Assessing the drivers of traditional and local products

This study assesses attitudes of young adults' (18-30 years old) consumption on local and 12 traditional products in7 European countries. A clustered sample (n=836) from natives of Greece, 13 Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark and France was collected, by distributing 14 questionnaires through social media and university mail services. Sample was examined by 15 implementing Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in three different samples; overall and two 16 subgroups, Eastern and Western European countries. Six major factors revealed: consumer 17 behavior, health issues, cost, influence from media and close environment and availability on store. 18 As a result, young adults have a positive attitude to local and traditional food products but they 19 express insecurity for health issues. Cost factor influences less people from Eastern European 20 countries than those from the overall sample (3rd and 5th factor accordingly). Influence of close 21 environment is a different factor in Eastern countries comparing to Western ones that it common 22 with influence from media. Females and older people (25-30 years old) doubt less about TFPs, 23 while media have high influence on consumers’ decisions. Aim of this survey is to create consumer 24 profiles of young adults and create different promotion strategies of local and traditional products 25 among the two groups of countries. 26