The influence of numerous factors determines and changes the daily behavior of consumers. This paper aims to estimate and rank the weight of cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors that change the buying habits of individuals. The research was conducted on a sample of 559 respondents in the Republic of Croatia. Data from the survey were used to create a hierarchical model structure. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP), as a decision-making method, was used in the analysis to estimate and rank the factors that influence consumer habits. An analysis of results showed that personal and psychological factors have the principal influence on consumer habits. Personal budget, as the dominant criterion in a group of set criteria, contributed to the fact that personal factors have the dominant influence on consumer habits.

The incorporation of Industry 4.0 technologies into the seafood processing sector presents a transformative potential for improving efficiency, sustainability, and transparency throughout the supply chain. This study aims to examine the impact of such technological advancements, including automation, robotics, blockchain, computer vision, AI, and IoT, on the seafood industry's operations, ranging from sorting, cleaning, and packing to quality assessment and product preservation. Conducted through a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) of Web of Science-indexed papers, this research assesses the synergy between innovation and business 4.0 technologies in seafood processing. Our findings suggest that these technologies not only promise enhanced operational efficiency and product quality but also offer sustainable practices through energy-efficient methods, waste management techniques, and innovative packaging solutions. Additionally, the study addresses the workforce implications, underscoring the shift in job roles towards more specialized and value-added positions rather than outright displacement. The primary data collected and analyzed herein underscores the critical role of Industry 4.0 in promoting sustainable resource management, optimizing processes, and ensuring ecological responsibility within the seafood sector, thereby contributing to the broader goals of food security and environmental sustainability.

Consumer behavior is dynamic and can shift rapidly due to various factors. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced unprecedented market disruptions, prompting unique consumer reactions. Our foundational study dissected factors affecting consumer habits, laying the groundwork for a focused analysis of how individual consumption was impacted during the pandemic. Significantly, psychological influences emerged as a key determinant of consumer behavior in our prior findings, leading us to centralize the pandemic’s effect in our recent research. We undertook this analysis using data from 559 participants from the Republic of Croatia. Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), typically applied in analyses of decision making in businesses, we ranked the influences on consumer purchasing patterns amidst the pandemic. Our findings underscored the profound influence of these factors on consumer behavior and the resulting implications for sustainable development. This highlights the urgency for businesses to adopt flexible strategies that also support overarching sustainability objectives. The objective of the study is to analyze the impact of the pandemic on individual consumption and to understand the key psychological factors influencing consumer behavior. The main contribution of this work is the identification and ranking of pandemic influences using the AHP model, as well as understanding the implications of these behavioral changes for future planning.

The influence of numerous factors determines and changes the daily behavior of consumers. This paper aims to estimate and rank the weight of cultural, social, personal, and psychological factors that change the buying habits of individuals. The research was conducted on a sample of 559 re-spondents. Data from the survey were used to create a hierarchical model structure. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a decision-making method was used in the analysis to estimate and rank the factors that influence consumer habits. An analysis of results showed that the personal and psychological factors have the principal influence on consumer habits. Personal budget, as the dominant criterion in a group of set criteria, contributed to the fact that the personal factors have the dominant influence on consumer habits. The work showed that the choice of the method used is relevant to the results and that the analysis of the impact on consumer habits can be expanded by including several factors.

Consumer trust plays a critical role in the successful adoption of emerging food technologies. This study investigates how trust in five key food technologies—genetically modified organisms (GMO), 3D-printed food, lab-grown meat, nanotechnology, and functional foods—varies across two culturally distinct countries: Croatia and India. Utilizing a quantitative approach with responses from 538 participants, the research explores how demographic factors such as country of residence, gender, and urban-rural setting influence consumer attitudes. Statistical analysis was conducted using MANOVA and one-way ANOVA to test seven hypotheses regarding trust levels. The results revealed significant cross-national differences, with Indian consumers expressing higher trust across all technologies studied. In contrast, variables such as gender and place of residence showed limited or context-dependent influence. These findings underscore the importance of cultural context in shaping consumer trust and point to the need for targeted communication and policy strategies in promoting food innovation. The study contributes to the growing body of research on food technology adoption by emphasizing trust as a culturally embedded and demographically nuanced phenomenon.

In times of global natural changes, environmental pollution, and the harmful impacts of certain products, it is essential to observe consumer behavior regarding preferences for products with sustainable characteristics. This paper evaluates the process of making decisions about the purchase of sustainable products using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), as the most common method of multi-criteria decision-making. The aim of the research is to define the influences that change consumer behavior regarding the purchase of sustainable products. The study was conducted on a sample of 880 respondents in Croatia, Spain, Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine. The results showed that the quality and composition of products, their origin in bioproduction, and their status as local or healthy products are decisive for the purchase of sustainable products. It was also found that consumers in different countries vary; those in Croatia and Spain have similar criteria and priorities, while those in Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine differ in certain aspects of their preferences.