In the process of making decisions about purchasing specific food products, consumers pay attention to various factors characterizing the food itself, as well as the terms of sale, labelling, price (Kumar & Kapoor, 2017), taste, brand, product appearance or food quality (Gelici-Zeko et al., 2013; Eldesouky & Mesías, 2014). In developed countries, the influence of advertising campaigns on the choice of food products is also noted (Prowse et al., 2020). Research shows that consumers indicate food packaging as one of the primary sources of information about food (Gutkowska & Ozimek, 2005; Alibabić et al., 2011), and this information function of packaging is now becoming more and more critical for consumers.

The labelling of products placed on the market, including food, must include mandatory information, the presence of which on the packaging results from applicable legal provisions. In the EU countries, Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 generally regulates issues related to the labelling, advertising and presentation of food. As emphasized in this legal act, the advertising and presentation of food and feed products, taking into account their appearance, shape, and packaging, as well as the arrangement and place of display and the information provided about them, may not provide consumers with incorrect information. In this respect, detailed rules for food labelling are set out in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011, which defines food information as “information about a food made available to the final consumer using a label, other accompanying materials or other means, including modern technological tools or oral communication’ (p. 3). Food labelling, in turn, includes “any inscriptions, particulars, trademarks, brand names, illustrations or symbols relating to a food and affixed to any packaging, document, leaflet, label, band or ring accompanying such food or relating to it’ (Regulation…, 2011, p. 4). Also important are the requirements regarding hygienic conditions related to the sale of products, which are regulated in particular by EU regulations such as: Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs; and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin.

A product’s price should also be clearly displayed at the point of sale. This issue is regulated in Poland by the Act of May 9, 2014 on information on prices of goods and services (Act…, 2014), which implements Directive 98/6/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of February 16, 1998, on consumer protection by displaying the prices of products offered to consumers, together with the implementing act, i.e. the Regulation of the Minister of Development and Technology of December 19, 2022, on the visibility of prices of goods and services (Regulation…, 2022).

The modern consumer is becoming more and more open to trying different product categories at regional, national, European, and global levels (Angowski & Jarosz-Angowska, 2020). Research shows that food shopping habits are influenced, among other factors, by age, gender, place of residence, and education level (Aday & Yener, 2014; Grande Covián et al., 2014; de Lourdes Samaniego-Vaesken et al., 2018; Bassola et al., 2020; Lima et al., 2021). Moreover, the young generation, representing the future of society, seems to have a completely different approach and different ideas than the older generation (Kanchanapibul et al., 2014).

In this study, we resolved to concentrate on young buyers, who constitute an essential group for the development of Poland’s economy – given that people between 18 and 34 years of age constitute over 18% of the population (Statistics Poland, 2021). However, the definitions of ‘young consumers’ used in previous research vary. For example, Solomon (2017) identifies young consumers as individuals up to 24 years old, whereas other publications define them as individuals up to 35 years old, such as Bakewell & Mitchell (2003), Olejniczuk-Merta (2008), Nyrhinen et al. (2024). In his research, Arnett (2000) focused on young consumers aged 18–25. He emphasized that this period of life, which he termed ‘emerging adulthood,’ is neither adolescence nor early adulthood and differs both theoretically and empirically. This stage is characterized by intense identity exploration and experimentation with various social roles, translating into specific consumer behaviors. Following Arnett’s (2000) research, we focused on the 18–25 age group of young consumers.

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of selected factors on the purchase of food by young consumers, using the CAWI method (computer-assisted Internet interview technique). The survey was created in Google Forms, an online survey collection tool.

2. Materials and method

The survey was conducted in October-November 2020, using purposive sampling. Participants were specifically selected based on two criteria: age (18–25 years) and their status as students. It was administered online via a publicly accessible Google Forms questionnaire, which included both the research questions and additional questions regarding the respondents’ demographic and socio-economic characteristics.

The study used a 5-point Likert scale to gauge the extent to which a given respondent pays attention to particular selected factors when purchasing food (a score of 1 indicating no attention to this factor at all, a score of 5 indicating high attention to this factor). We treat the ordinal scales as quasi-quantitative scales for analytical purposes, calculating means and standard deviations (SD) via descriptive analysis. The reliability of the scales was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, which was 0.829 – indicating satisfactory reliability (as indicated by values above 0.7)

To investigate the complexity of factors determining consumers’ food choices, we examined the validity of selected 17 elements related to food product characteristics and conditions of food sales. The following factors were analysed: the food storage method at the store, the storage conditions, appropriate hygienic conditions at the point of sale, food price, the appearance, taste and smell of the product, the condition of the product packaging, and general information appearing on the food product packaging – country of origin, energy/nutritional value of the food product, product weight/volume, product composition, nutrient content (e.g. proteins, carbohydrates), shelf life/date of minimum durability, the ecological origin of the product, manufacturer, and brand.

A 5-point scale was likewise used in subsequent questions in the questionnaire: a score of 1 meant that the respondent “completely disagrees’ with a given statement, 2 – “generally disagrees’; 3 – “neither agrees nor disagrees’, 4 – “generally agrees’, and a score of 5 – “completely agrees’.

Factor and cluster analyses, common in consumer research, were applied to analyse the resulting data. First, factor analysis was used to identify the relationship between the factors, applying the varimax rotation method. The number of factors was determined based on the following criteria: a scree plot test, components with an eigenvalue of 1, and the interpretability of the factors. Factors with loadings above 0.40 were considered. Data factorability was confirmed with the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) (with a cut-off value of 0.60) measure of sampling adequacy and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (p ≤ 0.05).

In the second step of analysis, non-hierarchical clustering was performed to obtain segments of respondents, using the k-means clustering method. Clusters are formed by evaluating dissimilarities and similarities of intrinsic characteristics between different cases. We calculated the correlation ratio (CR) for each variable applied in our cluster analysis and conducted cross-tabulation with Chi2-statistics to profile the clusters. SPSS for Windows statistical software (9.0 version) was used for statistical analysis.

The questionnaire also included questions about the respondents’ demographic characteristics, such as gender, labour market status, number of people in the household, self-assessment of the household’s financial status, and place of residence. These detailed characteristics of the respondents are presented in Table 1.

The study involved 702 student participants, all between 18 and 25 years old, 63.4% women and 36.6% men. Most often, respondents lived in households of 4 or 3 people (31.5% and 21.5%, respectively). The respondents were least likely to declare that they lived in single-person households and those with 6 or more people (7.7% and 8.4%, respectively). Two-fifths of respondents (42.9%) were gainfully employed, 57.1% were not employed. At the same time, almost half of the respondents (48.1%) described the financial situation of their household as good, while one-third (34.9%) described it as average. The respondents represented places of residence of various sizes, most often declaring that they lived in a city with a population of over 100,000 inhabitants (36.9%) and rural areas (35.5%).

3. Results

The most respondents declared that when shopping for food, they pay attention primarily to the price (mean score 4.43) and the use-by date / date of minimum durability (mean 4.42). Factors such as the ‘taste and aroma’ of a food product (mean 4.37), ‘condition of packaging’ (mean 4.35), ‘appearance’ (4.34), and ‘hygienic conditions’ (4.24) also achieved an average above four (Table 2).

The factor ‘information on the packaging’ obtained a mean score of 3.86. The respondents least often indicated such factors as ‘organic origin’ (2.86) and ‘country of origin’ (2.76) (Table 2).

