Renáta Benda Prokeinová

Animal-based foods play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, meat consumption exceeds recommended doses. Taxing emission-intensive foods provides an incentive for consumers to shift towards more sustainable diets, as the tax causes a price increase. Our study aims to assess the impact of the carbon tax imposed, using the Almost Ideal Demand System to estimate demand elasticities for meat in Slovakia. Carbon taxation triggers highly elastic consumer responses in beef demand. Pork faces a rising demand due to its strong position in Slovak diets and relatively lower price compared to beef. Furthermore, our results reveal a significant carbon footprint reduction of CO2eq, exceeding 50 % of the beef carbon footprint and 40% of the chicken. This study highlights the importance of determining carbon taxation impacts on food demand in Slovakia and creates incentives to enhance future research.

This study explores the purchasing behaviour of Slovak consumers regarding organic food. Using data collected by CAWI from 318 respondents, the research aims to examine the relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of Slovak consumers and their purchasing behaviour, with particular attention to the factors influencing their decision to buy organic food. Based on the chi-square test of independence, results show that the purchase of organic food depends on consumers' income and education levels. Organic food consumption is primarily driven by factors related to high quality, nutritional content, sensory attributes of organic food and healthy lifestyle, rather than by external social trends such as celebrity endorsement, curiosity, fashion, and trendiness, which are considered the least important. Additionally, the purchase of organic food is most frequently initiated for personal use and general household consumption, while purchases for children or individuals with allergies are less common. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, the study identifies three clusters of conumers who make decisions about purchasing organic food based on the same factors: (1) fashion and celebrities, (2) high quality, sensory quality, nutrient content, healthy lifestyle and traditional production methods, (3) fair trade, locally produced, family, curiosity, environmental impact, absence of GMOs and additives and controlled production process). The first cluster was the smallest. These were marginalized, niche factors. The second cluster consisted of respondents for whom the quality of the product, its features, as well as health and traditional production methods were important. The third cluster of respondents included people for whom social, environmental, and safety factors were important. These findings provide valuable insights for segmenting the organic food market and for developing product labelling policies and marketing communication strategies.

Background. Dietary patterns represent a set of many characteristic features occurring simultaneously and describing the way of eating that demonstrates a relationship with health. They are subject to changes and show a relationship with a socio-economic situation. The aim of this study was to assess variations in dietary patterns of older women from Upper Silesia resulting from their financial and social status. A cross-sectional study using face-to-face interviews was conducted in June and July 2024 among 209 women aged 60 and over from the Silesian Province. An FCF scale, which was adapted from the Kom-PAN questionnaire, was used to assess the frequency of consumption of 23 food groups. Demographic characteristics were assessed using questions on age, place of residence and household structure. For the economic and social characteristics, the respondents were asked about the self-assessment of financial situation, the use of family and social financial support, social activity and social relations. Based on the frequency of food consumption, three diet quality indices were calculated and eight dietary patterns were identified using a factor analysis. The Kruskal-Walis test and Chi2 test were used to assess the significance of differences between variables. Results and conclusions. The study group was characterized by a higher unhealthy diet index (nHDI) than a health-promoting diet index (pHDI). The pHDI result was associated with the higher intensity of ―prudent DPs, such as ―meatless protein and wholegrain products and ―dairy products, fruit and vegetables; whereas the nHDI result with the higher intensity of ―imprudent DPs, such as: ―traditional products ―red meat and fats, ―fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages, but also with ―milk and dairy drinks. The results of the study showed that the relationship between poorer financial situation, the need for family and social financial supportand lower social activity of older women on the one hand, and the lower intensity of health-promoting dietary patterns and the higher intensity of ―unfavorable ones on the other, is inconclusive. Further research on assessing the relationship between dietary patterns and economic and social characteristics of the elderly will increase knowledge of it and allow for its inclusion in the educational and intervention programs being developed.

Background. Economic, social and food security factors determine consumers' purchasing capacity, which greatly influences the choice of where to buy food. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between food security, a socioeconomic status and the frequency of using various forms of food retailing. The cross-sectional study using face-to-face interviews was conducted in June and July 2024 among 209 women aged 60 and over from the Silesian province. The HFSS scale was used to assess the level of food security; the FFR-FU scale was used to assess the frequency of using various forms of food retailing. Demographic and social characteristics were assessed using questions on age, residence and education. The socioeconomic status was calculated on the basis of questions on the self-assessment of material situation, financial support, social activity and family relations. Ward's hierarchical classification of variables and logistic regression were used to assess the relationship between food security, a socioeconomic status and the frequency of using various forms of food retailing. Results and conclusions. The respondents tended to use discount stores at least once a week, followed by small neighborhood and chain stores, and to a lesser extent super- and hypermarkets. E-commerce and mobile commerce were not common. Women with high levels of food security and socioeconomic status were more likely to use small neighborhood and chain stores, as well as e-commerce and mobile commerce. The frequent use of discount stores, super- and hypermarkets was determined by marginal and low levels of food security and a medium and low socio-economic status. The study found that food security and an economic and social status of older women determine their choice of where to buy food.

The main goal of the paper is to evaluate the perception and acceptance of change by human resources in companies in Slovakia and to propose specific recommendations to increase the involvement and active approach of business representatives in the interest of business sustainability. Based on the set goal, the issue of perception and attitudes of employees were evaluated through data obtained by a questionnaire survey through a sample survey in 816 companies operating in the Slovak Republic. The obtained data were analyzed using association analysis by application of the independence test based on formulated hypotheses and the found dependencies were presented by correspondence analysis. Innovative activities of companies do not always have to be perceived only positively by employees and it is also appropriate to consider the opposite behavior of employees. To minimize adverse events, we recommend companies formulate appropriate strategies to reduce and overcome the effects of negative attitudes to organizational change and then implement them appropriately, which is essential for the successful implementation of innovative practices.

Soil is a sensitive ecological factor. Biodegradable materials from the environment can also be used to deal with serious ecological problems. Soil affecting by remediation medium - garden compost - was analysed for toxic cadmium (Cd) in terms of environmental protection. The objective of this research was to analyse soil and compost at foothill locality of the Tribeč Mountains (Southwestern Slovakia) in the years 2015−2017 to determine Cd contents in soil and compost, pH and to assess Cd bioavailability. The analyses were carried out using the Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with seven-step Selective Sequential Extraction methods. The results obtained were evaluated statistically using the SAS 9.4 software method by Spearman’s correlation coefficient. The results showed that Cd contents in soil had reached 2.96 mg kg ⁻¹ and soil with compost (the ratio 1:1) 2.71 mg kg ⁻¹ dry matter. Cd contents in the soil exceeded maximum allowed limit of 196%. And deceased by 25% after adding compost. The pH in soil with compost varied from 6.78 to 7.98. The pH prevented the mobility of Cd about 8.3% in average. Statistical dependence was high, which was demonstrated for relationship between Cd in soil, pH and compost. Available Cd forms in soil were 53.3% and soil with compost were 45% in average. The garden compost as a remediation medium reduced Cd bioavailability.