Consumer attitudes toward millet and factors associated with its acceptance

Abstract

Modern food systems face increasing pressure to support sustainable and healthy diets, which has renewed interest in nutrient-rich and climate-resilient crops such as millet. Despite its nutritional and functional potential, millet remains underutilised in contemporary diets. This study aimed to assess consumer awareness of and attitudes toward millet, willingness to incorporate it into the diet, and factors associated with its acceptance. A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 270 respondents in Kazakhstan using a multilingual questionnaire in Kazakh, Russian, and English. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that 67.0% of respondents always checked product ingredients, indicating considerable attention to food composition, while more than 80% regularly consumed cereal products. At the same time, millet remained comparatively underutilised despite generally favourable attitudes toward it: more than 70% of respondents rated millet between 8 and 10 points. In addition, 61.1% preferred beverages containing fruit, cereal, or berry ingredients, suggesting openness to diversified product formulations. The findings reveal a gap between positive consumer attitudes toward millet and its actual integration into everyday diets. This suggests that nutritional awareness alone may not be sufficient to encourage regular consumption. Sensory appeal, product familiarity, direct tasting experience, clear product information, and availability may play an important role in supporting consumer acceptance. The findings provide practical guidance for the development and promotion of millet-based products adapted to contemporary healthy eating practices.