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When toilet paper disappeared from store shelves across Japan in November 1973, the housewives who searched their neighborhood markets and stood in long lines for the scarce packs were described as unwitting perpetrators of a "toilet paper panic." The word "panic" evoked well-established notions of a social frenzy, irrational and overwrought. This article overturns a conception of panic laden with condescension and adopts, instead, a more empathetic approach to examining why a run on toilet paper and other daily necessities occurred in late 1973, and why it resonated so deeply across Japan as a "panic." In the broader context of the early 1970s, the toilet paper scare and its characterization as a "panic" can be understood as responses to sweeping and multifaceted economic challenges that destabilized daily life and threatened to upend middle-class lifestyles. After more than fifteen years of high economic growth, that sense of middle-class comfort and security was shaken by shortages and inflation as well as mounting evidence of government ineptitude and corporate profiteering. Buffeted by insecurity and uncertainty, Japanese "middle-classness" as both an experience and an ideal had never seemed as vulnerable as it did in the early 1970s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper industry is heavily using energy during all the phases of the manufacturing process. This is especially the case in Nordic mills where pressure ground wood is the source of fiber. The purpose of this case study is to show how energy consumption behaves on a monthly basis in a Finnish paper mill that has several paper machine lines. The research examines different categories of energy usage, as well as the overall costs. The results show that the monthly energy usage varies significantly. The electricity consumption of the case mill is rather steady, but there is significant monthly variation in steam and natural gas consumption. Moreover, steam and electricity unit costs increased significantly when coming to the end of the research period. The longitudinal case data shows that it is difficult to enhance energy consumption per produced unit at the paper mill. One reason for this is the bleak demand outlook for the end products, which often result in downsizing and closing operations inside the integrated unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beef and dairy cattle commonly ingest soil when consuming forage-based diets in paddock feeding situations. However, the extent of this soil intake is poorly understood in the Australian environment and under Australian grazing systems. Therefore, the aim of the current literature review was to examine soil ingestion in cattle and the factors that affect ingestion. We found 11 studies containing soil-ingestion data, based in England, France, New Zealand and USA but none from Australia. A wide range in soil ingestion rates was reported and intake varied considerably with season, forage-pasture type, pasture-on-offer, stocking rate and grazing conditions. Generally, soil ingestion was lower in beef cattle than in dairy cattle. We considered the differences in reported levels, variables around those differences, and reliability of methodology used, and compared results with existing international guidelines. For Australian applications, we deduced and recommended that 0.5 kg/head.day is used until field-based research is conducted in Australia which might provide a more specific value for Australian conditions. Our review will inform future livestock management, particularly on contaminated agricultural land. In Australia, there is a poor understanding of how much soil cattle ingest while grazing. We conducted a literature review and found 11 papers to inform our views, but there were no published papers from Australia. Ingestion levels varied among countries, and between dairy and beef enterprises. We estimated that cattle ingest about 0.5 kg/head.day; however, this varies according to circumstance. Research is required in Australian environment to better inform managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes a sceptical look at the treatment of connected practices of commodification and consumption in some exemplary works of mainstream critical social theory that seek to identify cross-contextual historical logics linking economic action to socio-political life. Drawing on situated research from South and southern Africa that helps to complicate our understanding of these links, it argues that many influential claims in the mainstream critical literature remain poorly substantiated and pass silently over vast provinces of complex, situated thought and action. When analysing how markets function, recurrent critical tropes of highly manipulable consumer desire suffer from a tendency to argue by simple fiat, while also abstracting out the historically shifting forms of moral and legal regulation mediating commodification and consumption on most real-world markets. This paper also makes a case for greater scepticism towards categorical associations between market action and the reproduction of socio-political dispositions of power. Consumer behaviour undeniably can shore up distinction and domination, but it has often also been observed to tamper with them by indirect means, while concentrated consumer initiatives in the form of boycotts remain an under-theorised and largely forgotten form of resistance within mainstream critical social theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractOwing to the mainstream interpretation of classical economics as being supply-side, studies examining the analytical role of demand and consumption have been scarce. In this paper, I bring together such passages in Cantillon, Steuart, Smith and Ricardo and forge an analytical link between social tastes and consumption—an attempt at reconstructing a classical theory of taste formation. A classical theory of taste formation has as its foundation methodological holism—viewing social classes as the fundamental unit of analysis. Through a discussion of necessaries and luxuries in the above classical economists, the social division of commodities is highlighted. By drawing on social classes and the social division of commodities, it is seen that taste plays a critical role in the determination of economic growth by influencing consumption expenditure. Finally, it is demonstrated that taste is both a cause and consequence of foreign trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our paper presents the first optimal analytical solution for an investor maximizing both consumption and terminal wealth within expected utility theory in the realm of GARCH models. Working in a general family of affine GARCH models, we derive an affine GARCH optimal wealth process, providing analytical representations for optimal allocation, consumption and value functions. In particular, the optimal consumption ratio avoids the undesirable scenario of investors consuming all wealth prior to maturity. Our numerical study highlights the importance of formally accounting for consumption as it disrupts the level of optimal risky allocations. It also shows a larger impact of stochastic conditional variance (heteroscedasticity) on risky allocations in comparison to the impact of non-Gaussianity. We find, in a numerical study based on S&P 500 index data over a 5-years horizon, that an investor following a Gaussian GARCH strategy can achieve 10% more total consumption and at the same time 8% more terminal wealth than another investor following a constant variance (homoscedastic) strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stakeholder frameworks document the nature of sport franchise owners' interactions with local residents, but there has been little attention on understanding why interactions develop a contentious or collaborative tenor. There has also been little emphasis on understanding whether and how interactions affect revenue-side outcomes. This paper uses the team identification literature to buttress the idea that owners are meaningful points of attachment for fans. It also uses consumer political ideology scholarship to explain that owners' ideologies—never more visible than today—are important predictors of consumption. The paper proposes and tests a series of hypotheses about the effect of owners' and residents' ideological divergence on attendance and spending. Similar ideologies between residents and long-tenured owners were associated with about $8–$10 more spending per fan per game, as well as 2,400–3,950 more fans per game. Implications for academics and practitioners are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on