Demand for food away from home in Slovakia

We analyze demand for food away from home (FAFH) in Slovakia by means of a doublehurdlemodel using recent Slovak Household Budget Survey data covering the period2006–2012. The estimated unconditional income elasticity of FAFH demand (1.37)demonstrates that away-from-home eating is still perceived as a luxury by Slovakhouseholds. An important feature of our applied theoretical framework is measurementof the effect of a wife?s opportunity cost of time. Results indicate that households wherethe wife is employed have significantly higher expenditure on FAFH compared to householdswhere the wife is unemployed or a housewife. Further FAFH market growth can beexpected in Slovakia in the future, driven by rising GDP, increasing participationof women in the job market, demographic changes towards an increase in the proportionof single-person households, and adoption of more individualistic lifestyles.