Since the nineties of the last century, ecological products have become increasingly important in the market, and given that scientists have pro and contra arguments of ecological breeding, the main purpose of this paper was to determine the consumer's preferences towards ecological food; the importance of certain characteristics and deterrents on the purchase of organic food; in the market of Split. For this survey we randomly recruited 113 participants in Split, Croatia. Surveyed consumers when purchasing organic food of the greatest importance consider protection of the environment, and at the least important they retain the taste. The most significant constraint on purchasing organic food of surveyed consumers is the high cost of the product, and the least important is the lack of marketing. Given the size of the sample, surveyed consumers are a typical target group of consumers of organic food.

Urban horticulture as a segment of urban agriculture can take various forms: home gardens, allotment farming, community gardens, community-supported agriculture, vertical farming, etc. After the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia and neighboring countries, growing horticultural plants in urban and suburban areas became increasingly popular. The aim of the study was to investigate citizens’ attitudes towards the benefits and support of urban horticulture, its relationship to the environment, and needs and relevance in studies in the cities of Šibenik, Split, Mostar and Skopje. The research methods used for the purpose of this study were theoretical analysis method, survey and analytical descriptive and statistical method. The research was conducted online during the first half of 2024 on a sample of 506 respondents. The main goal of the paper was to examine the views of citizens on urban horticulture. With specific objectives, the views of citizens were examined on the benefits of urban horticulture, the relationship between urban horticulture and the environment, urban horticulture and plant protection, support for urban horticulture, and the needs and trends of urban horticulture. and plant protection, support for urban horticulture, needs and trends of urban horticulture. The results showed that citizens are mostly positive towards growing horticultural plants in urban and suburban areas without pollution. In urban horticulture, respondents prefer using ecological principles and products. Female respondents expressed more positive attitudes towards the fashionability and need for urban horticulture. Respondents from Skopje showed the most positive attitudes towards the benefits of urban horticulture and its relationship to the environment. Also, there is no statistically significant difference in attitudes towards urban horticulture with regard to the location of residence. The research contributes to the trend of development and promotion of urban horticulture with a special emphasis on the importance of environmental preservation. It also contributes to the development of an interdisciplinary method that connects natural and social sciences, and develops an empirical approach that can improve urban culture with the aim of preserving the environment.

Short food supply chains are an increasingly important topic within the academic community, as is research into the factors influencing consumers’ intention to buy at farmers’ markets. This study examines the influence of consumers’ product perception and product knowledge on purchase intention at farmers’ markets. Data were collected at farmers’ markets in Croatia. A total of 255 valid responses were analysed using exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical regression. Demographically, respondents were predominantly women aged 46–55 with higher education and middle-income levels (family annual income of EUR 20,000 to 40,000). Results indicate that both product perception and product knowledge significantly affect purchase intention at farmers’ markets. Consumers generally view farmers’ market products as superior in quality and value, and they place high trust in farmers’ expertise. The findings suggest that attributes such as freshness, safety, and authenticity, combined with product knowledge-sharing by farmers, strengthen consumer trust and increase their willingness to pay and to recommend these products to family and relatives.