Factors affecting the consumption of coffee among students: a case study of Makerere University

Abstract

Coffee is a popular beverage that has various health and economic benefits. However, the factors that influence coffee consumption among university students are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influenced the consumption of coffee among students. A case study of Makerere University was used. The survey was conducted among 213 students at Makerere University and the students were chosen from each college. Primary data was collected from each respondent. The survey measured their frequencies and amount of consumption. It found that 45.1% were females and 54.9% were males. It showed that 77% consumed coffee and 23% never consumed coffee. From the bivariate analysis, the factors that significantly influenced coffee consumption were gender, year of study, prices of coffee and improvement of concentration. Male students consumed more coffee than female students, those in their final years of campus consumed more coffee than those in other years of study, most of the respondents strongly agreed that they consume coffee prices influence their coffee consumption and most students agreed that consuming coffee influences their coffee consumption. The findings suggest that coffee consumption among students at Makerere University is influenced by a combination of demographic and socioeconomic factors. The findings also indicate that there is a potential market for coffee products and services on campus. The study also provided some of the recommendations based on the factors that were found to be significant for the coffee marketers and the owners of the coffee shops.