Organic Food Consumer Motivation: A Primary Research Study

Overview of Organic Food Trends

The fiscal crisis of 2009 did not dissuade people from digging a little deeper into their noticeably thinner wallets to pay significantly more for food they could trust. Sales of organic food rose by 5% during the global financial crisis, sustaining a trend from 2000 through 2008 during which organic food sales rose 15%. The purpose of this study was to determine the primary motivational factors for purchasing organic food among shoppers who regularly buy organic food for their own consumption. The participants in this study shopped regularly for organic foods and, despite the steeper prices, considered organic food to be a good value. The subjects were primarily attracted to organic foods because they perceived them to be better for their health, but many participants also expressed environmental concerns. Subjects in this study were relatively young, with a median age of approximately 30 years, and most were married. The subjects shopped at a variety of locations and reported buying organic food from all available food categories, although most purchases were organic vegetables.

Introduction: Food Safety and the Organic Market

Organic food is better for the environment, the ecosystem, and the farm workers who plant, tend, and harvest food. The strong marketing points for organic food are the absence of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and artificial hormones. A newer benefit is being researched and marketed — organic food may actually be more nutritious than non-organic food (Cassetty, 2010; Williams, 2002; Worthington, 2001). While this benefit is still being debated, consumers are actively seeking food that is safe (Baxter, 2006). The latter half of the last decade was replete with recalls of unsafe products — including milk, infant formula, pet food, and eggs — a number of which were intended for human consumption. Imports of food from China "more than tripled in value between 2001 and 2008" (Gale & Buzby, 2009). Highly publicized incidents of food alteration and contamination in imported Chinese food products heightened public concern about imported food.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has judged that the most common problems with food imported from China are "filth, unsafe additives, inadequate labeling, and lack of proper manufacturing registrations," most of which "are typically introduced during food processing and handling" (ERS, 2009). Some degree of processing occurs with nearly all Chinese food imports, leaving consumers wary — particularly given that the FDA did not open its first overseas office in China until 2008. Adding to these concerns are food scares related to disease (e.g., E. coli, Mad Cow Disease) and pesticides such as DDT, which have made the U.S. population increasingly anxious about food quality and food sources. Undoubtedly, the slow food movement has benefitted considerably from these mishaps, disasters, and tragedies — but is organic food the answer?

The degree to which organic farms contribute to environmental protection, biodiversity, cultural landscapes, the absence of synthetic chemicals, and higher animal welfare standards varies considerably (Darnhofer, 2010). These differences are attributable to a trend known as the conventionalization of organic farming, which essentially means that some farms comply with organic farming regulations but do not comply with organic farming principles (Darnhofer, 2010). A bifurcation has occurred between conventionalized organic farms and artisanal organic farms (Darnhofer, 2010). The organic food industry is taking a closer look at whether organic farms are making only structural changes or whether they are truly complying "with the principles and values that are the fundament of organic farming" (Darnhofer, 2010). The expectations of policymakers and consumers depend on the organic food industry's ability to fully understand the dynamics of organic farming and the impact of these dynamics on the heterogeneous range of organic farms represented (Darnhofer, 2010).

Organic foods are now mainstream in U.S. food retail establishments and even in "club" stores — the growth of the industry has been remarkable (Oberholtzer & Dimitri, 2009). Retail sales of organic foods stood at $3.6 billion in 1997 and grew to $21.1 billion by 2008 (Oberholtzer & Dimitri, 2009). The organic food industry encompasses a wide variety of foods, a burgeoning array of private-label product lines, and a growing trend of new product introductions in conventional grocery settings (Oberholtzer & Dimitri, 2009). The range of consumers who purchase organic food is broadening, along with increased revenue across a rapidly expanding range of organic food products (Oberholtzer & Dimitri, 2009). A layer of middlemen has grown up around the organic food industry in the form of organic food handlers, whose role is to purchase organic foods from farmers and supply them to retailers (Oberholtzer & Dimitri, 2009). Organic farmers are hard pressed to keep up with the demand (Oberholtzer & Dimitri, 2009).

The viewpoint of organic food consumers regarding the safety and quality of organic food is critical to the fiscal success of the industry and to the industry's capacity to make substantive contributions to biodiversity, the protection of ecological systems, and the provision of safe, healthful food. The study described in this paper informs theories about the motivation of organic food consumers.

Research Findings: Structured Questionnaire

The unit of analysis in this primary research was individuals who regularly buy organic food. The primary research was conducted at Organic Wholefoods in Brunswick, Melbourne. The approaches used for data collection included a structured questionnaire and a survey. The structured questionnaire was conducted in the organic food store on a Monday afternoon, while the survey was conducted on a Saturday morning. Five subjects responded to each of the research instruments.

The majority of the respondents in the structured questionnaire reported having shopped for organic food between two and five times in the last month, which meets the research criterion for customers who regularly shop for organic food. Definitions of organic provided by respondents included: "expensive," "real and honest food," "natural and pure food," "good for our bodies," and "food grown with no pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms." About half of the respondents indicated that they believe organic food is healthier than conventional food, while the other half believe that organic food safeguards the environment more than conventional food. Approximately half of the respondents indicated that their purchase decisions were influenced by peers, while the other half said that peers were not influential to their decision-making.

The majority of respondents indicated that they were relatively new to organic food, with their responses falling in the categories of two years or less. Respondents reported spending moderate amounts on organic food, with the majority saying they spent approximately $51 to $75 per week; equal numbers spent less than $50 per week and more than $75 per week. Respondents identified a number of locations for their organic food shopping, with the majority shopping at supermarkets and an equal number shopping at farmers' markets or independent stores. Respondents bought a variety of organic food, with the majority indicating they purchased predominantly vegetables; fewer reported buying organic meat or organic dairy. A majority of respondents indicated that they thought it is worth paying for organic food, and one respondent reported that it was somewhat worth paying for organic food.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Organic food continues to find a strong market, and the trend in sales and revenue is definitively positive. The uncertainties of foreign food safety due to non-compliance with regulations and corruption at the local level — whether at the food source itself or at the site of manufacturing or packaging — appear to be strengthening the organic food market. Consumers, particularly those who regularly purchase organic foods, are convinced that the food is a good value, apparently both in terms of safety and nutrition — and sometimes even with regard to taste. These organic food consumers tend to trust the organic label, shopping weekly at independent stores, farmers' markets, and even supermarkets.

Organic food growers and sellers would do well to promote their products as safer than food that comes from unknown sources. Promoting the local source aspect of organic food is critical because consumers have become circumspect regarding food that comes from less-regulated markets. Foods that carry foreign market labels — from Chile, Italy, and Mexico, for example — should include language specifying the standards and certifications of the relevant organic farmers' associations. Consumers who shop for organic food appear to do so on a weekly basis, so freshness of organic food is an attractive selling point and can serve as an additional marketing strategy.

References

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Burke, C. (2007). To buy or not to buy organic: What you need to know to choose the healthiest, safest, most earth-friendly food. New York, NY: Marlowe & Company.

Cassetty, S. B. (2010, November). Organic food: What's really worth it? Good Housekeeping. Retrieved from http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/product-reviews/food-products/organic-food-reviews/organic-food-whats-really-worth-it

Darnhofer, I., Lindenthal, T., Bartel-Kratochvil, R., & Zollitsch, W. (2010). Conventionalisation of organic farming practices: From structural criteria towards an assessment based on organic principles. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 30(1), 67–81. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/agro/2009011

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Worthington, V. (2001, April). Nutritional quality of organic vs. conventional fruits, vegetables, and grains. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 7(2), 161–173. doi:10.1089/107555301750164244