Who’s buying organic food and why? Political consumerism, demographic characteristics and motivations of consumers in North Queensland

Abstract

The organic food market is one of the fastest growing food sectors in Australia, with growth rates in the domestic retail market averaging 50% from 2008 from 2010 (Australian Organic Market Report, 2010).  This paper focuses on identifying the demographic characteristics of organic food buyers, the motivational factors that drive the purchase of organic food and the role of political citizenship in food choices. The paper found that the organic food buyer was generally female and well educated, but age, income and presence of children in the household were not distinguishing traits. The study suggests the political consumerism is a driving force for organic food consumption, which was expressed in a distrust of corporations; lack of faith in government; wider concerns over patterns of agricultural land use within the context of sustainability and tendency to engage in boycotts and sign petitions. Variables such as taste, product freshness and animal-welfare were important motivating factors. While consumers have enough knowledge to distinguish between conventionally-grown food and organically-grown foods, there are gaps in the consumer’s level of knowledge about all the requirements for organic standards. The findings provide valuable input into the literature on what motivates organic consumption decisions. Implications for marketing, educational campaigns and food labelling are discussed.