– A lot of literature is available that discusses personal determinants of organic food consumption. However different models and determinants are used in the literature. This paper aims to provide an overview, within a framework linking Schwartz' values theory and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Also it seeks to focus on the importance of affective attitude, emotions, personal norm, involvement and uncertainty related to organic food consumption., – The paper is based on secondary data sources, namely the literature concerning personal determinants of organic food consumption., – Both the values theory and the theory of planned behaviour have been referred to as relevant theories for better understanding consumers' choice for organic food. Organic food consumption decisions can be explained by relating attributes of organic food with more abstract values such as “security”, “hedonism”, “universalism”, “benevolence”, “stimulation”, “self‐direction” and “conformity”. Appealing to these values can positively influence attitudes towards organic food consumption. Besides attitude, subjective and personal norm and (perceived) behavioural control influence consumption of organic food., – More research related to the role of uncertainty (reduction) during the process of buying organic food is recommended., – Relatively little research has examined the affective component of attitude and emotions in relation to organic food consumption, while these may play an important role as drivers of involvement and thus help to jolt food purchasers out of their routine of buying conventional food and set a first step to adopt organic food., – To the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper providing a comprehensive overview and linking the literature on organic food consumption to the values theory and the theory of planned behaviour, including the role of personal norm and focusing on emotions. The proposed integration of mental processing in an organic food consumption model leads to interesting hypotheses and recommendations for policy makers, researchers and stakeholders involved in the organic food market.

/pdf/personal-determinants-of-organic-food-consumption-a-review-jwz8cbcsu2.pdf

Personal determinants of organic food consumption: a review

Purpose – Although the organic market has expanded in recent years, it remains small. Some researchers argue that consumers' lack of knowledge concerning organic food is an important factor slowing down growth. This paper aims to focus on the factors influencing objective and subjective knowledge with regard to organic food production and the relationship between both types of knowledge and consumer attitudes and motivations towards organic food and its consumption.Design/methodology/approach – A literature review is presented, relating to the impact of knowledge on behaviour in general and, more specifically, on organic food consumption. Several hypotheses are formulated concerning the relationship between objective and subjective knowledge, attitudes and organic food consumption and these are tested on organic vegetable consumption in Flanders (Belgium). Multiple regression models, a probit model and an analysis of variance are applied to a sample of 529 completed questionnaires (response rate=44 per ce...

The influence of subjective and objective knowledge on attitude, motivations and consumption of organic food

Support for organic farming is a promising policy for improving sustainability in the food sector. Further consumer demand, however, is hindered by high prices. We review research from 2000 to 2014 on the role of perceived price, income, price knowledge, willingness to pay, and reactions to price changes on organic food. We find that price is the major perceived barrier to purchase. Income is only a partial explanatory factor and is superseded by psychographic variables. Willingness to pay a premium is around 30% (ranging from 0% to 105%) and depends on consumer segments and product category. Price knowledge is vague, and organic consumers' price sensitivity is relatively lower than that of occasional or nonorganic consumers. The results suggest that further market differentiation in terms of organic consumer segments and food categories is necessary. Furthermore, we discuss detailed implications for public policy and practice and present a future research agenda.

Can't Buy Me Green? A Review of Consumer Perceptions of and Behavior toward the Price of Organic Food

Why do global long-term scenarios for agriculture differ? An overview of the AgMIP Global Economic Model Intercomparison

Our growing demand for meat and dairy food products is unsustainable. It is hard to imagine that this global issue can be solved solely by more efficient technologies. Lowering our meat consumption seems inescapable. Yet, the question is whether modern consumers can be considered as reliable allies to achieve this shift in meat consumption pattern. Is there not a yawning gap between our responsible intentions as citizens and our hedonic desires as consumers? We will argue that consumers can and should be considered as partners that must be involved in realizing new ways of protein consumption that contribute to a more sustainable world. In particular the large food consumer group of flexitarians offer promising opportunities for transforming our meat consumption patterns. We propose a pragmatic approach that explicitly goes beyond the standard suggestion of persuasion strategies and suggests different routes of change, coined sustainability by stealth, moderate involvement, and cultural change respectively. The recognition of more routes of change to a more plant-based diet implies that the ethical debate on meat should not only associate consumer change with rational persuasion strategies and food citizens that instantiate “strong” sustainable consumption. Such a focus narrows the debate on sustainable protein consumption and easily results in disappointment about consumers’ participation. A more wide-ranging concept of ethical consumption can leave the negative verdict behind that consumers are mainly an obstacle for sustainability and lead to a more optimistic view on modern consumers as allies and agents of change.