3.1. Factors influencing food choice

Exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the observed variables. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value was 0.808. The result indicated that the choice of analysis and the number of factors were correct. The result of Bartlett’s test of sphericity x2 = 3985.855, p ≤ 0.01, indicated that correlations between items were high enough to perform the analysis.

EFA was conducted using maximum likelihood extraction with varimax rotation (Table 3), extracting four factors. It was assumed that the components of the coefficient are those variables that, after rounding, obtain absolute values equal to 0.4 or greater. All factors were identified with an eigenvalue higher than the Kaiser criterion 1. The first factor’s eigenvalue is 4.665, which explains 27.44% of the variance. The second factor’s eigenvalue equals 2.343, which explains 13.78% of the variance. The third factor’s eigenvalue equals 1.630, which explains 9.59% of the variance. The fourth factor`s eigenvalue equals 1.214, which explains 7.14% of the variance. All four factors taken together explained 57.95% of the total variance.

The first factor, summarizing five variables, was positively correlated with the tendency of respondents to read food labels and pay attention to product composition, hence it was named ‘Information’. The second factor, summarizing four variables, was positively related to variables expressing interest in the conditions associated with storing food at the point of sale and paying attention to the use-by date/date of minimum durability on the food product packaging. For this reason, this factor was labelled ‘Hygiene and food safety’. The third factor explains four variables and was named ‘Product appearance and price’. Lastly, the fourth factor summarizes four variables, relating to respondents’ interest in the purchased food brand, its origin, and information about organic production, hence it was named ‘Origin’ (Table 3).

3.2. The influence of food choice factors on the respondents’ profile

For the whole surveyed population, 5 clusters were identified, each representing from 5.98% to 30.77% of the surveyed population (Table 4). Cluster 2 represents 27.92% of all respondents. In Cluster 2, the highest average value was obtained for 15 of the 17 variables. Only in the case of three factors, ‘price’, ‘appearance’, and ‘energy value’, were higher average values recorded in other clusters (‘price’ in Cluster 5; ‘appearance’ in Cluster 3; ‘energy value’ in Cluster 4). Cluster 1 had the lowest mean values for 14 factors out of 17. The reported averages range from 1.33 ‘storage conditions’ to 2.25 ‘nutrient content’. The largest spreads in average values were recorded for Cluster 5, representing 13.82% of all respondents. They ranged from 1.56 for the variable ‘energy value’ to 4.55 for the value ‘price’. Cluster 3 represents 30.77% of the surveyed population, and Cluster 4 represents 21.52%. In Cluster 3, the highest average value (4.54) was recorded for the factor ‘use-by date/date of minimum durability’. In turn, the lowest average value (2.29) was exhibited by the factor ‘nutrient content’. In Cluster 4, the lowest average was recorded for the factors ‘manufacturer’ and ‘organic origin’ (2.23) (Table 4).

Analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics showed that Cluster 1 consists most predominantly of females and unemployed people. Of all the clusters, the percentage of unemployed people was the highest in this cluster (Table 5).

None of the respondents in Cluster 1 described their financial situation as ‘very good’, and 16.7% stated that their financial situation was ‘bad’. The highest percentages of men and employed individuals are found in Cluster 4; the percentage of respondents living in the largest cities was also the highest in this cluster. The respondents in Cluster 3 most often declared that they lived in rural areas and had a very good financial situation. Cluster 2 includes mainly respondents living in households of 5 or more people. Compared to other clusters, we note the highest percentage of respondents declaring a very bad financial situation in this cluster. Cluster 5 consists predominantly of women, respondents with good financial situations and those living in four-person households (Table 5).

4. Discussion

Food selection is a complex process affecting food production systems and consumer nutrient intake, as it determines what foods consumers buy and eat (Furst et al., 1996). As such, understanding what motivates basic food choices is essential from the perspective of food development and marketing efforts. In our study, factors such as packaging information, hygiene, and food safety emerged as significant determinants of food purchasing decisions among young Polish consumers, giving some insight into what drives their food choices.

Su et al.’s (2019) study of Gen Z consumers in the United States found them to be much more knowledgeable about sustainable lifestyles than previous generations, typically prioritising their health when making food choices. Our findings similarly suggest that young Polish consumers are increasingly attentive to health-related aspects like hygiene and the nutritional content displayed on packaging, indicating a shift towards health consciousness in their purchasing behaviour. This moreover parallels Kumar & Kapoor’s (2017) findings that young consumers in India place considerable importance on food labels, mirroring the behaviour observed in our study where information on packaging plays a crucial role.

On the other hand, Allman-Farinelli et al. (2016) found that young people prefer and overconsume unhealthy foods because they are tastier than their healthier alternatives. The present study, on the contrary, suggests a more balanced consideration involving both health and sensory attributes like taste and appearance. This could indicate a cultural variation or an evolving trend among younger demographics who are seeking to balance taste with health considerations.

Moreover, such differences in the findings reported by studies on food choice priorities may reflect gender-related differences or broader regional consumer behaviour trends. Alibabić et al. (2011), for instance, found that product packaging, manufacturer, and product quality were the main determinants for Bosnian male consumers when deciding whether to buy food. Studies such as those by Lawlor et al. (2001) and Wardle & Griffith (2001) suggest that men may prioritize taste and convenience – a trend not strongly evidenced in our study’s young Polish demographic, which displayed a more balanced set of priorities encompassing price, hygiene, and information.

The place where consumers live also has an impact on their food choices. This factor may also be linked to economic status and affect food availability (Samaniego-Vaesken et al., 2018; Grande Covián et al., 2014). On the other hand, other studies show that a globalised market, which includes the distribution of a wide range of staple foods, regardless of their origin, reduces the gap in food purchases and consumption between urban and rural areas (Martín et al., 2014; Naska et al., 2006).

In our study, the origin of products was found to be the least important factor in food choices for young Polish consumers. This contrasts with findings from Turčínková and Kalábová (2011), who concluded that the origin of food plays a vital role in Czech consumers’ purchasing decisions. They found a moderately strong relationship between the age and education of respondents and their tendency to choose local food. Similarly, Brown (2003) noted that the attitude towards local food depends on the origin of the respondents. Additionally, Bimbo et al. (2021) showed that age, education, and professional status positively correlate with high frequency of local food purchases. These differences, again, may reflect varying cultural values or economic conditions that influence consumer priorities in different regions.

5. Conclusions

This study successfully identified several critical determinants influencing food choices among young Polish consumers, achieving the article’s aims as demonstrated by the results. The analyses revealed that consumer choices are influenced by a blend of economic, informational, and aesthetic factors including information on the packaging of food products, hygiene and food safety, the appearance of the product, and its price. Notably, the lessened importance of food origin and the high priority given to product appearance and hygiene suggest a unique profile of young Polish consumers that may differ from global trends. Significant differences were also observed based on gender and place of residence among the clusters identified in the study, emphasizing the complexity of decision-making processes in food purchases.

The selection of a sample consisting only of people aged 18–25 carries limitations regarding representativeness and generalization of research results to a broader population. People aged 18–25 are at a stage of life often related to higher education, the beginning of their professional career, greater mobility, and life changes. They usually have limited professional and financial experience, which may influence their economic decisions and attitudes. People of this age are also often heavy social media and technology users, which may also influence their behaviour. To obtain more universal conclusions, future studies should consider a broader demographic range, including different age groups, to better reflect society’s diversity.

Additionally, food marketers and producers should consider these preferences when designing and marketing their products to the young Polish market, potentially adjusting marketing strategies to emphasize the factors of highest consumer sensitivity, such as packaging information and hygienic conditions.