theories of consumption (Barthes 1972; Veblen 1898; Warde 2016) and taste (Bourdieu 2004), this paper analyzes the changing patterns of public consumption of food and beverages in the city of Calcutta (Kolkata) in the twentieth century. Food practices are guided by cultural traditions, geography, and social position, but are also acquired in the cosmopolitan milieu of a metropolitan city. Spaces of public consumption in the city often signify some other social practices and depending on the type of food and association concerned, specific spaces of consumption reflect the scalar taste of consumers across the social strata. While switching between different similar options, the middle class’s association with spaces of consumption shifts with the improvement of the economic condition of the consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-Apartheid South Africa shifted to a culture of consumption, originating with a transition to a neoliberal society [Sana, V. (2022). Bits of bytes and bites of bits: Instagram and the gendered performance of food production in the South African Indian community. Agenda, 36(1), 100–108), alongside access to a globalized world. During apartheid, consumption was strictly regulated, and racialized. This culture of consumption has been prevalent since the mid-1990s. As apartheid regulations lifted, the freedom of movement, choice and the ability to consume unreservedly, opened possibilities previously unimagined for much of the population. Consumption in South Africa is largely characterized by the unique contextual and symbolic processes that inform it. Consumption practices have impacted performances of identity and anxieties of belonging in turn [Sana, V. (2022). Bits of bytes and bites of bits: Instagram and the gendered performance of food production in the South African Indian community. Agenda, 36(1), 100–108]. This paper examines the visual representations of consumption practices on Instagram. Using critical consumption studies, an analysis of various Instagram influencers' consumption uncovers how South Africans affirm their place in the neoliberal global stage through acts of consumption. The article considers the consumption of products as a product itself to be consumed, and how this links to debates around conspicuous consumption in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the factors influencing Kosovo's economic growth from 2009 to 2022, specifically investigating the relationship between export, capital formation, consumption, and economic growth using co-integration analysis and the Vector Autoregressive Model (VAR). The findings indicate that exports of goods and services, as well as household consumption, negatively affect economic growth. Conversely, gross capital formation positively impacts economic growth. The study underscores the complexity of economic growth, highlighting the varied significance of different determinants in different contexts. Key findings reveal that while export and gross capital formation are significant contributors to economic growth, household consumption shows an insignificant relationship to GDP. This research contributes to the ongoing debate on the critical factors influencing economic growth, providing empirical evidence from the context of Kosovo and enhancing our understanding of these dynamics, thus offering new insights for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Unveiling insights into the Chinese low consumption puzzle by emphasizing the impact of monopolistic and strategic land supply on the final consumption rate. • Monopolistic land supply suppresses the final consumption rate by expanding government income share and widening urban-rural income gaps. • Strategic land supply suppresses the final consumption rate by driving up the share of capital income and housing prices. • Reducing land transaction monopolies and optimizing supply structures can yield substantial benefits for economic rebalancing. The challenge of low consumption presents a complex development issue in China, one that has been insufficiently analyzed through the lens of land supply. This paper introduces a fresh perspective to the Chinese low consumption puzzle by shedding light on the constraints imposed by monopolistic/strategic land supply on the final consumption rate. Our findings reveal that China's distinctive land supply patterns systematically restrict consumption, as monopolistic land supply hinders total consumption by widening the share of government sector income and the urban-rural income gap. Additionally, strategic land supply curtails consumption by increasing the share of capital income and driving up housing prices. This study underscores the significance of land supply-side reforms in bolstering consumption, offering valuable policy insights for China and other transitioning economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper was to evaluate the price development of electrical energy and inflation as a commodity in the course of the past 10 years. The production of electrical energy decreased from 83.7 TWh in 2010 to 70.6 TWh in 2020 in the Czech Republic in accordance with the results achieved by using the methods of descriptive statistics, time series, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The consumption of energy slightly increased. The proportion of production to consumption declined and consumption was higher than production in 2020. The prices of electricity reveal oscillations influenced by the conflict in the Ukraine. The use of the sources of energy changed, however, without specific trends. The dependence of prices on inflation is considerable and direct. Energy policy ought to deal with the dependence on import and support the domestic production of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the role of edible mushrooms in the Brazilian diet, considering their strategic significance in meeting nutritional goals within sustainable development. Despite their potential in the nutrition of the Brazilian population, significant knowledge gaps still exist. To address this, the authors formulated this study into five main sections: the consumption of edible mushrooms in Brazil, the factors influencing the consumption, the occurrence of edible mushrooms in Brazil, the nutritional contribution of mushrooms consumed in Brazil and sustainable mushroom production in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach: The authors compiled current literature to develop this viewpoint paper using systematic review, systematic search and narrative review search methods. Findings: Mushrooms are sporadically consumed in Brazil, primarily by the urban population, with challenges in estimating the most used species. Social, economic and cultural factors, health considerations and reduced meat consumption influence mushroom consumption behavior. While Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes and Agaricus bisporus are primary species, ethnomycological studies highlight a more diverse consumption among traditional indigenous communities. Brazil hosts approximately 133 wild mushroom species safe for human consumption. Some can be sustainably cultivated using substrates derived from agricultural and urban waste, offering high-protein, high-fiber, low-fat foods with bioactive compounds holding antioxidant and prebiotic potential. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous study has investigated how edible mushrooms contribute to the food and nutrition of the Brazilian population. This study emphasizes the crucial role of edible mushrooms in preserving Brazil's cultural heritage, contributing to food and nutritional security and enhancing the overall diet quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable food practices are increasingly of interest to scholars and practitioners concerned with the impacts of food production, consumption, and waste in an age of climate change. Attention has been paid to households as actors in addressing sustainability concerns. This paper draws on a national survey of Australian sustainable household practices to offer insights into the ways households are practicing sustainability across three everyday entanglements with food: (1) growing food, (2) consuming food and (3) wasting/disposing of food. The paper explores the types of practices enacted across the three entanglements and provides an understanding of the prevalence and barriers for households adopting sustainable food practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to make a comparison between the national situation and the realities related to the consumption of milk and dairy products at global and community