Food Consumption and Level of Economic Development in Individual Regions of Yugoslavia in 1968

Abstract Heterogeneous natural conditions and varied economic, historical and cultural influences reflect themselves regionally in the demographic‐economic characteristics of households and in differences in the level and structure of both available resources spent on personal consumption. However, personal consumption in individual regions is not only a reflection of their own material conditions, but also the result of conditions prevailing in Yugoslavia as a whole, because of the unity of the economic system and the economic policy of the country. The structure of resources spent on personal consumption is generally characterized by a relatively high proportion of food. The proportion of food by region is generally the higher the lower the amount of available resources, and vice versa. Expenditure of food by region is closely connected with the total amount of resources spent on personal consumption. The greater the amount of resources spent the greater the expenditure of food in absolute terms, and vice versa. As regards the level of consumption of individual food articles, the greater or smaller differences depend on the level of economic development, purchasing power, dietary habits, and the like. The level of non‐monetary consumption of individual articles by region is relatively high, and market consumption unsatisfactory, a fact which has an unfavourable influence on dietary standards. In individual regions there are greater or smaller differences between dietary standards and the level of economic development because of the influence of factors which determine personal consumption in Yugoslavia.