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For consumers and their households, smart home and smart devices are useful things in everyday life. They can be easily controlled at the right time and from anywhere. Smart thermostats and lamps allow users to control temperature and lighting remotely and configure timer programmes. The work of smart devices can often be managed using a single application that allows for supervising the house, checking whether the TV has been turned off, or changing the settings of the air conditioning, and washing machine — all to prevent wastage of energy, water and money (Stańczyk, 2020). Taking this into account, for resource-saving households, having energy-saving appliances is one of the ways to introduce proecological solutions into their everyday lives. The Internet of Things (IoT) is inherently linked to smart homes and things. The main factors that are conducive to the development of consumer IoT applications are convenience of use and facilitation of consumers’ everyday life. The term ‘Green Internet of Things’ aims at reducing electricity consumption by remotely controlling heating, lighting and electronic devices using a computer, smartphone or voice commands (Alsamhi, Ma, Ansari, & Meng, 2018). IoT can be used in smart homes to connect home electronic devices (e.g., smart TVs and streaming servers), home appliances (e.g., smart refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines) and home automation devices (e.g., thermostats, smoke detectors, alarm systems). Within the IoT, it is possible to combine all appliances that can be monitored and controlled. The ease of use and control of devices operating in IoT networks via mobile devices, mainly smartphones and installed applications, are also significant in this regard (Mącik, 2018a). In addition, integration of the smart home with IoT, as well as smart city technologies, can create new opportunities for innovation and improvement (Hui, Sherratt, & Sánchez, 2017).

A smart home is perceived not only through the context of convenience and comfort but also through ecological living, thanks to the possibility of reducing energy consumption through the use of innovative technological solutions (Kasprzyk, 2019). The chief motivation for designing smart houses is to make living in them not only pleasant but also as cost-effective as possible for the residents. Smart houses can be ecological, not only due to the use of solutions typical for smart houses but also to the use of ecological materials for their construction (Eklogiczny i inteligentnyñ, 2022). A house with minimal environmental impact is considered to be ecological, while simultaneously ensuring convenience, comfort, modernity, contact with nature as well as a sense of security (Dom ekologiczny, 2022) for its users.

In addition to the advantages, which are without doubt the declared possibility of energy savings and improved security, threats to the privacy and security of data downloaded by smart devices are also indicated (Kolny, 2021b; Wilson, Hargreaves, & Hauxwell-Baldwin, 2017). Concerns are also related to the use of smart devices and homes. A report presenting research conducted on a sample of 10,002 respondents commissioned by Dynatrace in eight countries around the world (the UK, the USA, France, Germany, Australia, Brazil, Singapore and China) shows that 73% of respondents expressed fear of being locked in a smart home or outside it. The inability to control the temperature (68%) and lights (64%) in a smart home was also pointed out (Dynatrace, 2018). Again, the results of a qualitative study among smart homeowners conducted by Hargreaves, Wilson, and Hauxwell-Baldwin (2017) show that smart homes are burdensome for their users both in relation to other household members and in technical terms. These houses require adaptation to their functionality, which may limit their use. Learning to use smart home technology is also a demanding and time-consuming issue, and the lack of technical support by sellers is an inconvenience. In addition, it was found that there is a risk that they may generate some form of intensification of energy consumption.

It is noted that smart home systems are becoming more common every year, and predictions indicate that the number of smart homes will increase (Statista, 2022). In Poland, according to a survey conducted by Oferteo.pl, in 2018, 23% of respondents decided to implement smart home solutions in their newly built homes, while in 2019, a third of the respondents opted for them. People who did not decide to use these solutions indicated high prices, and a lack of need to possess any knowledge about them as reasons (Majchrzyk, 2020). The latter reasons are also confirmed by the research conducted by Kolny (2021a), which shows that although 75.8% of the respondents consider facilitating everyday activities to be an advantage, and 58.9% that everyday life becomes more convenient and comfortable, the following reasons for which consumers and their households do not buy smart devices were also indicated: high prices (79.5%), no need to own (59%) and no knowledge about them (55.6%). The next report prepared by Oferteo.pl in 2020 shows that the most frequently chosen intelligent solutions were heating (68%) and lighting (64%) control systems, which significantly facilitate saving electricity or gas. According to the respondents, the reasons they decided to introduce intelligent solutions into their home were increased comfort (78%), willingness to use modern technologies (50%), savings (43%), the need for safety (36%), as well as ecological considerations (19%) (Inteligentne systemy, 2021).

This article aims to present the attitude of young consumers (aged 18–34 years) to selected issues related to the ecological approach to life during the popularisation of smart devices and houses that can improve the management of electricity, water and gas consumption, and increase awareness of care for health and achieving well-being. The article focuses on issues from three separate research areas that are, however, related to the topic. The first concerns the respondents’ attitude to environmentally friendly products. The second is the attitude to smart devices and the convenience of their use, and the third focuses on the attitude of young consumers to greening life as a result of the use of smart home devices and the usefulness of these devices in practicing such an approach to life. It is assumed that young consumers have a positive attitude to the use of smart homes and devices that facilitate the implementation of an ecological lifestyle.

This article presents theoretical information on the greening of life, smart homes and devices, and IoT. It describes the research methodology and sample, presents the results of the author’s research, and conclusions along with a recommendation for further research.

Theoretical Background

The ecological approach to life is related to various consumer behaviours on the market, in the household and in the natural environment. The greening of consumption manifests itself in the economical and rational use of consumer goods and the reduction of consumption of very rare, nonrenewable, resource-intensive goods, which at the same time, may contain dangerous post-consumer waste. Significant opportunities for greening consumption lie in the modernisation of energy production and distribution by increasing the use of natural energy sources in the activities of consumers and their households (Bywalec, 2017), or reducing the level of energy consumption (Connolly & Prothero, 2008). Consumers usually understand the term ‘ecological’ or ‘environmentally friendly’ as taking care of the Earth, acting by the laws of nature, not disturbing the balance of the environment, segregating garbage, saving electricity and water, as well as using reusable paper bags, conscious organic food purchases, and the use of environmentally friendly cars (Dąbrowska, Jurowczyk, & Ozimek, 2022). An important role in this regard is played by environmental awareness, which determines the consumer’s attitude to the natural environment and the amount of information and beliefs about it, as well as the system of values that guide the consumer behaviour towards this environment (Kiełczewski, 2001) and environmental education to shape this awareness (Ambalagan & Shanthi, 2015; Omoogun, Egbonyi, & Onnoghen, 2016). Among the components of the consumer’s ecological awareness, the descriptive-technical and axiological-normative spheres can be distinguished. The first of them includes their environmental knowledge, the elements it consists of, the laws that govern it, as well as environmentally friendly and harmful behaviour. In addition to this, ecological imagination, that is, the ability to predict the ecological effects of the actions taken, design them in line with the requirements of ecological knowledge, and the ability to perceive and capture the connections between human activity and ecological processes. The second of them, that is, the axiological-normative sphere includes a system of values and norms that relate to the interconnections between the whole of society and nature as well as between the individual and the environment. This sphere also includes relations between people in the context of the natural environment (Kiełczewski, 2001). The concept of greening is also related to sustainable development conditioned by ecological space. It is beneficial for humans, the environment and the economy through the assumed synergy of economic, environmental and social aspects (Santhanlaxmi & Chandramohan, 2020). Sustainable development is also a way of life that enables one to choose the forms of consumption. The consumer usually associates an organic product with something safe and healthy, with something modern (Janoś-Kresło, 2006). Sustainable and balanced development is aimed at increasing both social and individual well-being. Not only does this prosperity depend on the consumption of goods and services, but also on the ecological living conditions. The goal is therefore not so much to increase the level as to increase the quality of life while trying not to harm the ecosystem that sustains life (Kunarto & Prasetyo, 2022). Hence, the essence of sustainable development is to ensure a lasting improvement in the quality of life of the present and future generations by shaping the right proportions between three types of capital: economic, human and natural (Klarin, 2018). Therefore, it is a development based on properly shaped structures, which include the natural environment, and the integrating criterion is the category of quality of life (Piontek, 2002). Greening of life causes greater care for the natural environment but also for one’s health and fitness. For a consumer who promotes an ecological lifestyle, it is important to both what is outside in their environment, the natural environment, but also what is inside them, that is, the condition of their body. Taking care of health has become one of the main determinants of consumption in recent years. The increased interest in health problems is also prompted by the growing fear of disease and death (Rachocka, 2003). The ecological approach to life is also related to the zero-waste philosophy, which promotes zero waste footprint. The zero waste definition indicates ‘the protection of all resources through responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without incineration and without discharges into the ground, water or air that threaten the environment or human health’ (The Zero Waste International Alliance, 2018). According to this concept, every resource should be reused instead of being thrown away. The zero-waste philosophy is based on six pillars (the 6R principle): Refuse, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Recycle, Rot (Ecological, 2021). For eco-conscious households, it is important to use resources sparingly. These savings are possible thanks to the use of smart homes and devices that help reduce the consumption of electricity, water and gas while increasing the comfort of living. Smart homes can help improve energy efficiency and promote sustainable development (Reinisch, Kofler, & Kastner, 2010). It is also assumed that energy efficiency is one of the main advantages of a smart home (AsareBediako, Ribeiro, & Kling, 2012). Although smart home technologies are increasingly contributing to more efficient energy use, their use rate is estimated to remain lower than expected, with environmental awareness influencing the use of these technologies playing an important role (Ferreira, Oliveira, & Neves, 2023).