level. For this purpose, total consumption and consumption per capita at the general level of the product group, for milk, butter and cream respectively, were used as indicators. At national level, total consumption reached 4,935 thousand t (average of the period 2017-2019), of which milk held 4,905.67 thousand t, butter 23.67 thousand t and cream 5.67 thousand t. Worldwide, Romania accounted for an average of 0.58% of total milk and dairy consumption, 0.59% of milk consumption, 0.21% for butter consumption and 0.16% in case of cream consumption. Related to the Community context, Romania held shares of about 3.30% regarding the total consumption of milk and dairy products, 3.38% for milk consumption, 1.37% for butter consumption and 0.24% for cream. If we refer to the situation of consumption per capita, there are averages of the indicator, as follows: 233.54 kg - total consumption, 232.04 kg - milk consumption, 1.20 kg for butter and 0.30 kg for cream. Reported worldwide, Romania exceeded 3.23 times the total consumption of milk and dairy products and 3.29 times the consumption of milk and in case of butter and cream only 82.19 and 66.67% beside the global level of the indicator were achieved. unlike European Union, Romania exceeded consumption at the general level of the product group and for milk, but for butter and cream the situation was unfavorable (about 1/3 of the Community consumption for butter and only 6.05% for cream). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Stuart Hall's concept of articulation and the concrete with Bridget O'Laughlin's reminder of a focus on the struggles of living labour, this paper theorizes racial capitalism in South Africa from the concrete relations of retail labour in Johannesburg. The paper examines ways in which white working class women constituted retailing, struggling for their own claims in relation to gendered family and workplace orders, which in turn conditioned how black women organized when they entered front-line service jobs in the late 1960s, which then disrupted this order to explain a very different class politics and to constitute anew these meaningful spaces. These processes happened through multiple mediations. Retail capital not only contributed to economic expansion; labour relations in shops constituted specific affective spaces as meaningful terrains of collective belonging, projecting ideologies and explaining differentiated "subjects in struggle". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses micro-level data from the 2013 official Kuwait Household expenditure survey covering 2961 households; and three 2020 COVID-19 shock-related CEO, labor force and household surveys to juxtapose the consumption profiles of foreign workers in Kuwait. The paper contributes to a growing literature on foreign workers by focusing on foreign workers' employment and earnings and consumption profiles following the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper compares differential consumption responses of 250 foreign and Kuwaiti households during the COVID-19 shock with profiles that existed during 2013, which was a shock-free year. Moreover, since foreigners represent nearly 70% of the population, OLS regressions were applied to the 2013 microdata and the 2020 household survey to inquire if standard consumption functions deployed in the economic literature hold in the case of foreign households in Kuwait and vets how their consumption responded to income shocks. Our data and empirical analysis corroborate that Kuwait's foreign community bore the brunt of COVID-19 in terms of employment, earnings and living conditions. Moreover, our results broadly indicate congruence with Friedman's permanent income hypothesis, and that for given income levels, consumption heterogeneity holds for foreign workers according to age cohorts, giving support to the life cycle hypothesis. The findings carry significant implications to Kuwait's dichotomous labor markets, and to households' income and consumption policies especially to Kuwait's transformative policy to realize sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea that not all types of consumption benefit well-being is not new. However, its recent formalization within the framework of the behavioral and social sciences has led to a rapid expansion of knowledge about the goods that are most effective in increasing happiness. Most evidence has been obtained from the developed world and with a focus on broad categories that ignore meaningful heterogeneities. This paper contributes to this domain by conducting a detailed analysis of the relationship that happiness has with a variety of market goods and with aggregate measures of purchasing power. We do this using the data of Ecuador, a country characterized by a relational-oriented culture, high collectivist values, structural inequalities, and weak political institutions. Throughout the paper, we tested various hypotheses related to this particular context. The results show that consumption is superior to income as a predictor of happiness. Higher levels of happiness can also be seen among people who spend more on relational and time-saving goods; less on health and alcohol; and own a good quality of dwelling. As for basic goods, some seem beneficial in the whole sample analysis, but they exhibit a stronger relationship with happiness among the poor. Additionally, we find that, in most cases, public goods as well as paying taxes correlate negatively with happiness. Moreover, we identify some heterogeneities that shed light on the behavior of the poor and that reflect unequal distribution of household tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher levels of economic activity are often accompanied by higher energy use and consumption of natural resources. As fossil fuels still account for 80% of the global energy mix, energy consumption remains closely linked to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and thus to climate change. Under the assumption of sufficiently elastic demand, this reality of global economic development based on permanent growth of economic activity, brings into play the Jevons Paradox, which hypothesises that increases in the efficiency of resource use leads to increases in resource consumption. Previous research on the rebound effects has limitations, including a lack of studies on the connection between reinforcement learning and environmental consequences. This paper develops a mathematical model and computer simulator to study the effects of micro-level exploration–exploitation strategies on efficiency, consumption and sustainability, considering different levels of direct and indirect rebound effects. Our model shows how optimal exploration–exploitation strategies for increasing efficiency can lead to unsustainable development patterns if they are not accompanied by demand reduction measures, which are essential for mitigating climate change. Moreover, our paper speaks to the broader issue of efficiency traps by highlighting how indirect rebound effects not only affect primary energy (PE) consumption and GHG emissions, but also resource consumption in other domains. By linking these issues together, our study sheds light on the complexities and interdependencies involved in achieving sustainable development goals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Climate change adaptation needs a science of culture'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights the activity of raising sheep and goats in Romania, and the consumption of meat from these categories of animals, in the period 2015-2021, while also sketching the autochthonous ethnographic framework where the economic activity is placed - the tradition records millennial pastoral aspects that are still preserved more or less formally with deep echo in Romanian popular spirituality, reflected in popular beliefs, traditions, customs, folklore. The paper analysed specific indicators of the sheep and goat breeding sector, such as: quantitative fluctuations of the number of sheep and goats; the sheep meat production obtained in slaughter houses; the number of sheep slaughtered in slaughterhouses; the price for sheep meat "per 100 kg live weight" and the average annual consumption, per inhabitant, of sheep and goat meat. The statistical sources for our data are the National Institute of Statistic and Eurostat, as well as other specialized materials. Statistical data showed that in Romania in 2021 there were over 10,000,000 sheep and approximately 1,500,000 goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concepts of internet banking and mobile banking have led to changes in people's financial behavior in terms of earning, consuming, and saving. This new concept, which entered the market quite recently, was used at the beginning of the new digital technology in various types of activities, banking operations, and nowadays these services are used by all people who want to save through banks or create new sources of income, as well as to make quick currency exchanges without going to credit institutions. