Understanding Consumer Preferences for Millet-Based Products: Evidence from an Emerging Urban Market

Abstract

The resurgence of interest in the millet-based products in India is attributed to the increasing demand for climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable health-conscious diet choices in urban areas. Despite rising health consciousness and robust institutional promotion, there exists a disparity in millet consumption. This paper examines the factors influencing urban consumers preferences for millet-based products in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The primary data was collected from 100 urban consumers with the help of a well-structured questionnaire. A Composite Consumer Choice Index (CCI), comprising frequency of consumption and monthly expenditure, was devised to capture the depth of consumer involvement for better understanding of consumer behavior. Socio-economic attributes, health consciousness, and product attribute parameters influencing consumer choice were analyzed through Multiple linear regression analysis. Garrett Ranking Technique was used to examine the constraints faced by consumer. Monthly household income and health awareness significantly and positively influence the choice of consumers. On the other hand, low perceived convenience is a significant deterrent in the adoption process. Product availability is another very important factor influencing the purchasing behavior. Educational level and price perception do not have an independent effect on the intensity of consumption. The most binding constraints explaining the limited consumption of millet are very limited product diversity and availability‚ while lack of awareness plays only a minor role ․ In sum‚ the spreading of millet consumption in urban areas does not seem to be driven by information asymmetries‚ but rather by the mismatch between lifestyles and the design of the market ․ Increasing product variety‚ improving product availability and promoting convenient product formats are fundamental for healthful intentions to translate into regular behaviour’s contributing demand-side evidence for climate-resilient crops and sustainable‚ resilient urban food environments Overall the results suggest that market integration and product development resulting in accessible and affordable millet-based products could narrow the gap between the positive perceptions of the product and its adoption in regular diets.