Understanding the Values and Beliefs of Canadian Organic Food Consumers

J. Sheeshka*, A. Winter and J. Cranfield

Abstract
Objective: To describe the underlying values of Canadian organic food consumers.

Design, Setting and Participants: Twenty-five women (aged 20 to 65 years) who purchased organic food weekly participated in one-on-one, digitally recorded, laddering interviews. The laddering technique was used to discover the underlying reasons why an attribute (eg, freshness) is important to a participant.

Outcome Measures and Analysis: Thematic analysis was conducted with MaxQDA. Risk analysis theory was considered to understand how consumers interpret and rationalize food-related risks.

Results: Consumers faced complicated tradeoffs when making food-purchasing decisions. Five themes were identified: eating safe and healthy food, ethical and altruistic considerations, trust in the food supply, being empowered, and importance of community and culture. “New” organic food consumers had different purchasing habits and values than “dedicated” organic food consumers. The decision to buy organic food was driven by apprehension about conventionally produced foods and a desire to find alternative, high-quality food products that provided peace of mind (ie, fewer pesticides, chemicals, antibiotics).

Conclusions and Implications: The 5 themes revealed the complexity of the organic versus nonorganic decision among this group of women. Future research could explore the differences between the “new” and “dedicated” organic consumers in more depth.


Source
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (2011) 43: S5
DOI: 10.1016/j.jneb.2011.03.024


Author Locations and Affiliations
University of Guelph, Family Relations & Applied Nutrition, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
* Corresponding author, E-mail jsheeshk@uoguelph.ca


Posted July 2011