Shea butter consumption pattern among selected households in Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigerian consumers have increased their consumption of Shea butter products in recent years due to the recognition of  its much potential. The study was conducted to provide information on consumers’ preferences and reason (s) for  consumption of Shea butter in the study area. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire. Multistage sampling  technique was used in selecting 110 respondents based on proportionate to population. Descriptive statistics were used  to analyze the data collected. The result revealed that 69.9% of the respondents were female while 30.9% were males.  Half (50%) of the respondents were between 31 and 40 years with mean age of 39 years. Majority (72.7%) of the  respondents were married, 42.7% had tertiary education while only 3.6% do not have formal education, majority 78.2%  had household size between 1 and 5 which is fairly enough to consume Shea butter. Majority (50.9%) of the respondents  source their Shea butter from the local market, 81.8% of them consumed Shea butter due to its nutritive  value, 61.8% consumed it in an unrefined form, 93.6% consumed it due to its lower price and its affordability, 67.3%  preferred yellow coloured Shea butter while 32.7% preferred white coloured Shea butter, 61.8% preferred it to be inside  a covered and well labeled container packaging than inside nylon (17.3.%), half (50%) of the respondents consumed  Shea-butter on weekly basis while 10.9% consumed occasionally. About sixty-two percent (62.7%) of the respondents  consumed Shea butter because of its medicinal purposes (it serves as cure for cough and nose blockage relief) while  21.8% consumed it as a cure for cholesterol reduction. Poor packaging and its odour were the major constraint to Shea  butter consumption in the study area.