Servitization in the food behaviors of Polish consumers

Aim/purpose - The main purpose of this research is to identify and characterize the phenomenon of servitization in the food behaviors of Polish consumers and the factors shaping it. Design/methodology/approach - The empirical research was conducted on a sample of 660 respondents in the entire territory of Poland in 2018. The measurement tool in the primary research was a questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the multiple regression model, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, descriptive statistics, Student’s t-test. Findings - The results of the research confirm that the phenomenon of servitization is poorly visible in Polish consumers’ food behaviors; however, it can be concluded that this trend is becoming increasingly more visible from year to year. It has been shown that servitization of food behaviors is particularly visible among young and well-educated men who assess their income situation as good or very good and live in urbanized areas. Research implications/limitations - The research shows that the demand for catering services is growing and reveals who uses restaurants most often, which can be used by companies in this industry. The research is limited by the non-exhaustive character of the study, the questionnaire method, and household budget surveys as research tools, which are not without flaws, as well as time limitations. Originality/value/contribution - The results suggest a number of points. First, the gradual convergence of Polish people’ eating patterns with those of Western Europe in the use of catering services is shown. Second, the findings provide evidence of significant economic and socio-demographic differences regarding the use of food services among individuals. Third, they show the most important factors that shape the manifestation of servitization in consumers’ food behaviors, which are income, gender, education, age, and location.