Smart homes can help improve energy efficiency and promote sustainable development (Reinisch et al., 2010). It is also assumed that energy efficiency is one of the main advantages of a smart home (AsareBediako et al., 2012). Although smart home technologies are increasingly contributing to more efficient energy use, their use rate is estimated to remain lower than expected, with environmental awareness influencing the use of these technologies playing an important role (Ferreira et al., 2023). The concept of a smart home equipped with smart devices is not something new. The first of them using technology in the field of home automation, based on the existing electrical installation to transmit signals controlling lights, home appliances and so on, were already known in the second half of the 20th century, as they were introduced to the market in 1978 by the Scottish company Pico Electronics, and the term ‘smart home’ itself was coined in 1984 (Miller, 2016). ‘A smart home can be defined as a place of residence incorporated with a communication network, modern household appliances, devices and sensors that can be remotely accessed, monitored and controlled, and provide services that respond to the needs of residents’ (Yang, Lee, & Zo, 2017). When analysing the meaning of the word ‘smart’ concerning homes and devices, it should be assumed that the ability to remotely manage, turn on and off an object determines whether an object is called ‘smart’ (Miller, 2016). A modern smart home is a place equipped with various devices, lighting, heating, air conditioning, radio and television equipment, household appliances and security systems that can communicate with each other and are controlled using an application on a smartphone or tablet to remotely start or turn off the equipment (Domb, 2019). The operation of a smart home is based on the use of a wireless home network (WiFi, Bluetooth, RFID), which allows users to connect many devices and an appropriate application developed and made available by manufacturers of smart devices. Items that can be connected to a smartphone or tablet are perceived as having extended functionalities. Mobile devices act as a control centre for consumer electronics and household appliances connected to the home network. For an average user with the skills to use a smartphone, and in particular, to install a control application, using them should be easy, and adding another device to the home IoT ecosystem is not a problem (Mącik, 2018b).

The main element of a smart home is the integrated building management system (BMS) which controls household appliances, RTV equipment, alarm system and all controllable activities such as heating or lighting, including central unit, power supply, and electricity control subsystems, subsystems ensuring comfort, safety and control devices (Malinowska, 2021).

All the smart devices in one’s home are designed to automate household chores. When various intelligent devices that communicate with each other are gathered under one roof, the result is a smart home. Even a house equipped with basic automation has some intelligent functions (Miller, 2016). In a smart home, apart from simply controlling and automating individual devices, smart devices communicate with other devices and synchronise their operation. A smart home can be seen as fully autonomous and acts on behalf of its occupants. Smart home systems can be easily adapted to the changing needs of its inhabitants. A smart home learns the behaviour and preferences of the people living in it. It adapts to these behaviours, anticipates needs and responds accordingly. It uses data collected from devices and sensors in the home, but also from wearables and even connected cars (Ekholm, 2018). For example, smart thermostats can remember a homeowner’s daily schedule and adjust their temperature to save energy, as they can be programmed to turn off at the right time (Nacer, Marhic, & Delahoche, 2017; Pang et al., 2021). A well-configured smart home system means that when its user closes the door with a key, the alarm system is automatically activated, the blinds in the windows are lowered, the temperature in individual rooms is lowered, lamps left on turn off by themselves, electronics and household appliances are automatically turned off, and when a homeowner comes back, it automatically adjusts to their preferences (including, for example, appropriate lighting, music, heating). Thanks to the system, one can check what is going on at home, and when the system itself senses something dangerous, it activates the alarm and sends information to the security office or the fire brigade. The house and the smart devices in it perform most of the activities for humans, both when they are inside and outside of it. From an eco-friendly lifestyle point of view, smart home technology can help homeowners save energy and thus lower their energy bills by automating energy-saving actions, such as turning off lights when not needed, adjusting the thermostat to more energy-efficient temperatures, and turning off appliances when not in use (Jo & Yoon, 2018).

The concept of smart homes and smart devices is inextricably linked to IoT (Gunge & Yalagi, 2016). It is defined as an open and comprehensive network of intelligent objects that can self-organise, share information, data and resources, and react and act in the event of changes in the environment (Madakam, Ramaswamy, & Tripathi, 2015). IoT is perceived as a set of intelligent objects that can react to the environment and process and remember digital information, as well as send it to other objects (and users) via Internet protocols. Not only does IoT enable communication between people and smart objects, but also between such smart devices. This leads to ensuring communication anytime and anywhere, that is, anywhere, using any information carrier (Kwiatkowska, 2014). According to another source, the term IoT was created to reflect the growing number of intelligent, connected devices and to emphasise the new possibilities that they can present (Porter & Heppelmann, 2014). One of the simplest definitions of IoT indicates that it is a system of physical objects that can be discovered, monitored, controlled and interacted with through the use of electronic devices that provide communication via various network interfaces and the ability to connect to the wider Internet (Guinard & Trifa, 2016). IoT consists of four basic elements: devices that allow for the active collection and transmission of measurement data indicating their functioning; a communication network connecting devices (i.e., the internet); IT systems capable of collecting incoming data; and analytical solutions that process data and allow for inference and obtaining additional business value (Rozmus, 2019). IoT can connect many different devices, both very small and large. The important thing is that the object does not need to have a physical form. It may be data, that is, information about the location and temperature in the room collected using a device designed for this purpose (e.g., thermostat, smartphone) (Miller, 2016). In addition, both living beings (humans and animals) as well as plants and inanimate objects are perceived as things (Madakam, Ramaswamy, & Tripathi, 2015). IoT is about collecting data, using it, and mutual communication between devices and the environment. This requires huge storage capacity, cloud computing, a high channel bandwidth for transmission and high power. In order to carry out the development of a smart world and sustainable development, the Green IoT has been introduced to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption. Green IoT is related to technology that makes it environmentally friendly, using devices and warehouses that allow consumers to collect, store, access and manage various information (Alsamhi et al., 2018). Adopting smart home technology and IoT not only saves money but also helps to reduce our carbon footprint and protect the environment (Zhou et al., 2016).

