Factors affecting packed and unpacked fluid milk consumption in Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia

This study was conducted to identify factors affecting packed and unpacked fluid milk
consumption preferences of households in Wolaita zone. A total of 194 randomly sampled
consumer households of 3 towns of Waliata zone were studied using semi-structured
questionnaire. All the data collected were analyzed using Multinomial Logit Model. The
result obtained indicated that 78.4% of the households consumed only unpacked fluid milk,
7.7% of households consumed only packed fluid milk and 13.9% of households consumed
both unpacked and packed fluid milk. Multinomial Logit model results showed that variables
such as age of household heads, income level of households, households with at least a child
under six years of age and milking cow, households who disagree with the statement 'packed
fluid milk fattens children' and households who disagree with the statement 'advertisement
influences people to buy more packed fluid milk', significantly affected consumption of
unpacked fluid milk. Education status of household heads, young aged household heads,
medical prescription, households who accept the statement 'sterilized milk contains
preservatives' reported to have consumed packed fluid milk. Moreover, consumers who agree
with the statement 'price of packed fluid milk is expensive compared with unpacked fluid
milk' were less likely to consume packed fluid milk. The general implication is that a
significant portion of unpacked fluid milk is reported to be consumed in the study area
without quality and hygienic inspection. This situation seems to warrant the governments to
introduce new policy tools to improve the hygiene and quality of unpacked fluid milk. Milk
producing and processing companies need to design better pricing, promotion and
advertising strategies for fluid milk consumption to attract consumers. Furthermore, fluid
milk processing enterprises and importers need to improve their processing technological
status aimed at reducing cost of processing and marketing to attract consumers.