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze people's behavior toward new digital technologies, e-banking adoption, and non-banking financial institutions internet services. The objectives pursued are: whether e-banking users are homogeneous in their characteristics in the EU 27 and which users have the most convergent or divergent behavior in the EU 27. Statistical data taken from Eurostat 2023 was used for the Sigma convergence analysis, the time series taken into consideration being from 2004 to 2022. The results showed that the changes in the procedural-fiscal-financial sphere are the ones that fully reflect the two principles underlying the tax evolution: digitization and simplification. These results confirm that people are adopting the new digital technology and change their behavior from consumer to prosumer. The study shows that all most categories adopted e-banking using new digital technologies when it comes to consumption and saving, with few exceptions that should be carefully supported. Plain Language Summary: E-Banking convergence and the adopter's behaviour within the EU Countries The concepts of internet banking and mobile banking have led to changes in people's financial behavior in terms of earning, consuming, and saving. This new concept, which entered the market quite recently, was used at the beginning of the new digital technology in various types of activities, banking operations, and nowadays these services are used by all people who want to save through banks or create new sources of income, as well as to make quick currency exchanges without going to credit institutions. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze people's behavior towards new digital technologies, e-banking adoption, and non-banking financial institutions internet services. The objectives pursued are: whether e-banking users are homogeneous in their characteristics in the EU 27 and which users have the most convergent or divergent behavior in the EU 27. Statistical data taken from Eurostat 2023 was used for the Sigma convergence analysis, the time series taken into consideration being from 2004 to 2022. The results showed that the changes in the procedural-fiscal-financial sphere are the ones that fully reflect the two principles underlying the tax evolution: digitization and simplification. These results confirm that people are adopting the new digital technology and change their behavior from consumer to prosumer. The study shows that all most categories adopted e-banking using new digital technologies when it comes to consumption and saving, with few exceptions that should be carefully supported. Digital transformation is not just about buying new, modern equipment, or retrieving data quickly and securely, but also about the technical implementation of state-of-the-art IT systems. It should be noted that digitization has had important effects on both public and private organizations and people, which can be translated as follows: time saved in people's interaction with public and private organizations; efficiency in administrative processes; transparency in their work. The economic environment becomes much more attractive and leads to investment and innovation in all areas. The digitization of all public or private services would also strengthen the administrative capacity of the whole population. Through studies, research, and future studies, it is essential to analyze and demonstrate that new digital technologies and their use could lead to the elimination of tax fraud, increased public confidence in local or central government and confidence in business. Finally, we can say that it is essential that new research in the field of digitization and e-banking use strengthens the literature reviews and explains at a higher level the answers to all research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The consumption of plus-size clothing is part of a growing market, but it is always surrounded by cloudy issues, such as the lack of a precise direction when it comes to producing and selling these garments and the prejudice surrounding the various areas of the fat body. Employing a systematic review, this paper aims to understand the consumption of plus-size clothing through an in-depth analysis of studies published in various areas on the subject. Design/Methodology/Approach: A systematic review was conducted in the WEB OF SCIENCE and SCOPUS databases, and 35 pertinent articles published up to the year 2020 were identified, read and analyzed in detail in this paper. Findings: The articles originated three thematic categories: Plus-size Consumption, which deals with consumer experience with the industry; Plus-size in the Media, which addresses aspects of advertising and plus-size models; Plus-size Identity, which covers identity formation and social influences. Research Limitations/Implications: Fourteen theoretical gaps were pointed out to be worked on by future studies, comprising online retailing, identity, demographic, contextual, methodological, cultural, and social issues. Originality/value: The present study represents pioneering work in the field of research on plussize clothing, and, to the best of our knowledge, it is the first of its kind to conduct a comprehensive and systematic analysis of studies published in various areas related to this topic. While the plus-size apparel and retail market remain shrouded in nebulous issues, this research stands out as a valuable contribution by providing profound insights into consumption in this segment. Moreover, by identifying theoretical gaps and offering suggestions for future research, the study promotes advancements in knowledge and understanding of this emerging area. Its academic significance and potential impact on the industry make it crucial to developing more informed and inclusive strategies for the plus-size fashion sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the progress of geographical research on the gambling industry and presents a framework to comprehend the role of space in gambling consumption and harm. It covers two themes: the casino's place in urban governance and the agency of gamblers, and how space impacts gambling consumption and harm. The paper introduces a conceptual framework of orientation, affective atmosphere, and intimacy to better comprehend how gambling practices can increase or decrease risk. Finally, the paper suggests that this framework can help to better understand online sports gambling consumption and harm in the context of market growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. Feeding behaviour is an important tool for the early detection of diseases in dairy cows. Aims. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the variation in time spent feeding in the prepartum and postpartum periods may be used to detect the occurrence of metritis and subclinical ketosis (SCK) before the onset of the clinical symptoms at the postpartum. Methods. The research was conducted in four electronic databases, including Scopus, Science Direct, Pubmed, and Web of Science. The inclusion criteria for citations were original research, evaluation of daily time spent feeding in dairy cows, and use of this indicator for early identification of metritis and/or SCK in dairy cows in the prepartum and postpartum periods. A random-effect meta-analysis (MA) was conducted for metritis with the time spent feeding means of control (healthy) and treated (sick) groups measured in the prepartum and postpartum periods. The analysis was conducted with the values of daily time spent feeding before and after calving in both groups. Key results. In total, 26 trials from six papers, involving 1037 dairy cows, were included in the statistical analysis. No data were obtained for SCK to conduct a MA, while for metritis, 16 trials from six papers (prepartum) and 10 trials from three papers (postpartum) were considered. The heterogeneity between studies on metritis was moderate (I² = 57.5%) in the prepartum period and low (I² = 10.0%) in the postpartum period. The mean difference feeding time for healthy and unhealthy animals was greater during postpartum (21.14 min/day, P < 0.001) than during prepartum (16.36 min/day, P < 0.001). Meta-regression analysis showed that number of daily milkings, sample size, and the place of running trial