Research Methodology

This article was written based on secondary and primary sources of information. The former made it possible to characterise the discussed issues related to the greening of life through the use of smart homes and devices and IoT. Secondary information was supplemented with primary information collected by the author in the mode of direct research using the online survey technique on 1 March 2021–18 May 2021. The survey questionnaire was made available on the SurveyMonkey platform, and the link to the survey was sent by e-mail to potential respondents. Over 1,000 completed questionnaires were returned. However, taking into account the limitations of the research technique used, resulting from, for example, too hasty completion of the questionnaire by a respondent (this is evidenced by the time devoted to reading it and completing it before sending it back), skipping questions, and deficiencies in the details that would not allow us to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. Another constraint was the overrepresentation of women (588 in number) in the research sample described in this article. Therefore, we selected only young consumers aged 18–34 years, including 50% of females and 50% of males. The detailed characteristics of the respondents indicate that 20.7% of the respondents lived in the countryside, 27.6% lived in towns with up to 99,000 inhabitants, 24.0% lived in towns with a population of 100,000 to 199,000, while 27.7% of the respondents lived in cities with more than 200,000 inhabitants. Most of the respondents assessed the financial situation of their household as good (63.8%) and stated that they could afford some luxury goods; 26.0% of the respondents assessed the financial situation of their household as satisfactory, meaning that they had to plan all major expenses. A very good financial situation was declared by 9.7% of the surveyed households and only 0.5% answered that their financial situation was bad. When analysing the respondents’ competences in terms of the ability to use objects and tools necessary to operate the smart home and devices, it was found that 70.1% of the respondents declared very high skills related to the use of a smartphone, 49.8% of the tablet, and 61.9% of various Internet applications. When declarations of high and very high skills were compared, the percentage of respondents in almost all cases increased to well over 90% (except for the tablet, where skills at these levels were declared by 75.8% of respondents). In terms of the subject of the article, the declarations of 66.3% of the respondents who answered that they consciously purchase environmentally friendly products, and the responses of 33.7% of the respondents who stated that they do not pay attention to whether the product is environmentally friendly, are also important.

Research Results

At the outset of the study, it was attempted to identify the general attitude of respondents to issues related to the greening of life, and in particular, to buying and using environmentally friendly products, by asking them to respond to selected statements related to this topic on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 meant that the respondent completely disagrees with a given statement and 7 that they completely agree with it. The highest average score was given to the statement: ‘I feel that using environmentally friendly products is right (average 5.84). A slightly lower average of 5.79 achieved the statement: ‘Buying environmentally friendly products is setting a good example.’ An equally high average of 5.53 achieved the statement: ‘Buying environmentally friendly products can make a difference to the environment.’ Average scores above 5 were also given to the following statements: ‘If I use environmentally friendly products, my friends or family will think it’s a good thing’ (5.30) and ‘Environmentally friendly products are as effective as regular products’ (5.15). It is worth noting that all the listed statements with an average score above 5 had the highest number of scores of 7 confirming that the respondents strongly agreed with them. In addition, women more often than men agreed with these statements, as in all cases the average of the ratings given by them is higher than the ratings given by men. A similar relationship was noted in the case of people declaring that they consciously purchase environmentally friendly products compared with those who do not pay attention to whether the product is environmentally friendly (Table 1).

Next, the study diagnosed the respondents’ attitudes to smart devices and the benefits for the consumer resulting from their use, including the possibility of saving time as a result of their use. The assessment was made on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 meant that the respondent completely disagreed with the presented statements covering the analysed issues, and 7 meant that he completely agreed with them. The respondents agreed with the statement ‘Smart devices enhance the comfort and conditions of life’ (average score of 5.64). Two statements achieved almost the same average, namely ‘The use of smart devices in households, i.e., washing machines, vacuum cleaners, etc. contributes to the rational consumer’s time management and saving this time’ (average 5.35) and ‘Use of smart devices in households (cameras, sensors, etc.) increases the consumer’s sense of security’ (average 5.34). The dominant score assigned to each of these statements was 7, meaning that the largest number of respondents completely agreed with them. Women and people consciously purchasing environmentally friendly products more often agreed with these statements. Despite the advantages of smart devices, which the respondents agreed with, it is worth emphasising that they did not fully agree with the statement indicating that consumers willingly install smart devices in their homes, which can be controlled using a smartphone or tablet. This statement did not receive full support and the average rating was only 4.69, while the most frequently awarded rating was 4 (Table 2).

Given that smart home devices enhance the comfort and conditions of life — this was also confirmed by the conducted research — the respondents were asked to comment on the convenience of using these devices in the context of greening life. Each of the presented ideas received an average score of above 5 (on a scale from 1 to 7). Most respondents agreed with the statement indicating that it is convenient that smart devices can provide automatic temperature control at home (average 5.71), then that they can provide access to a lot of information (average 5.65). It is also convenient that they can control any electrical apparatus through simple operation (average 5.52) and that these devices give the opportunity to actively help residents without human intervention (average 5.23). People consciously purchasing environmentally friendly products agreed with these statements more often than people who did not pay attention to whether the product is environmentally friendly. Concerning all the statements, the dominant rating was 7, so most people strongly agreed with them (Table 3).

Table 3 shows research data from several researchers regarding the limitations experienced by MSMEs in the UK and Commonwealth countries, which are developed countries, in improving their entrepreneurial strategic orientation and firm performance of MSMEs.

Referring to the issues considering the ecological approach to life in the era of smart homes and devices, the respondents were also asked to react to statements containing these aspects on a scale of 1–7. When analysing the answers received, it was noted that the respondents agreed with the statement that ‘Smart devices used in homes contribute to environmental protection by reducing electricity and water consumption by households’, awarding an average of 4.79. The median of the answers was 5, which means that half of the respondents gave a score lower than 5, and the other half was higher than 5. The dominant score was 4, so it can be considered that the respondents agreed with this statement, although it is not an assessment indicating complete compliance. Higher average scores and the highest number of highest scores confirming that the respondents strongly agreed with them were obtained by statements pointing out that for those living in a smart home, these devices ‘will allow for accurate knowledge of energy and water consumption (expenditure, consumption of water, heat, etc.)’ — average 5.67, then that ‘They will save resources (energy, water, etc.)’ — average 5.49. The statement that most closely corresponds to the subject of the article: ‘Smart devices will allow an ecological approach to life’ received an average rating of 5.18. The statement emphasising that these devices will reduce costs was also rated above 5 (average 5.17). All these statements were more often agreed upon by women than men, and by people paying attention to the purchase of environmentally friendly products (Table 4).

In the end, respondents were asked to comment on statements related to the usefulness of smart devices in practicing an ecological approach to life, and in particular, taking care of their well-being and health. As in the previous questions, a seven-point scale was used concerning these issues, and the respondents agreed with them. The highest average score was given to the statement indicating that smart home devices can provide information when needed to help make better decisions about health and well-being (average 5.29). A slightly lower average was achieved by the statement that these devices can increase health and well-being awareness when needed (average score of 5.16). The average ratings of the last two statements stating that smart home devices can, if necessary, increase the chances of a healthier lifestyle (average 5.12) and give greater control over health and well-being (average 5.11) are also very similar. As in all the presented statements, women and people paying attention to whether the product is environmentally friendly agreed with them more often (Table 5).

