After reading different research on food adulteration, I realise the situation is slightly different from countries to countries. While the ones I have been reading on ( China, India, Bangladesh) could be classified together into emerging countries, their situations slightly differ from one another.
Most significantly, the food involved in adulteration differs from one country to another. This is due to the cultural, culinary and taste difference. Also, particular buying practices influence the choice-making process and open up opportunities for adulterated food to enter the market. (Separate post on compare/contrast)
As such, following some of their research method, I decided to conduct a field trip to understand the issue better in my project context: Vietnam. I’m going back to Can Tho city (my hometown) from the 9 – 13th September. On the 10,11 and 12th, I will go on to conduct interviews and observe the behaviour of buyers in markets and supermarkets (main sources of groceries for people staying in the city)
INTERVIEW QUESTIONs (aim to get 50-70 respondents in 3 days)
Location: Can Tho city
image from : http://www.thetouchofsound.com/sounds/cho-tan-an-market-can-tho-vietnam/
Market: Tan An market, Xuan Khanh market
Supermarket: Coopmart, Big C
Green-grocer stores: some store promising safe and green produce are popping up around the city. Can make some quick visit.
User profile
- Gender
- Age
- Education level
- Income
- Tech-savvy (owning a smartphone? using internet?)
Buying behaviour
- Frequency of purchase (daily/2-3times weekly/weekly/monthly)
- Where do they usually buy groceries (order of frequency): market, supermarket, wholesale, straight from farm/supplier, online?
- What do they consider when buying (rate importance): appearance? Price? Relationships with vendor (trust)? Freebies? Availability of the food they are looking for? Accessibility of the place?
Knowledge of food-adulteration
- How well do you know about food adulteration (don’t know, heard of, read frequently, know very well)
- Where do you get your information from (online, newspaper, word-of-mouth, own experience)
- Any recent suspicion/experience of food adulteration (personal experience) in the past 3 months?
- How do you make sure the food you buy is safe?
- What do you do when you find out the vendor adulterate the food?
OBSERVATIONS TO MAKE
- Buying process: from start to end
- Environment studies: food market/supermarket (how food is displayed/how they are selected and purchased/packaging/payment/how the crowd is like?/peak hour?)
- Behaviours: common practices / any idiosyncrasies
- How do people choose which food to buy/which store to buy from?
- What do they carry?
- How do they make payment?
- Attitude towards food-adulteration
- Packaging type
- Level of assurance? (suggested by Peer)