BELLVUE, Wash.—About 75 percent of consumers use organic products, and one-third buy organics monthly, up from 22 percent in 2000, according to the State of the Organic Consumer 2010 by The Hartman Group, as reported by The Gourmet Retailer.
In the study, The Hartman Group classified organic shoppers into separate groups:
- Core consumers are loyal, early adopters of organic foods, and include about 24 percent of consumers, The study finds they have moved beyond organic, and are looking for biodynamic, non-mono crops grown on small farms.
- Mid Level contains the largest number of consumers, and can be further broken down to Inner and Outer Mid Level. They are interested in learning more about organic products, and want to see organic and natural certifications on the products they buy. They also have a growing interest in buying socially responsible products.
- Periphery consumers include those consumers who are beginning to learning about natural and organics. They account for 14 percent of consumers, and are motivated by price.
The Gourmet Retailer said the report shows consumers associate “organic” with how a product is grown on the farm, usually without pesticides, while “natural” refers to what happens to food after it leaves the farm. And in general, consumers don’t believe “natural” on the package. Instead, they read the nutrition label.
Additionally, shoppers perceived several private-label organic products as more authentic organic products than national organic brands.