Conclusions, Recommendations and Research Limitations

The ongoing development of technology means that modern consumers live in an extremely interesting world offering a countless range of communication possibilities between themselves, between them and objects, and objects themselves without human interference to facilitate and improve everyday life activities and implement an ecological approach to life. This article therefore aimed at diagnosing the attitudes of consumers to selected issues related to the greening of life at a time when smart devices are becoming popular and smart homes are being built to improve the management of electricity, water, and gas consumption and give a chance to increase health and well-being awareness outreach. Only young consumers aged 18–34 years were selected for the study as they seem to be more willing than others to adapt all technological innovations and conveniences created and potentially be their future users to improve their daily lives while protecting the environment (Baudier, Ammi, & DeboeufRouchon, 2020). The conducted research shows that young consumers have a positive attitude to the use of smart devices in the context of an ecological approach to life. They agreed with the statement that smart devices will allow for an ecological approach to life, giving an average rating of 5.18 on a scale from 1 to 7. They also agreed with the statement that ‘Smart devices used in homes contribute to protecting the environment through reducing electricity and water consumption by households.’ In their opinion, these devices ‘will allow people living in a smart home to know exactly the consumption of energy and water, and will also save resources (energy, water, etc.).’ Young consumers agreed with the statement that smart devices enhance the comfort and conditions of life. In their opinion, it is convenient that smart devices can provide automatic temperature control in the home, can provide access to a lot of information, and can control any electrical apparatus through a simple operation. Smart home devices can provide information when needed to help one make better health and wellness decisions, increase health and well-being awareness, increase one’s chances for a healthier lifestyle, and give more control over one’s health and well-being.

The collected responses confirm the assumption that young consumers have a positive attitude to the use of smart homes and devices, facilitating the implementation of an ecological lifestyle. In the respondents’ answers, one can see positive reactions to statements on the use of smart homes and devices related to the possibility of enhancing the comfort and conditions of life as well as saving resources, a chance for a healthier lifestyle, and control over health and well-being. However, it is difficult to predict whether these opinions would be confirmed during the actual use of smart homes and devices. Therefore, in conclusion, attention should be paid to the limitation of the presented research results given that the respondents were not asked who already lives in a smart home or whether their opinions are a result of the acquired experience of using smart homes and devices. The focus was only on obtaining their subjective opinions on the issues discussed in this article. Therefore, it would be essential to repeat the research in the future, including, in particular, the use of in-depth research techniques and diagnosing the attitudes towards the ecological approach to life of people who have decided to live in a smart home and have knowledge resulting from the experience gained through its use.

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XXI wiek nazywany jest okresem transformacji cyfrowej zachodzącej w gospodarce. Klaus Schwab, twórca i prezes Światowego Forum Ekonomicznego w Davos, określił ten okres mianem czwartej rewolucji przemysłowej. Scharakteryzował go jako epokę inteligentnej, współdziałającej w jednym ekosystemie, technologii i sensorów, która wpływa nie tylko na obszar biznesowy, ale również na życie codzienne społeczności (Schwab, 2018). Według prognoz IDTechEx rynek sensorów i urządzeń wearables (dalej UW) do 2023 r. ma osiągnąć wartość 100 mld dolarów, do 2026 r. natomiast 150 mld dolarów (Mazurek, 2019). Duży wpływ na transformację miał również dostęp do internetu szerokopasmowego, w tym w szczególności na urządzeniach mobilnych. Liczba abonentów tego rodzaju połączenia z siecią globalną przekroczyła w 2018 r. wartość 60 na 100 mieszkańców w skali świata (Frąckiewicz, 2019). Z kolei według raportów Best Computer Science do 2020 r. liczba urządzeń inteligentnych (w tym UW) podłączonych do internetu wyniesie około 200 mld (Tarabasz, 2018).

Celem artykułu jest próba identyfikacji stopnia znajomości i wykorzystywania wspominanych UW przez młodych konsumentów oraz postaw w stosunku do nich. Jego realizacja została oparta na badaniu empirycznym przeprowadzonym na próbie 173 jednostek.

Przegląd literatury

Przegląd literatury wykonano w oparciu o cztery bazy naukowe: Science Direct, Scopus, Springer oraz Web of Science (por. tabela 1).

Proces przeglądu baz naukowych składał się z kilku etapów. W pierwszym dokonano filtrowania na podstawie wyszukiwania fraz „wearables technologies” oraz „wearable technology” w tytułach prac, abstraktach oraz słowach kluczowych. W następnym etapie wyniki zawężono o kolejną kategorię — opublikowany artykuł w języku angielskim, w journalach jako artykuły badawcze oraz jako przeglądy literatury. W dalszej kolejności dodano kryterium obszaru tematycznego — biznes, zarządzanie, marketing lub nauki społeczne. Kolejny poziom selekcji polegał na wybraniu tylko tych prac, które zostały opublikowane w ramach otwartego dostępu lub dofinansowania MNiSW. Na samym końcu usunięto artykuły, które występowały jednocześnie w kilku wskazanych bazach. Finalnie otrzymano 25 opracowań. Najstarsze z nich — a są to dwie prace — pochodzą z 2015 r. Pierwsza opisuje zjawisko UW dość pobieżnie i autorzy skupiają się w nim na zastosowaniu tej technologii w turystyce i e-turystyce (Gretzel i in., 2015). Natomiast drugi artykuł opisuje UW jako bliską przyszłość. Urządzenia te pomagają zacierać granicę pomiędzy człowiekiem a komputerem, którą autorzy nazywają cyborgiem. Charakteryzują je jako pewne rozszerzenie możliwości ciała. Opisują możliwości zastosowania takie jak analiza składu potu w czasie rzeczywistym na podstawie tymczasowego inteligentnego tatuażu, mierzenia poziomu wody oraz elektrolitów, monitorowanie stanu zdrowia jamy ustnej oraz tłumaczenie ludzkiego języka ciała (Yeoman i McMahon-Beattie, 2015).

W kolejnym roku pisano o erze UW. Skupiono się na ich zastosowaniu jako sensory i punkty pomiarowe, które umożliwiają monitorowanie stanów aktywności czy fizjologii, jednakże określono również pewien kierunek związany z medycyną. Zaczęto opisywać zastosowanie tego rodzaju urządzenia jako protezy kończyn. Ten kierunek dał potencjał rozwoju ideom transgresyjnym takim jak trans- czy post-humanizm (Matos i in., 2016; Vinay i in., 2016).

W roku 2017 UW opisywano jako potencjalne narzędzia komunikacji pomiędzy marką a konsumentem (Wu i in., 2017; Tanti i Buhalis, 2017).

Urządzenia te, ze względu na stałe połączenie z internetem, pozyskują duże ilości danych, dzięki temu marka ma możliwość analizowania zachowań konsumenckich w czasie rzeczywistym, np. poprzez rozwiązania oparte na udostępnianiu lokalizacji klienta czy skutecznym kanale płatności, zapewniając wysokiej jakości obsługę marketingową oraz specjalne usługi sprzedażowe na życzenie klienta (Wu i in., 2017). Z drugiej strony, poruszony został temat ochrony danych osobowych, prywatności oraz zagrożeń i konsekwencji ciągłego podłączenia do internetu. Specjaliści wskazali takie zagrożenia jak monitoring i przechwytywanie danych, między innymi w postaci prywatnych zdjęć z pamięci urządzenia czy robienia zdjęć otoczenia bez wiedzy użytkownika. Opisano również istotę świadomości rodzaju prywatnych danych narażonych na udostępnienie oraz ich zabezpieczenie (Ghazinour i in., 2017).

