Abstract
A focus group study using four groups of food shoppers provides insights into consumers’ knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors regarding organic foods. Two focus groups consisted of shoppers who regularly bought organic foods and two focus groups of shoppers who predominantly purchased conventional foods. Participants in one of the conventional groups were all Caucasian; in the other they were all African-American. While familiarity with organic foods was much lower in the African-American group, its members were more receptive and positive towards organic foods. Likewise, the African-American shoppers were more accepting of price premiums for organics foods. In comparing the two organic shopper groups with the two conventional shopper groups, it was found that the former were generally more knowledgeable about organic foods. They were also more likely to follow a special diet than conventional Caucasian shoppers. However, the behavior of organic shoppers varied widely. The research supports examining social justice and access as motivations for changing policies to support organic agriculture.
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Acknowledgements
Funding for this research was provided by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy and the US Department of Agriculture National Research Initiative. The authors wish to extend their gratitude to the participants of the focus groups. All errors are the responsibility of the authors.
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Lydia Zepeda is a Professor of Consumer Science at University of Wisconsin and Senior Fellow of the Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy. Her research focuses on agricultural technology adoption, farm household decision making, and consumer perceptions and behavior towards agricultural technology and food.
Hui-Shung Chang is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Economics at the University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. Her research focuses on demand analysis and agribusiness marketing.
Catherine Leviten-Reid is a research assistant and graduate student in the Department of Consumer Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is interested in household behavior and sustainable community development.
Appendix
Appendix
Questions for conventional food buyers
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1.
What are the most important characteristics of food for you?
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2.
What does the term organic mean to you?
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3.
Have you ever bought organic food? If so describe why or why not? What would you need to be reassured that it is organic?
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4.
What organic foods would you consider buying or have you bought? Why or why not?
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5.
Are there foods you would never consider buying organic? Why?
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6.
Do you think there is a price differential between organic and conventional food, if so what is it? If there is a difference, is it justified?
Questions for organic food buyers
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1.
What are the most important characteristics of food for you?
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2.
What does the term organic mean to you?
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3.
What would you need to be reassured that it is organic? What does organic certification mean to you?
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4.
What organic foods do you buy on a regular basis? Why?
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5.
Where do you buy organic food and why?
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6.
Are there foods you would never consider buying organic? Why?
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7.
Do you think there is a price differential between organic and conventional food, if so what is it? If there is a difference, is it justified?
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Zepeda, L., Chang, HS. & Leviten-Reid, C. Organic Food Demand: A Focus Group Study Involving Caucasian and African-American Shoppers. Agric Hum Values 23, 385–394 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-006-9001-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-006-9001-9