significantly influenced the time spent feeding by cows. Conclusion. On the basis of available and suitable scientific literature, time spent feeding is reduced at the prepartum and postpartum periods in dairy cows further affected by metritis. Implications. This study evidenced that feeding time might be incorporated into health-monitoring protocols for early detection of metritis in dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the dynamically optimal consumption, investment and life-insurance strategies for a wage earners under inside information and inflation. Assume that the wage earner can invest in a risk-free asset, a risky asset and an inflation-indexed bond and that the wage earner can obtain some additional information on the risky asset from the financial market. By maximizing the expected utility of the wage earner's consumption, inheritance and terminal wealth, we obtain the dynamically optimal consumption, investment and life-insurance strategies for the wage earner. The method of this paper is mainly based on (dynamical) stochastic control theory and the technique of enlargement of filtrations. Moreover, sensitivity analysis is carried out, which reveals that a wage earner with inside information tends to increase his/her consumption and investment, while reducing his/her purchase of life insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are in trouble half-way towards their target date of 2030. With increasing global inequalities, and reversal in developmental gains because of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as financial and political instability, achieving the goals in the next seven years seems difficult. We undertake an exercise in defining an ecological system of the SDGs to argue that focusing on two sentinel goals of SDGs 5 & 12 ('gender equality' and 'responsible consumption and production') could be key to achieving the other goals. The linkages posited in the SDG ecosystem are based upon our reading of the literature from a political economic and political ecological perspective. Prioritising SDGs 5 and 12 requires more of political rather than a financial commitment. The paper proposes a pathway to achieving some success in realising SDGs during their remaining half-life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractPrevious research on alcohol consumption and leisure illuminates the ways in which drinking practices—including a preference for “craft” products—are entangled with notions of taste and distinction and linked to classed drinking identities and modes of “serious leisure”. However, little is known about how this plays out for light drinkers or short or long-term abstainers from alcohol. These supposed non-consumers have traditionally been located on the periphery of dominant drinking cultures. However, an expanding market of craft and speciality No and Low alcohol (NoLo) drinks in Western contexts presents new opportunities for light/nondrinkers to “do” leisure, (re)engage with the market and construct discerning (non)drinking identities. Drawing on findings from in-depth interviews with UK-based NoLo drinkers, this paper highlights how craft NoLo consumers draw on themes of skill, taste and expertise to align themselves with the discerning (middle-class) drinker and perform or embody modes of serious leisure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to expand the functionality of systems for monitoring the parameters of the flow of liquid media is substantiated. This article presents the advantages of using meters based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to control the parameters of the flow of liquid media. This paper also aims to solve the problems that arise during the operation of NMR flowmeters-relaxometers in two measurement modes (i.e., pulse mode and mode with periodic modulation of the magnetic field in the NMR signal recording system). Notably, the main problem in the operation of these devices is associated with an increase in the error in measuring liquid flow or the termination of its measurement process with rapid changes in liquid flow. The use of a magnetic mark mode, which helps solve the aforementioned problem, significantly limits the possibilities of using NMR flowmeters-relaxometers when used to monitor the parameters of liquid media or with a large increase in the flowing medium temperature. A method for creating a magnetic mark at the noise level for measuring liquid flow is proposed. In this method, changing the composition of the flowing medium or replacing the liquid does not have a significant effect on the formation of a magnetic mark at the noise level in a strong inhomogeneous magnetic field (i.e., the noise amplitude is several times higher than the signal amplitude). The results of experimental studies of the nutation line from changes in the magnetic field gradient are presented. A mathematical model based on the modified Bloch equations is developed, and the relationships between the magnetic field parameters are established to implement the magnetic mark mode in the NMR signal with magnetization inversion at the noise level. The proposed method ensures that the influence of rapid changes in the value of liquid flow (by a factor of 10 or more) on the flow measurement error is insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, there is a controversial relation between consumer behaviour and food waste. On one hand, the sustainable food waste management is very vehement and, on the other hand, the development of promotional techniques is very dynamic, too. The development of human society, the acceleration of the rate of economic growth and the ever-higher generalized consumption is an obvious tendency. Among the many goods consumed excessively, food occupies a main place, generating the impressive quantities of food waste. The phenomenon is not only individual, but with a significant impact at the community level. We propose a set of solutions to regulate the imbalanced relation which is analysed. The used methods for the paper elaboration are: synthesis based on literature incursion, the empirical approach for connection between concepts and data analysis to support the hypothesis and ideas developed in the paper. The result shows that consumption manifested in disagreement with the genuine needs of the individual determines losses and disadvantages for the health, involves difficulties in the management of environmental problems, high-level costs for sustainable goals achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the current trends regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the protection of the environment and the need to ensure food security, as well as the role that biofuels have in achieving these objectives, in this paper we proposed to analyze the evolution of the biofuels market in the period 2010-2022, but also its prospects for the next period. The research methodology assumed both the bibliographic study of the specialized literature, as well as the collection, processing and interpretation of existing statistical data in the internal (INSSE) and international databases (Eurostat, FAO), which were the basis for formulating the conclusions regarding the future evolution of the biofuels market. At the same time, community documents were presented and analyzed that regulate the use or reduction of the consumption of biofuels, in the perspective of achieving some objectives of a neutral continent. Thus, it can be seen that both at the world level and at the community level, in the period 2010-2022 there were increases in both production and consumption of biofuels, with the exception of the period 2020-2021, when due to the Covid-19 pandemic decreases were recorded. Worldwide production increased by 223% in 2022 compared to 2010, and consumption increased by 119%. At the community level, production increased by 125%, and consumption by 117%. These increases in turn influenced price increases. Regarding the estimates for 2027, at the European level, the directives related to environmental protection and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions will have the effect of reducing production and consumption. At the level of other developing countries, the production and consumption of biofuels will continue to be supported through financial aid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since food choices involve classifications and symbols that cover their consumption with an ethical and moral character, the objective of this paper is to analyze media consumption convocations of vegetable meat. Based on the theoretical-methodological assumptions of French Discourse Analysis, we aim to study some different