Rok 2018 ukazał zupełnie nowe podejście do UW. Zaczęto bardziej ingerować w życie konsumentów, projektując rzeczy będące częścią ich codzienności, z dodatkową funkcjonalnością i sensorami, np. inteligentna biżuteria, kołdra albo śpiwór (Wissinger, 2018; Biswas i in., 2018). Pojawiła się również klasyfikacja tych urządzeń jako elementów składowych ekosystemu Internet of Things (Maglogiannis i in., 2018; Srinivasa i in., 2018; Koo i Fallon, 2018; Tussyadiah, Jung i Dieck, 2018). Rozwój tej technologii dodatkowo umożliwił stworzenie sieci WBSN, która automatycznie monitoruje rytm bicia serca użytkownika i wskazuje nieprawidłowości, które mogą świadczyć o chorobie (Soudani i Almusallam, 2018).

W 2019 r. publikacje obejmowały również tematykę zastosowania UW w medycynie, między innymi jako detektor IR, z którym komunikacja odbywa się za pomocą mrugnięć oczu oraz prostych ruchów głowy osób sparaliżowanych (Malik i Mazhar, 2019). Poruszano również tematykę bezpieczeństwa publicznego (Alsamhi i in., 2019) oraz komunikacji z klientem (Cena, Likavec i Rapp, 2019; Alt i in., 2019; Berkemeier i in., 2019).

Metodyka badania empirycznego

Celem badania empirycznego była próba znalezienia odpowiedzi na następujące pytania:

• Czy UW są znane wśród przedstawicieli młodego pokolenia?
• W jakim stopniu młodzi konsumenci deklarują wykorzystanie tych urządzeń?
• Jakie są postawy młodego pokolenia w stosunku do UW i od czego są one zależne?

Badanie empiryczne oparto na dwóch technikach ankietowych: audytoryjnej oraz internetowej z wykorzystaniem kwestionariusza. Instrument badawczy składał się z dwóch części. Pierwsza dotyczyła rozpoznania, czy uczestnicy badania znają i czy korzystają z UW. Następnie zapytano o preferowane formy płatności oraz poproszono o ustosunkowanie się w podanej skali (od 3 do –3 z antonimami na biegunach skali, gdzie 0 jest wartością neutralną) do określeń charakteryzujących płacenie smartfonem oraz inteligentnym zegarkiem. Ostatnie pytanie z pierwszej części dotyczyło identyfikacji postaw konsumentów na bazie pytania ze skalą Likerta (od 1 do 5, gdzie 1 oznaczało odpowiedź „zdecydowanie się nie zgadzam”, natomiast 5 — „zdecydowanie się zgadzam”), odnoszących się między innymi do wszczepienia pod skórę UW, zastąpienia smartfonów przez UW w przyszłości czy traktowania tych urządzeń jako nowego kanału komunikacji pomiędzy marką a konsumentem. Druga część kwestionariusza obejmowała pytania metryczkowe dotyczące cech demograficzno-społecznych respondentów.

Respondentów do badania dobrano w sposób celowy. Kategorią przynależności do próby był wiek. Uwzględniono wyłącznie ludzi młodych — do 30. roku życia, ze względu na to, że są to konsumenci posiadający szczególnie wysokie kompetencje technologiczne (Linkiewicz i Bartosik-Purgat, 2017; Gregor, Gotwald-Feja i Łaszkiewicz, 2017; Tkaczyk, 2018; Stopczyńska, 2018; Gregor i Kaczorowska-Spychalska, 2018), które sprzyjają skłonności do korzystania z nowych technologii, bez których nie wyobrażają sobie życia (Twenge, 2019). Szczegółowe dane na temat respondentów prezentuje tabela 2.

W badaniu wzięły udział 173 osoby. 43% z nich to mężczyźni, pozostałe 57% — kobiety. Wiek respondentów, jak już wspominano, był ograniczony w przedziale 19–30 lat. Większość z nich (75%) to osoby w wieku 19–24 lat, pozostali (25–30 lat) stanowili 25%. Ponad połowa respondentów (prawie 57%) to osoby ze średnim wykształceniem, nieco ponad 43% — z wyższym.

Prawie 3/4 badanych to studenci, 18% to osoby pracujące, które nie studiują. Natomiast ponad 8% respondentów zadeklarowało, że łączy pracę zawodową ze studiami. Zdecydowana większość badanych mieszka w miastach (prawie 83%), w tym głównie w miastach powyżej 500 tys. mieszkańców (prawie 54%).

Analiza wyników badania

Jednym ze szczegółowych celów badania empirycznego była identyfikacja znajomości pojęcia UW oraz poznanie, czy przedstawiciele grupy badanej z nich korzystają. Znajomość pojęcia wearables została zadeklarowana w ponad 44% przypadków.

Następnie zbadano, jaki odsetek respondentów zna oraz korzysta z przytoczonych przykładów UW (por. tabela 3).

Urządzeniami najlepiej znanymi respondentom są inteligentny zegarek, wskazany przez ponad 97% badanych, słuchawki — prawie 93% oraz inteligentna opaska, której znajomość określiło ponad 85% badanych. Natomiast najmniej znane są inteligentne ubrania, soczewki oraz tatuaże.

Warto jednak zwrócić szczególną uwagę na wyniki określające znajomość inteligentnych chipów, które są wszczepiane pod skórę, oraz okularów AR — oba przykłady zostały wskazane jako znane przez ponad 60% respondentów.

Inteligentne chipy zostały spopularyzowane między innymi przez test przeprowadzony w Szwecji w 2018 r. na próbie 3000 osób (Ma, 2018). Urządzenia wielkości ziarnka ryżu, wszczepione pod skórę w okolicach nadgarstka umożliwiały między innymi dokonanie opłaty za zakupy, otwarcie drzwi czy odblokowywanie zabezpieczonych pamięci masowych (Gillenson i in., 2019). Natomiast okulary AR zostały rozpowszechnione głownie dzięki Google Glass marki Google, które umożliwiały między innymi szybkie pozyskanie informacji z internetu, dyskretne robienie zdjęć oraz nagrywanie materiału wideo (Kęsy, 2017).

Stopień wykorzystania UW jest jednak niewielki. Prawie 43% badanych deklaruje korzystanie ze słuchawek, 22% z inteligentnych opasek, z zegarków natomiast prawie 18%. W przypadku pozostałych urządzeń badani nie zadeklarowali korzystania lub zrobili to w stopniu nieznacznym.

Należy przy tym zwrócić uwagę na jeden dość istotny szczegół. Porównując stopień znajomości pojęcia UW oraz wyniki z tabeli 3, można zauważyć, że nie są one ze sobą zgodne. Oznacza to, że prawdopodobnie respondenci nie kojarzą tego pojęcia z urządzeniami takimi jak między innymi inteligentny zegarek czy opaska.

W kolejnym etapie zbadano preferowane formy płatności po to, aby zidentyfikować, jaki procent próby badawczej wykorzystuje UW do tego celu (por. tabela 4).

