2255 ACTA UNIVERSITATIS AGRICULTURAE ET SILVICULTURAE MENDELIANAE BRUNENSIS Volume LXI 252 Number 7, 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.11118/actaun201361072255 REGIONAL DIFFERENCES OF CONSUMER PREFERENCES WHEN SHOPPING FOR REGIONAL PRODUCTS Jitka Kalábová, Stanislav Mokrý, Jana Turčínková Received: April 11, 2013 Abstract KALÁBOVÁ JITKA, MOKRÝ STANISLAV, TURČÍNKOVÁ JANA: Regional differences of consumer preferences when shopping for regional products. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 2013, LXI, No. 7, pp. 2255–2259 This paper presents partial results of a research on consumer preferences when shopping for groceries. It is focused on regional products and consumer preferences in relation to the country of origin of food products. The main objective of this paper is to find the existence of spatial relationships between spatial deployment of regional products and consumer preferences for regional products. It will be necessary to create a data model for monitoring the deployment of regional products and also a data model for tracking important indicators of consumer behavior in all regions of the Czech Republic. The results are based on questionnaire survey that was conducted within the period from October 2010 to January 2011 on a sample of 3767 respondents from the Czech Republic, via both online questionnaires and their printed version. For the data collection the questionnaire system ReLa, developed by the Department of Marketing and Trade at Faculty of Business and Economics at Mendel University in Brno, was used. Data was processed with statistical soſtware STATISTICA (ver. 10). Spatial visualisation was processed with GIS soſtware ArcGIS (ver. 10.1). Preferences for food of Czech origin were analysed in relation to identification criteria. The research results show that the origin of food has an important role in consumer purchase decision-making. There is no significant difference in importance of this factor based on gender of consumers, however, we could prove moderate dependence on respondent’s occupation, education and age. We could also experience regional differences in levels of preferences of local products or products of Czech origin in regard of 14 regions of the Czech Republic.  2 (N = 3767) = 245.25; p < 0.001. Value of Pearson’s coefficient of contingency is 0.334. consumer behavior, Czech Republic, region, regional products, local food What is the appropriate role, if any, for the processor or wholesaler in a local food system? How can collaboration between retail grocers and small farms be best structured to facilitate the local food economy? Also, while there are a variety of outlets for local food, there is a lack of knowledge as to what represents the most rewarding outlet for local food producers. For example, are farmers’ markets better placed in an urban centre for greater access to consumers or are they better placed at the rural– urban fringe for better access to producers? Finally, much debate in the popular literature has focused on whether or not a local food industry could support the demand for the current population. Research on how an alternative agricultural system based on local food can complement, or to some extent replace, the existing industrialized system is needed (Adams, Salois, 2010). Regional food is considered as a ministry project that includes targets to promote or support food from each regions of the Czech Republic. The website of the Ministry of Agriculture Regional food and Popp (2011) state the reasons, which lead to the fact that consumers and state have an interest in this brand.