place in the next years in particular countries, though we cannot elide from the initial stage, i.e. the present condition of the market. We cannot ignore the impact of the worldwide crisis on the situation of consumers and limiting expenses, among others on catering services. At this point it would be recommended to quote results of the study carried out in May 2009 by Chair of Living Standards and Consumption in Warsaw School of Economics: Consumer in the Time

of Crisis (Konsument w dobie kryzysu), conducted among 364 inhabitants of seven cities of Masovian Voivodeship. More than half of respondents indicated that they limit the number of meals they have outside the home and 34 per cent of them buy cheaper food products. Nevertheless, the development of gastronomic market in terms of supply will depend on enterprise initiatives mainly of qualitative character, on readiness to exible adjustment of an offer to changing needs and possibilities of consumers. Organizational and technical innovations will play a signicant role. Generally, the following factors will mainly inuence the increase of importance of catering services in the examined countries: . An increase of populations real income, which will contribute to the creation and increase of discretionary fund, and, by the same token, create conditions for increasing dynamics of expenses on catering services. . Offering services at a proper quality level consumers expect such changes as well as a higher standard of services. . Change of lifestyle, which will cause popularising eating out or delivering ready dishes to consumers houses. The custom of organising family celebrations outside the home is becoming more popular. . Increased interest in culture of other countries, which is reected in restaurants offers of world cuisine (e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Italian, Mexican, Greek, Russian and Arab cuisine, etc.). . Increasing distance between workplaces and places of residence of population, which creates a need for gastronomic outlets in companies and schools. We can also point here to the care for regular eating, which inuences tness and gure. . The decrease of a number of people in households, widening of the segment of single people. . The development of tourist movement, which creates a need for gastronomy development in connection with hotel facilities.
References Baudrillard, J. (2006), Consumption Society, Its Myths and Structures (Spoeczenstwo konsumpcyjne, Jego mity i struktury), Sic! Publishing House s.c., Warsaw. Bombol, M. and Debrowska, A. (2003), Spare Time. Consumption, Market, Marketing. (Czas wolny. Konsumpcja, rynek, marketing), K.E. Liber Publishing House, Warsaw. Holloway, S., Short, S. and Tamplin, S. (2002), Household Satellite Account (Experimental) Methodology, UK Ofce for National Statistics 2002, available at: www.statistics.gov.uk/ hhsa/downloads Jenn, A. (2004), Die deuche Gastronomie, Deucher Fachverlag, Frankfurt Am Main 1993, in Sala, J. (Ed.), Marketing in Gastronomy, Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne Publishing House, Warsaw, p. 28. Kraszewski, R. (2006), Modern Concepts of Quality Management (Nowoczesne koncepcje zarzedzania jakoscie), Dom Organizatora Publishing House, Torun. Lewicka-Strzaecka, A. (2002), On Consumers Responsibility (O odpowiedzialnosci konsumenta), Prakseologia, No. 142.

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Masowski, A. (2005), Catering Services in Highly Developed Countries (on the example of the EU countries and the United States) (Usugi gastronomiczne w krajach wysoko rozwinietych (na przykadzie krajow Unii Europejskiej i Stanow Zjednoczonych)), Publishing House of Skarbek Graduate School of Business Economics, (Wyzsza Szkoa Handlu i Finansow Miedzynarodowych im. Fryderyka Skarbka), Warsaw. ska, K. (2003), Buyers Behavior and Its Marketing Consequences (Zachowania Mazurek-opacin nabywcow i ich konsekwencje marketingowe), Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne Publishing House, Warsaw. ska, K. (2005), Polish people and new tendencies in consumption (Polacy Mazurek-opacin wobec nowych tendencji w konsumpcji), How We Live? Material Conditions, Consumption and Market Behaviour (Jak yjemy? Warunki materialne, konsumpcja, z zachowania na rynku), Institute for Market, Consumption and Business Cycles Research, Warsaw. stwo Ozimek, I. (2006), Food Safety in the Aspect of Consumer Protection in Poland (Bezpieczen ywnosci w aspekcie ochrony konsumenta w Polsce), SGGW Publishing House, Warsaw. z Sala, J. (2004), Marketing in Gastronomy (Marketing w gastronomii), Polskie Wydawnictwo Ekonomiczne Publishing House, Warsaw. About the author Anna Debrowska is doktor habilitowany (second academic degree; habilitated doctor), holds a position of Associate Professor in Department of Consumption in Institute for Market, Consumption and Business Cycles Research, and she is also an employee of Chair of Living Standards and Consumption in Warsaw School of Economics, where she also holds a position of Associate Professor. She is an author of a number of consumer research and publications concerning service markets and consumer behaviour. Anna Debrowska participates in Dolceta and Dolceta Plus programmes (Development of Online Consumer Education Tools for Adults). The coordinator of the project is EUCEN (European Universities Continuing Education Network), the largest multidisciplinary network of universities offering continuing education. Also, the author is an expert on consumers. Anna Debrowska can be contacted at: annadabrowska1@wp.pl

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