Co ciekawe, płatność w tradycyjnej formie — gotówką — została wskazana tylko przez 64% badanych. Prawie każdy korzysta z kart płatniczych (debetowej i/lub kredytowej). Ponad 60% korzysta z oferowanego w bankach systemu blik. Jest to jeden z przykładów płatności natychmiastowych.

W Polsce został on uruchomiony przez Polski Standard Płatności w 2014 r.

z inicjatywy sześciu głównych banków komercyjnych (Jagodzińska-Komar, 2019). Smartfon, którego wykorzystanie wśród młodych ludzi do 2019 r. ma przekroczyć 90% (Gregor i Gwiaździński, 2019), w badaniu wskazało niecałe 32%. Pozostałe zaproponowane formy płatności, w tym przykłady UW, zadeklarowało mniej niż 15% badanych.

Po zidentyfikowaniu preferencji w zakresie form płatności zbadano postawy względem procesu dokonywania płatności przy użyciu smartfona oraz inteligentnego zegarka (por. rysunek 1).

Stosunek respondentów do płacenia zarówno smartfonem, jak i inteligentnym zegarkiem znajduje się powyżej wartości neutralnej (0), co oznacza, że jest on pozytywny. W kwestii zapewnienia bezpieczeństwa danych osobistych lepiej postrzegane jest płacenie smartfonem, natomiast różnica pomiędzy tymi sposobami zakupu jest niewielka. Respondenci twierdzą, że proces płatności jest bardziej intuicyjny również w przypadku smartfonów. Uważają także, że smartfon zapewnia większe bezpieczeństwo transakcji płatniczych oraz jest bardziej atrakcyjnym rozwiązaniem niż inteligentny zegarek. Z kolei innowacyjność rozwiązań postrzegana jest tak samo.

Zestawiając ze sobą wyniki z tabeli 4 oraz rysunku 1, można zauważyć, że pomimo pozytywnych postaw o niewielkim zróżnicowaniu, respondenci dość rzadko deklarowali takie sposoby płatności. Powinno się w tym przypadku zadać pytanie, dlaczego występuje taka sytuacja.

W przypadku inteligentnego zegarka barierą może być cena urządzenia, natomiast smartfon jest urządzeniem o bardzo wysokim stopniu penetracji wśród młodych konsumentów; cena nie stanowi tutaj problemu. Rynek urządzeń mobilnych jest bardzo nasycony, ponadto taka forma płatności jest dostępna w większości modeli dostępnych na rynku. Możliwe, że konsumenci nie mają wiedzy w tym zakresie, nie wiedzą, że taka funkcja jest dostępna oraz jak z niej korzystać. Zidentyfikowanie powodów takiej sytuacji jest niezwykle istotne i może stanowić odrębny cel badań w tym obszarze.

Ostatnim badanym aspektem były postawy respondentów względem zaproponowanych stwierdzeń na temat UW (por. tabela 5).

W toku prowadzonych analiz zbadano wewnętrzne zależności zachodzące w zbiorze ośmiu zmiennych opisujących odczucia respondentów. Współczynniki na przekątnej macierzy przeciwobrazu korelacji przekraczały wartość progową 0,5. Dla poddanych analizie ośmiu zmiennych test sferyczności Bartletta¹ wyniósł 257,326 (przybliżone χ2) przy 28 stopniach swobody i wartości p = 0,000, natomiast współczynnik KMO wyniósł 2 0,723. Trafność teoretyczna konstruktu została zweryfikowana w kolejnym kroku poprzez zastosowanie eksploracyjnej analizy czynnikowej (EFA). Wykorzystano metodę wyodrębniania czynników uogólnionych najmniejszych kwadratów. W wyniku przeprowadzonej analizy osiem zmiennych wyjściowych zredukowano do trzech czynników wyjaśniających łącznie jedynie 47,356% ogólnej zmienności (co oznacza, że mniej niż połowa zmienności poszczególnych itemów została wyjaśniona przez stworzone konstrukty). Macierz ładunków czynnikowych została poddana rotacji z wykorzystaniem metody Varimax z normalizacją Kaisera. Wyniki analizy wykazały, że w każdym z wymiarów może być uwzględniona tylko jedna zmienna lub dwie zmienne pierwotne, a trzy z nich nie weszły do żadnego z czynników. Nie wykazano jednorodności konstruktu, w związku z czym zdecydowano się na analizę pojedynczych zmiennych.

Respondenci są raczej zgodni, że UW są bezpieczne dla ich danych osobistych takich jak hasła czy kody dostępu. Podobna sytuacja ma miejsce w przypadku stwierdzeń — UW ułatwiają im codzienne życie oraz pozwalają lepiej dbać o zdrowe i kondycję fizyczną. Większość badanych uważa, że UW mogą w przyszłości zastąpić smartfony oraz są nowym kanałem kontaktu pomiędzy marką a konsumentem. Ponad połowa respondentów zdecydowanie nie chciałaby sobie wszczepić pod skórę UW. Większość stwierdziła, że jest im trudno powiedzieć, czy korzystanie z UW powoduje rzadsze korzystanie ze smartfona, natomiast raczej są zgodni, że jest to tylko gadżet.

Analizując odpowiedzi, zauważono również, że:

• zmienna „płeć” różnicuje odpowiedzi dla stwierdzeń 1, 2, 3, 5 i 6;
• zmienna „wiek” różnicuje odpowiedzi dla stwierdzeń 1 i 4;
• zmienna „wykształcenie” różnicuje odpowiedzi dla zdań 1, 4 i 5;
• zmienne: „status zawodowy” i „miejsce zamieszkania” różnicują odpowiedzi dla wszystkich stwierdzeń.

Podsumowanie

Podsumowując, z roku na rok rola oraz potencjał UW rosną. Przedstawione raporty firm badawczych pokazują, że w przyszłości będzie coraz więcej urządzeń podpiętych do internetu. Zaprezentowane wyniki badań ilustrują jednak niski poziom wykorzystania tego typu urządzeń, dwukrotnie niższy niż poziom znajomości. Ciekawy jest również fakt niskiego wykorzystania UW w procesie dokonywania opłat przez badanych, pomimo pozytywnego do nich nastawienia. Praktyka przedsiębiorstw, szczególnie kluczowych graczy z branży technologicznej, dowodzi, że tego typu rozwiązanie staje się powoli nowym standardem płatności.

W przyszłości będzie można dokonywać płatności nie tylko za pomocą inteligentnego zegarka czy chipa, ale również za pomocą inteligentnych tatuaży, inteligentnej biżuterii czy inteligentnych paznokci. Postawy respondentów w tym zakresie są zależne najczęściej od miejsca zamieszkania, płci i wieku. Należy jednak pamiętać, że zaprezentowane wyniki badania opisują tylko ograniczony wycinek rzeczywistości ze względu na dość niewielką liczebność próby, co przekłada się na brak możliwości formułowania wniosków o charakterze uogólniającym. Dają jednak pewien pogląd na omawiane zagadnienia, wytyczając kierunki przyszłych badań, które ze względu na rosnący trend wykorzystywania tego rodzaju technologii będą coraz liczniejsze.

Przypisy

1 Odrzucamy hipotezę zerową o tym, że macierz korelacji jest macierzą jednostkową, na rzecz hipotezy przeciwnej (Malarska, 2005, s. 212).

2 Zaleca się, by wartość współczynnika KMO była większa niż 0,5, co oznacza, że badana próba jest adekwatna do założeń analizy czynnikowej (Malarska, 2005, s. 212).

Referencje

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