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  • From: "Kevin Ancell" <kancell AT goodearthgardens.com>
  • To: <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] consumers choose organic
  • Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2002 04:52:47 -0700

USA: Survey shows 39% of US consumers choose organic
26 Nov 2002
Source: just-food.com

The 2002 Organic Consumer Trends Report (OCTR), jointly produced by The
Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) and SPINS, has been reported to show that
39% of the U.S. population - over 40 million households - uses organic
products, and that this robust household penetration accounts for US$6.9bn
in US food and beverage organic sales.

The OCTR includes in-depth analysis of consumer attitudes and purchase
behaviour along with actual dollar and unit sales of over 40 organic product
categories and 100+ sub-segments.

The report indicates that the importance of organic will continue to grow
based on the US Department of Agriculture's 21 October regulation for
organic food and beverage certification and labelling. The OCTR identifies a
range of organic consumer segments, and compares key attitudes, behaviour
and purchase patterns of each. Three US organic segments are defined as
follows:

The Organic Integrated Group: Makes up 37% of all organic users, holds very
strong attitudes toward organics, and consumes organics more than once a
day.

The Organic Middle Group: Representing 39% of all organic users, also has
very strong attitudes toward organics, and consumes organics at least
weekly.

The Organic Fringe Group: Comprises 24% of all organic users, with strong
attitudes toward organics, and eats organics occasionally.
Whereby the organic food and beverage market continues its double-digit
growth (compared to the stagnated conventional food and beverage market),
there are challenges to entering the marketplace.

Says NMI Managing Partner Steve French: "There is some fundamental
misunderstanding of what makes a product organic. Across a variety of
criteria regarding the understanding of organics, 48% of consumers seem to
have a firm grasp of the true meaning. Additionally, and much more
concerning, is the low recognition of the perceived product benefits that
are derived from organics, including taste, nutritional benefits, and
others. Although the recent USDA label initiatives will provide awareness
and credibility to the industry, marketers will need to take the
responsibility of communicating these key benefits of organic products to
consumers."






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