processes of discursive production materialized in the communication of media actors that convoke for this product consumption, such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) linked to animal rights and brands that produce vegetable meat. We will observe the discourses in dispute and the different discursive strategies mobilized by these actors in media scenarios that promote the consumption of vegetable meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neoclassical economics has established itself as the discipline of rational choice. Consequently, under methodological individualism and in the context of consumption, an agent's choice is based on the ordering of preferences determined exogenously, disregarding any emotional, biological influences, or factors from socio-economic dynamics. Therefore, this paper aims to present an alternative framework for the decision-making of economic individuals at a theoretical and formal-mathematical level, grounded in the principles of evolutionary economics and complex adaptive systems. It is argued that the process of making choices in consumption is inherent to social dynamics. From an individual-holistic perspective, the mechanism motivating action can be characterized as an evolutionary algorithm that integrates biological, historical, cultural, social class, and market competition influences as endogenous elements in determining choice and consumption behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Population ageing will bring economic challenges in the future. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether increased educational level could mitigate the consequences of population ageing on economic sustainability, measured as the gap between labour income and consumption. Design/methodology/approach: Using the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) methodology, the authors decompose labour income and consumption by age and educational level (low, medium and high) and compare obtained age profiles with those calculated conventionally. In addition, using the population projections by age and educational level, the authors project both profiles to 2060 for selected EU countries and assess future economic sustainability. Findings: The results show that the highly educated have a significantly higher surplus for a longer period then those with lower and medium education. Therefore, the improved educational level of individuals will have a substantially positive impact on labour income in the future—on average by about 32% by 2060 for all EU countries included. However, as the better educated also consume more, higher production does not fully translate into improved economic sustainability, but the resulting net effect is still positive at about 19%. Originality/value: The authors present for the first time an NTA by education for 15 EU countries and show the importance of including education in the analysis of the economic life cycle. The authors also show that increased educational level will mitigate the consequences of population ageing on economic sustainability in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Slow Food movement, originated in Italy in 1989, is a movement that defines a respectful attitude towards food. It includes the protection of local food, food culture and traditions. The movement advocates the cultivation of food that is carefully prepared and consumed with pleasure. It encourages the improvement of relations between producers of ecologically produced food, cooks and consumers. Slow Food represents resistance to fast food and modern fast consumption, which has led to the abandonment of local gastronomic traditions and a decrease in people's interest in authentic food. The aim of this paper was to investigate the attitudes of students of the Faculty of tourism and rural development in Požega about Slow Food. Using the online survey method, the research has been conducted on a sample of 38 students of Enogastronomy and Tourism. The results of the research showed that the Slow Food concept is not recognizable among students because only 30% have heard about it. Enjoying the food they consume is extremely important for almost all students. Half of the respondents had heard of Slow Food, while only a quarter declared that they had consumed food presented as Slow Food. According to the respondents, Slow Food is best described by the attributes "natural", "ecological", "healthy", "conscious food consumption" and "enjoying eating". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's construction industry, it is essential to power the site operation with electricity for the efficient execution of construction projects. This paper focuses on an in-depth analysis of the aspects of power supply on construction sites, with particular emphasis on the current trends, challenges and innovations in this area. It provides an insight into the importance of electricity management in the construction industry and highlights its impact on site safety and efficiency. The aim is to address the challenges associated with electrical power on construction sites, such as the use of renewable energy sources and intelligent control systems. By integrating energy-efficient practices and technologies, the construction industry can significantly reduce its environmental impact and contribute to sustainable development. The final section focuses mainly on the findings and provides recommendations for practice, in order to provide an overview of the current status and perspectives and to contribute to the efficient management of electricity in the construction sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the number of television series increasing almost daily and resources becoming increasingly sparse, it is more important than ever for companies to determine which series will have market success or not. This paper attempts to identify the characteristics of television fiction series that cause consumers to perceive them as being of high quality. In a nation-wide survey, we isurveyed 874 television viewers about ten series from four genres to investigate which characteristics of television series predict consumers' perception of their quality. Although in most cases the coherence of the plot and the dialogues have a strong and positive effect on perceived quality, overall, we find that different genres have different predictors of perceived quality. We discuss the implications of our findings and provide recommendations for future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private home dining (PHD) is gaining popularity around the world. The PHD is an example of a sharing economy in which guests enter the homes of amateur chefs for a shared experiential meal. This paper explores the social and spatial dimensions of PHD in Singapore from the perspectives of hosts and guests. For the hosts, PHD events mean opening their home to the public and in the process, taking on new roles as cook, guide and cultural ambassador. From the guests' perspective, dining in a novel environment brings new experiences, exposing them to new people, knowledge and skills. A mixed-methods approach comprising mainly interviews and participant observations was adopted in this research. The findings reveal that PHD transforms home spaces yet retains the essence of home; compels members of a household to perform multiple roles simultaneously; facilitates the process of home-making; and encourages guests to actively engage as co-producers of their own cultural and culinary experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I investigate the logic underlying household food consumption in Portugal and how it relates to class positioning, like other expressions of culture. Therefore, the paper examines the Bourdieusian hypothesis of homology between the field of food and the configuration of social positions in Portuguese society against the hypotheses that emphasise homogenisation and individualisation of consumption patterns. I start by remapping the Portuguese social space, using an approach inspired by the analysis pioneered by Bourdieu on Distinction and recently taken up by several streams of research. Drawing on the national Household Budget Survey, I then develop a Correspondence Analysis of expenditure on a wide range of foodstuffs. The analysis is supplemented by data from the Second Large Survey on Sustainability in Portugal, seeking to examine patterns in ethical dispositions concerning food and drink in contemporary Portugal and their homology with class. Concluding on a degree of similarity between the space of food consumption and the space of social positions engendered by differences in the overall volume and composition of capital, I close with reflections on the methodological challenges of this approach and on the broader significance of these results for our understanding of consumption in Portugal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the arrival of Chinese-made goods as one of the main vectors of African societies' entrance into mass consumption logics. However, it proposes going beyond the dominant monocausal approach, which only relates the consumption of these goods to their low price. To do so, this paper emphasizes a careful observation of consumer practices to unveil the complex process of 'domestication' that African consumers carry out on these goods daily (Sahlins, M. D. 1993. "Goodbye to Tristes Tropes: Ethnography in the Context of Modern World History." The Journal of Modern History 65 (1): 1–25; Warnier, J.