Culture and Healthy Lifestyle: Factors Influencing the Decision to Buy Quinoa in the City of Latacunga in Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador

ABSTRACT This research aimed to determine the factors that influence people’s decision to purchase quinoa, with emphasis on culture and healthy lifestyles, in the urban parishes of the city of Latacunga. The data were analyzed by first considering contrasting hypotheses of means or proportions between consumers and non-consumers of quinoa or its derivatives; second by estimating a probabilistic model to identify the variables that determine consumer probability; and finally by defining the profile and purchase habits of those who claim to prefer cookies and bread, using an association analysis and contingency tables. The results indicate that more than half of the households consume quinoa, mainly in the form of pearl grain, and in its derived form (flour). Moreover, the decision to buy quinoa is linked to people’s knowledge of its nutritional benefits, and its consumption is additionally influenced by cultural and traditional aspects.