/pdf/reducing-meat-consumption-in-today-s-consumer-society-117gs2ucwp.pdf

Reducing meat consumption in today’s consumer society: questioning the citizen-consumer gap

The price gap between organic and conventional food might explain the low market share of organics in the Netherlands. A real-life experiment was carried out in 2006 in order to determine the price sensitivity of consumer demand for organics. Consumer prices of selected organic products were reduced by up to 40% below current market levels. The price elasticity of demand was low, because not all consumers perceived the price reductions. Moreover, the offer of organic varieties is limited, as is the consumer’s willingness to pay for the social attributes of organics.

/pdf/limits-to-growth-in-organic-sales-3ki24e5vwl.pdf

Limits to Growth in Organic Sales

The report studies the impact of private labels on the competitiveness of the European food processing industry and investigates whether a system of producer indication may improve the functioning of the food supply chain. The impact is studied using economic theory and empirical and legal analysis. The study is completed with an impact assessment.

The impact of private labels on the competitiveness of the European food supply chain

This report determines how sensitive consumer demand for organic products is to changes in the prices of organic products. The report is based on the analysis of scanner data for supermarkets in ten Dutch communities. In the framework of the analysis, an experiment has been performed in which the prices of organic products have been reduced below current price levels. The report shows that consumer demand for organic food is sensitive to changes in consumer prices. However, for five out of eight products the sensitivity of consumer demand with respect to price declines when the price gap between organic and conventional food falls.

/pdf/limits-to-growth-in-organic-sales-price-elasticity-of-gvlovx2dst.pdf

Limits to growth in organic sales : price elasticity of consumer demand for organic food in Dutch supermarkets

This paper analyses the response of producer, wholesale, retail, and international trade prices to shocks in prices in upstream or downstream stages in the Dutch onion and red pepper supply chains. The analysis allows for asymmetric adjustment among food prices when the wholesale or retail stages exert oligopoly power. The study provides a theoretical underpinning of the relationship between domestic and international prices. Asymmetries in price transmission are examined using the Houck as well as the error-correction approaches. The impulse response analyses show that red pepper prices return to their long-term equilibria relatively quickly, whereas onion prices settle at a new equilibrium after a price shock. Market power in the wholesale sector affects the responses of onion prices but has little or no effect on the responses of red pepper prices. Market power in the retail sector does not affect the onion prices or the red pepper prices. Analysis of weekly price data over the period from 2005 to 2008 suggests asymmetric adjustment in producer-wholesale and international-producer prices in the Dutch onion supply chain. The results also show asymmetric transmission between producer and retail prices for red pepper.

Price Transmission, International Trade, and Asymmetric Relationships in the Dutch Agri‐Food Chain

Opzet van het onderzoek Van eind april tot eind augustus 2006 is in tien plaatsen in Nederland een experiment uitgevoerd waarbij supermarkten de prijzen van acht biologische productgroepen sterk hebben verlaagd. Het doel van dit experiment was om na te gaan of bij een permanent lagere prijs consumenten meer biologische producten gaan kopen. Er is ook aan consumenten gevraagd waarom ze bepaalde producten kopen en welke ideeen zij hebben over meerwaarde en prijs van biologische producten. Zowel kopers als niet-kopers van biologische producten zijn ondervraagd. Tijdens het experiment zijn voor de biologische variant van eieren, melk, aardappelen, rijst en muesli de prijzen verlaagd met 5 tot 25% (verschillend per plaats in schijven van 5%). Voor de biologische variant van varkensvlees, rundergehakt en champignons is een prijsverlaging doorgevoerd van 8 tot 40% (in schijven van 8%). Per plaats in Nederland was de korting per productgroep in alle supermarkten gelijk om de onderlinge concurrentiepositie niet te beinvloeden. Aan het experiment hebben elf supermarktformules meegewerkt: Albert Heijn, C1000, Coop, Coop Compact, Edah, Hoogvliet, Jan Linders, Jumbo, Konmar, Plus en Super de Boer. Zij hebben wekelijkse verkoopdata ter beschikking gesteld over de periode 2005 tot en met het eind van het experiment. Daarnaast hebben ze toestemming gegeven om hun klanten, in de winkel direct na aankoop, te enqueteren. Het onderzoek is opgezet en gefi nancierd door het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit met medewerking van andere partijen uit het Convenant Biologische Marktontwikkeling. Voor de kwaliteitsbewaking is een begeleidingscommissie van deskundigen ingesteld.

/pdf/een-biologisch-prijsexperiment-grenzen-in-zicht-26nim2tcsr.pdf

Frank H.J. Bunte

Papers

Limits to Growth in Organic Sales

The impact of private labels on the competitiveness of the European food supply chain

Limits to growth in organic sales : price elasticity of consumer demand for organic food in Dutch supermarkets

Price Transmission, International Trade, and Asymmetric Relationships in the Dutch Agri‐Food Chain

Een Biologisch prijsexperiment : grenzen in zicht?