Influence of country of origin image on domestic food products

Abstract

From the 1960’s literature deals more and more with the examination of the country image, mainly due to its influence on the choice/purchase of foreign products (country of origin effect). Most of the publications are linked to marketing science, namely the latest research regards nation image as something that can be positioned on the market, as a product or a brand name. The aim of my research is to assess the effect of the country of origin on the judgment of domestic foods from the point of view of the Hungarian consumers.The completed questionnaires were processed using the program SPSS 20. Data were analyzed by factor- and two-step cluster analysis in order to explore the dimensions and clusters.The analysis showed that the „price” dimension for the country of origin is less determinative in product perception. For this reason if we want to promote domestic products, emphasis should be laid on attractive appearance, on good quality and the reliability of the products, and not necessarily on the favorable price.