The Importance of Keeping Laying Hens for the Selection of Eggs for Purchase and Consumption

The aim of the study was to analyze how important the way in which the laying hens are reared is for the consumers when buying the eggs for consumption. The research was conducted on the territory of the three counties of the continental part of the Republic of Croatia by conducting a survey. Two hundred eighty people were interviewed, and 225 valid questionnaires were analyzed. More women (59.10%) than men (40.90%) took part in the survey. Most respondents were between 30 and 39 years of age, employed, and had a vocational high-school education. Most respondents had a monthly family income ranging between €265 and €665. Most frequently, the respondents purchased the eggs in a shopping center and ate them several times a week. A large number of respondents (201) believe that the type of hen rearing influenced the quality of eggs but were unwilling to spend more money to buy the eggs from the alternative rearing systems, which was reflected in a res-ponse that the price was the most important factor in their choice when buying the eggs. The results show that there is a need to educate the people about how the hens are kept for a consumer-egg production and to familiarize them with the Animal Welfare Act and basic egg-quality indicators.