An Empirical Investigation on Level of Awareness regarding Processed and Packaged Food Among Youth of Haryana

Purpose -To study the consumer’s cognizant and attitude towards processed and packaged food. Research Methodology- Respondents were selected by using stratified convenience sampling method. 145 respondents from Haryana were interviewed. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the level of awareness in special reference to packaged and processed food among youth. The Statistical tools like crosstab analysis and chi-square test were employed. Findings: From the results it is evident that education and income levels play an important role in being cognizant regarding packaged and processed food whereas other demographic variables like age, gender, occupation were found to be insignificantly differentiating the various groups of respondents. Implications- The majority of respondents expressed strong intentions to purchase packaged goods that are environmentally friendly. The awareness level regarding effect of Preservatives, food colours, MSG in the preparation of the food is very high. Indian consumers' dietary habits are being influenced by changing socio-cultural trends. So, manufacturers should check the quality and level of Preservatives, food colours, MSG and eco-friendly packaging which will cause lesser amount of degradation of environment.