Original Article Consumers Perception of Canned Agri-food Products in Sulaymanyah City, Kurdistan Regional Government Iraq Kazhan J. HASAN, Hemin A. NEIMA * , Kawan S. ISMAEL Rezheen HARUN, Chawan M. HAMA SALIH Agribusiness and Rural Development ARD Department, College of Agricultural Sciences Engineering, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan region, Iraq Received 25 July 2019; received and revised form 20 August 2019; accepted 30 August 2019 Available online 30 September 2019 Abstract There are major changes in food consumption, dietary patterns and Consumers Percept throughout the world. These changes occur as a result of various factors. After the 2003, when the sanctions against Iraq were ended, which was imposed by the United Nations Security Council on Ba'athist Iraq, there was also a significant change in food consumption alongside economy development in Iraq. This change was more noticeably happened in Kurdistan region of Iraq which was initially enjoying an economic boom due to security in the region. Since then, the increase of job opportunity and the income level of residents in Kurdistan region has developed. Meanwhile, the route of marketing and shopping has significantly changed from local markets to supermarkets and hypermarkets. This development can be considered as an important factor which affect the influence on food demand and consumptions. Previously, Fresh food and traditionally preserved food were mostly consumed and canned food was mostly avoided by people of Kurdistan region. This paper focus on the development of canned food consumption and changes of the perception and attitudes toward canned food consumption in Sulaymaniyah City; and the reasons in changing their consumption pattern within the last 16 years. This research was conducted in Sulaymaniyah City, Kurdistan region of Iraq, during in 2019. Keywords: canned food, food consumption, consumer behavior, Sulaymaniyah City, Kurdistan Region. 1. Introduction The social and economic transformations occurred within the people in Kurdistan region of Iraq since the late 2003 have resulted in significant shifts in food purchase patterns for urban Kurdish households. After economic booming in Kurdistan region and start to build shopping malls super markets and hyper markets the types and number of retail venues, the variety of food products increased significantly. * Corresponding author. Tel: +9647701366736 e-mail: hemin.neima@univsul.edu.iq Meanwhile spending power of consumers increased considerably [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. Additionally, rural area in Kurdistan Region was facing many challenges, mainly from migration from rural to urban areas [3]. Recently, people have become busy with daily routine such as working, studying for longer hours than they used to do previously. Regarding these matters, communities will purchase something that gives convenient for their busy lifestyle. In order to overcome the barriers, so they usually purchase groceries especially canned foods to cook because it is less time consuming. People identify their needs to purchase something. This decision making is determined by behavioral and economic factors [13]. Available online at http://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/promediu ProEnvironment ProEnvironment 12 (2019) 251 - 256 251