-P. 1994. Le paradoxe de la marchandise authentique: Imaginaire et consommation de masse. Paris: L'Harmattan). To this end, we focus our attention on the case of Chinese motorcycles in Burkina Faso. Historically the most imported Chinese good in Burkina Faso, motorcycles are at the centre of a multitude of practices and social representations. After placing the arrival of these bikes in the historicity of the cyclo-distinction, this paper presents the many ways in which Chinese motorcycles – though less expensive – are socially and symbolically valued by Burkinabe consumers. Initially considered symbols of a new 'modernity', the aesthetic and technical characteristics of Chinese motorcycles gradually became a standard shared by all imported models. The multiplication of importers and models accompanied a growing complexity of symbolic values and distinction logics, in which the growing role of the 'new figures of success' (Banégas, R., and J.-P. Warnier. 2001. "Nouvelles figures de la réussite et du pouvoir." Politique Africaine 82 (2): 5–23) was expressed. In the context of mounting uncertainty surrounding the new distinctive codes and an acceleration of the symbolic obsolescence of motorcycles, 'novelty' became the new reference value and frequently replacing possessions a key element of social value, and therefore a central rule of distinction. Thus, a focus on the process of 'cultural appropriation' of Chinese goods allows us to distance ourselves from a financially captive interpretation of African consumption to unveil the social determinants of Africa's entry into mass consumption logics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of the 21st century, within the framework of food consumption in the Czech Republic, organic food consumption has also begun to be statistically monitored. This consumption is influenced by several factors, such as consumer demand, their changing attitudes, and beliefs about the correctness of their consumption, but also the owners and managers of companies producing organic food and their willingness and decision to offer organic food to consumers. The content of this paper is to search for the connections between selected macroeconomic indicators and their influence on total household consumption and, within it, on the consumption of certain groups of food and organic food. More than twenty years of statistical monitoring shows how selected macroeconomic indicators and food consumption, including organic foods and their main groups, were developed. During approximately twenty years of development, it is possible to identify several fluctuations with varying intensity in growth, stagnation and decrease. An example is the current economic situation manifested by significant movements in the leading macroeconomic indicators to varying extents in the Czech Republic and several other countries, not only in Europe. The deterioration of the macroeconomic indicators results understandably raises concerns about the future development of consumption and the applicability of the generally produced more expensive organic food on the market. Therefore, The author team investigated the correlation between selected macroeconomic indicators, total food consumption and, in particular, the consumption of selected organic foods and evaluated the course of changes over time between 1993-2021. The influence of selected macro indicators on changes in the consumption of organic foods in the Czech Republic was assessed. The previously published papers deal with food and organic food consumption from different perspectives but not from the perspective of examining the correlation between consumption and three chosen macroeconomic indicators. The present contribution thus aims to fill this existing gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the responses of stock traded and economic activity in relation to central bank independence shocks. The analysis is based on a panel Vector Autoregressive estimation covering 25 developing countries for a quarterly period between 1990 Q1 and 2021 Q4. Panel VAR estimation is known to be potentially biased in a dynamic panel data model if the coefficient on the endogenous variables differs across countries. To test the pooling assumption of the model, this paper applies the Chow and Roy-Zellner tests. The results establish that the models contain the heterogeneity among samples; thus, mean-group estimation for panel VAR is performed as a solution for heterogeneity problem. The results show that there is a delayed effect of CBI to increase stock traded. This demonstrates that CBI takes around six quarters to strengthen the financial market. By dividing the sample into two groups, we find that CBI has a different effect on stock traded for countries that have high and low stock traded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the optimal investment-consumption-insurance policies for a wage earner with time-varying risk preferences. The wage earner's objective is to find the optimal investment-consumption-insurance strategies that maximise the expected discounted utilities from intertemporal consumption, legacy and terminal wealth over the uncertain lifetime horizon. Similar to Lichtenstern et al. [Optimal life-cycle consumption and investment decisions under age-dependent risk preferences. Mathematics and Financial Economics, 15, 275–313], by using a separation approach, the problem is divided into two sub-problems, including the consumption-legacy problem and the terminal wealth-only problem. For each sub-problem, the analytical expressions for the optimal strategies and value functions are derived by using the martingale method. In such a way, we obtain the optimal strategies for the original problem by merging the solutions of the two individual problems. Finally, we conduct some numerical experiments to illustrate the effects of some parameters on the optimal strategies and obtain some economic insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the problems in ensuring the food and nutrition security of Bulgaria. The focus is on the consumption. Outlined are characteristics by product groups and products. Highlighted are specifics, peculiarities and problems. Considered is the priority significance of the consumption of products with high biological value for the country's food and nutritional security. The significance and the role of their import in meeting basic food needs is assessed as unacceptable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a bilinear optimal control problem associated to the following chemotaxis-consumption model in a bounded domain Ω⊂R³ during a time interval (0,T): ∂tu-Δu=-∇⋅(u∇v),∂tv-Δv=-usv+fv1Ωc, with s≥1, endowed with isolated boundary conditions and initial conditions for (u,v), u being the cell density, v the chemical concentration and f the bilinear control acting in a subdomain Ωc⊂Ω. The existence of weak solutions (u,v) to this model given f∈Lq((0,T)×Ω), for some q>5/2, has been proved in [F. Guillén-González and A. L. Corrêa Vianna Filho, Optimal Control Related to Weak Solutions of a Chemotaxis-Consumption Model, arXiv:2211.14612, 2022]. In this paper, we study a related optimal control problem in the strong solution setting. First, imposing the regularity criterion us∈Lq((0,T)×Ω) (q>5/2) for a given weak solution, we prove existence and uniqueness of global-in-time strong solutions. Then, the existence of a global optimal solution can be deduced. Finally, using a Lagrange multipliers theorem, we establish first order optimality conditions for any local optimal solution, proving existence, uniqueness and regularity of the associated Lagrange multipliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tradition-brands are cultural constructs launched in Romania around the year 2000, which bring into play a repertoire of conventions and “myths” shared nationwide and proposed to the market, increasingly and more intensely in the late years, by large-scale industrial operators, who in this manner simulate and menace small-scale producers (those actually in the right to claim this tradition as their own). Previous work in the anthropology of consumption has theorized that commercial communication associated with tradition-brands represents a space of negotiation between the Big Industry and traditionalist consumers. The present paper resumes, after more than a decade, the previous thesis, with Mark Fisher's conflict theory tools. In this perspective, traditional brands are forms of Big Industry colonization and naturalization of artisan culture. The case analysis of the Matache Măcelaruʼ charcuterie brand reveals multiple levels of realist-capitalist processing of the commercial message. The key understanding of Fisher's theory of consumerism as a sensitive interface between the capitalist system and the public leads to sharp conclusions about the alienation and disintegration of social actors (consumers, small artisans and merchants) and about the removal of small businesses from the current economic landscape. The possibility of a breach in capitalist totalitarianism lies, hypothetically, in the Romanian public's inertia towards globalization. A conscious reaction is also needed, which arises from civic initiatives regarding the realization of a short producer-consumer chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the relative ability of individuals and pairs to solve a finite, stochastic lifecycle problem that requires borrowing and saving to achieve the rational benchmark. We find that pairs significantly outperform individuals, especially when allowing subjects to account for past mistakes along conditionally-optimal consumption paths. Joint decision-makers out-earn individuals by about 23%. Though pairs and individuals both overreact to income and wealth balances, these distortions are twice as large for individuals. Analyzing chat data reveals that pairs bargain to balance idiosyncratic consumption preferences, which reduces consumption errors. We estimate consumption heuristics at the observation level and study their dynamics. We show that about half our subjects (or pairs of subjects) stick to heuristics for the majority of the experiment. These 'stable' subjects significantly outperform their 'unstable' counterparts in the dynamic optimization task. Finally, we provide suggestive evidence that subjects who have a nuanced view of debt outperform subjects who think of debt as always bad, even after controlling for cognitive ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a critical overview of research in geography that has explored the economic lives of Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals. I begin by considering how the consumption and production of mainstream commercial gaybourhoods is the primary approach through which geographies of sexuality, and queer geographies have engaged with economy. I then examine the ways in which digital spaces have blurred the boundaries of consumption and production, arguing that digital spaces are indicative of the much broader range of economic actions in which LGBTQ+ people take part. Finally, I turn to Gibson‐Graham's 'diverse economies', suggesting that this concept can attend to the existence of numerous multi‐scalar and overlapping queer economies. Developing a queer economies research agenda is crucial to turn attention beyond consumption and production in a narrow range of gaybourhoods, and to better portray the lives of those frequently excluded from mainstream commercial LGBTQ+ economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapidly growing body of research suggests that modern economies find themselves at existential crossroads: both prosperity and survival are a function of consumption-fueled economic growth. Prosperity seemingly depends on it; survival is made increasingly impossible by it. Economists measure economic growth by what is generally recognized as a deeply flawed yet still hegemonic economic performance indicator—GDP. This paper suggests that growth based in increased consumption is in need of reconceptualization no matter what the measure, and invites the research community of the Journal of Consumer Culture to investigate what such a research agenda might look like. Economic logic itself, this essay argues, needs to be re-embedded in science, rather than operate as a self-referential logic outside of natural boundaries. Biophysical limits force us to question economic growth as a goal. A wide range of social pathologies, furthermore, from inequality to stress to loneliness, raise deep questions about the desirability of growth. The essay is a self-conscious provocation to the discipline of economics: there is an emerging need to move beyond a conceptualization of the economy as a self-contained system of monetary market exchanges defining the relations between production, distribution, and consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is focused on dairy sector with the emphasis on the development of consumption of milk and dairy products, including cheese, curd and other dairy products, in the last 15 years in the Slovak Republic and in the Czech Republic. The aim of the paper is to identify the level of milk and dairy products consumption, as well as to identify the main determinants affecting the consumption. Paper is also aimed at milk production with emphasis on the main problems that may affect future development on the dairy market. The primary data are obtained by consumer survey and survey aimed focused on producers of milk and dairy products. Based on the results we have identified that the milk and dairy products consumption by Slovak consumers is lower compared to the Czech Republic and the quality and price are considered as the main determinants influencing the consumption. We also found out that milk and dairy products producers are adapting their production to demand, but it is important to point out the barriers related in particular to the introduction of new technologies into production, rising input prices or growing consumer disinterest in the consumption of milk and dairy products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption are widespread practices that are legal and socially accepted in many societies. One of the common tools to reduce the consumption of these legal drugs is increasing prices. The prices for customers include taxes (value added tax and excise tax). Hundreds of studies from around the world are interested in the impact of taxes and prices on the demand for tobacco products. This topic is also relevant for governments of all countries trying to regulate consumption. AIM: The aim of the paper is to describe the amount of excise tax on legal drugs (alcohol, cigarettes) and compare their consumption in Europe and the countries of the European Union. METHODS: The sources of data for this research were publicly available from the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH), Tax Foundation, and Eurostat. In the paper selected scientific methods are used (analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction). For the literature review Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) were used. SAMPLE: Data from Europe was used to examine alcohol and its taxation; a total of 31 countries were examined. All 27 countries of the European Union were examined for the assessment of cigarette consumption and its taxation. RESULTS: The overview shows that low taxation can lead to high alcohol consumption (Estonia, France). On the other hand, even relatively high taxation may not lead to low alcohol consumption (Germany, Slovenia, Czechia, and Austria). However, a very high excise tax can lead to a reduction in alcohol consumption, for example in Norway, Iceland, Sweden, and also in Finland. In Finland and Denmark, it was confirmed that a high excise tax (Finland €6.14 and Denmark €5.27) leads to lower consumption of cigarettes (Finland 9.9% and Denmark 11.7%). In Bulgaria the data shows that a low excise tax (€1.81) leads to a large number of people who smoke cigarettes daily (28.7%). As many as 12.9% of people smoke more than 20 cigarettes a day, which is the highest value in the European Union. If we compare it with the average (6%), it is a very high value. CONCLUSIONS: In many countries, e.g. Finland, Bulgaria, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and France, it has been confirmed that the amount of consumption tax leads to greater or lesser consumption of legal drugs (alcohol, cigarettes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]