Fresh Trends 2023 explores reasons behind organic demand.

This article and information were written by Tom Karst with The Packer, and it appears on The Packer website here: The Packer Hopefully this will keep me out of trouble for copying their information for you to read!!!

The Packer surveyed over 1000 consumers last fall about a host of things but in particular they asked about buying organic produce. They asked, “Why do you buy certified organic produce?”

• Food safety/avoiding chemicals: 57%.
• Nutrient content/Personal health: 51%.
• Environmental/social responsibility: 41%.
• Other: 3%.

I hear from a lot of consumers and even though I won’t say that my results are scientific, I will have to agree that people talking to me say they want organic because they don’t want chemicals on their food.

Here is the second question they asked, “When consumers were asked where they were most likely to buy organic fresh produce, respondents said:”

• Chain superstore (i.e., Walmart, Target): 32%.
• Warehouse store (i.e., Sam’s Club, Costco): 17%.
• Regional supermarket (i.e., Safeway, Ralphs, Publix, H-E-B): 21%.
• Chain discounter (i.e., Aldi, Save-A-Lot, Food 4 Less, Lidl): 7%.
• Specialty market (i.e., Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts): 14%.
• Farmers market: 9%.

Almost everyone assumes that people buy organic at specialty stores that sell organic but notice that the typical Texas grocery store sells 70% of all organic produce bought.

They also asked about the percentage of organic produce bought and all the consumers surveyed bought some organic produce. When asked if they would pay a premium for organic only 11 percent of consumers were not willing to pay more for organic.