Consumption patterns in Tanzania: the case of Zanzibar

This study attempts to analyse the factors influencing consumption patterns in Zanzibar. This entails an econometric analysis of cross-sectional data from the 1981/82 Household Budget Survey (HBS) for Zanzibar. Using essentially the double logarithmic model, the influence of a number of factors, including total expenditure, family size, location, education and sex on consumption is examined. The linear model results are presented as an appendix to supplement the main double logarithmic model. However, the results based on this model tend to be inferior in some cases. Thus little attention is paid to the results. From the results, consumption in Zanzibar is mainly influenced by total expenditure, location and education. Generally speaking, foodstuffs ( as a group) and some food items (taken separately) are shown to be income inelastic while non-food items notably clothes and footwear and fuel are shown to be income elastic. The results further show that there is a variation of consumption among commodities between urban the locations on the one hand and rural ones an the other. In addition, the level of education and sex are shown to have influence on some of the commodities consumed. The results of this study compare closely with results from similar studies, as the review of these studies show. Following the results, it would be rational for policy maker in Zanzibar to give special attention to the food question especially as regards production, food reserve management and pricing, for consumers to afford to have a balanced diet. Care should also be taken in the pricing of non-food items, bearing in mind the objective of raising peoples standards of -living and their real incomes. It is also important for policy makers to focus on smoothening the distribution system 'cross locations and improving the level of education, especially for the rural masses. However, this study is found to have limitations in data, time, funding and scope.