RESULTS FROM A FOOD CONSUMPTION SURVEY – TIRANA (SEPTEMBER 2004)




Τhis section presents some excerpts from the findings of a Food Consumption and expenditure Survey of 600 households in Tirana, Albania, conducted by the project ‘Technical Assistance to the PMU, Ministry of Agriculture and Food’ in September 2004. The survey results give an indication of food consumption patterns and preferences for the population of Tirana:

General market/retail outlet choices: Local shops are the prevailing choice for purchasing of all agriculture and food products;
open green markets are second most, important followed
by small-scale super markets (which appear to play a minor role in food
retailing in Tirana).

Milk Products: Milk products are purchased daily, weekly and monthly. As expected, milk is mostly daily and butter is usually bought monthly. Regarding the market in which they are typically purchased, local shop is the prevailing choice in all the products.
The farmers’ market (farmers bringing milk at home and open market places) are still common for milk.
Regarding quantity and cost of their consumption, there is a wide range. In short, the majority of the population (about 70%) pays per month for milk no more than 1.000 lek,3.000 lek for cheese, and 1.000 lek for butter.

Meat products: Again, the usual place for buying meat products is the local shop. The main meat consumed is beef which is bought mostly weekly to monthly and its cost per month is up to 3.000 lek for 30% of the houses,
3.000-5.000 lek for 25%,
5.000-7.000 lek for 26%.
More money for beef is spent only by 19% of them. Pork is consumed, according to their answers, only by 54% of the sample. This was expected since not only consumption patterns but also religion are the reasons. The families consuming pork do not pay more than 2.000 lek monthly for it. Poultry and sheep/goat meat is less frequently consumed.
The fact that the families also have connections with relatives in villages, providing them some quantities, might be one of the reasons for not reporting that they buy big quantities of them.

Fish consumption: A majority (70%) of the Tirana population avoided to answer if they consume fresh fish. Probably they do not consume fish and they avoid saying so. They buy fish from local shops (61,4%) and from open market (10,5%). Super markets play a smallerrole (5%). Frozen fish is purchased only by 50% of the sample and it is bought from local
shops mainly weekly or monthly. Regarding processing meat such as salami, the total cost does not exceed 2.000 lek per month for 65% of the sample, and the most usual place tobuy it is the local shop for 76,3% of them.

Bread: Albanians consume a substantial amount of bread and they buy mostly fresh bread daily (88,4%) in quantities varying, with 41% of them consuming up to 20 kg per month and
the rest 59% from 20 to 30 kg. They pay respectively up to 1500 lek and more than 1500 lek per month. Local shops are the main providers for 83,4% of the sample. Supermarkets take the other pat of the pie.

Pasta: They buy weekly (43%) and monthly (55%), it costs up to 1500 lek per month for 48% of them, and more than 1500 for 52%.
Usual place to buy it is the local shop for 66% and the supermarket for 26%.

Rice: is purchased weekly by 34% and monthly be the rest. Local shop prevails for 68% of them and supermarket follows with 26% while the open market still gets 6% of thecustomers.
Cost of rice does not exceed 6.000 lek per month while 50% of the sample does
not pay more than 500 lek.

Flour: is purchased weekly (30%) and monthly by 66%. Local shop is the main (72%) place to buy it and the money paid for it is up to 3.000 lek monthly.

Potatoes: are purchased weekly (71%) and monthly (28%) and in contrast with the previous food products farm market is the main place for buying potatoes with 78%. Local shops follow with 21%. Quantities purchased vary and most of the houses consume up to 16 kg per month while 90% of them spend up to 800 lek monthly.

Vegetables: Albanians consume substantial quantities of vegetables. They buy them daily (64%) and weekly (23%). Majority of them (97%) consume up to 60 kg per month and 42%pay monthly for vegetables up to 2.000 lek. Usual place to buy vegetables is the farmmarket (85%), as it is for potatoes.

Fruits: Fruits are consumed by the Tirana people in quantities varying and up to 60 kg per month by 92% while 60% of them spend up to 3500 lek per month for fruits. Usual place for buying is the Farm Market (85%) and they are daily purchased by 62%.

Oils: Olive oil is consumed by 90% of them in quantities no more than 4 kg per month while 64% of them do not spend for olive oil more than 1.000 lek monthly.
Usual place for buying it is the local shop (71,4%) and 93% of them buy it monthly.
Seed oil is also consumed in similar way. They buy it monthly (99%), from local shops (93%), in quantities up to 6 kg (97%), and 56% of them spend up to 500 lek per month.

Drinks:Non Alcoholic drinks: Albanians are not accustomed to buying substantial quantities for the home. They buy them weekly (33%) and monthly (53%) spending up to 500 lek (33%),500-1.000 lek (25%), 1.000-2.000 lek (21%) and more than 2.000 lek (20%) per month.
Usual place is the local shop (68,4%) and the purchase is weekly (33%) and monthly (53%).

Beer: Mostly consumed in bars, not at home. Cost for beer does not exceed the amount of 1.000 lek per month for 92% of them, usual place for buying it is the local shop (70%) and they buy it weekly (40%) and monthly (44%).

Wine: Cost does not exceed the amount of 1.000 lek per month for 54% and they buy it monthly (70%) from local shops (50%) and from super markets (27%). Farm market selling wine is still in the market (7%).
Rakija the local drink of Albanians is mostly consumed outside of home. Families consume up to 1 kg monthly (82%) and they buy it from local market (74%) mainly monthly (74%).


Preferences of the population for imported food (Dairy and Meat Products)The survey objectives in this area were to identify the preferences of the population for imported food (specifically dairy and meat products).

Imported Dairy products. A large percentage (61%) of the respondents claim they never buy imported dairy products. Only 1,6% buy always imported, 3,1% buy mainly imported and a larger percentage (20%) buy imported occasionally while another 14% buy equally local and imported dairy products. The respondents buying imported products were also asked the reasons for this and choice, the main reason reported was that the products are cheaper.

Imported Meat products: Similarly, some of the findings about imported meat products , after excluding those who are not consuming imported meat products respondents were asked the reasons for their choice. The main reason reportedfor buying such products is their cheaper price.