Scientific Affairs Manager %26 Nutrition Education. Consumers perceive organic foods as more nutritious, natural and environmentally friendly than non-organic or conventional foods. Since organic foods were developed, studies on consumer behavior and organic foods have contributed significantly to their development. This study aims to identify the factors that affect consumers' buying behavior toward organic foods in the United States.
The survey data was collected from 770 consumers in the Midwest of the United States. ANOVA, multiple linear regression, factor analysis, independent t-tests, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis are used to analyze the collected primary data. This research confirms that health awareness, consumer knowledge, perceived or subjective norms, and price perceptions influence consumer attitudes toward buying organic food. Availability is another factor that affected consumers' purchasing intentions.
Age, education and income are demographic factors that also affect consumers' buying behavior. The findings help organic food vendors design strategies to succeed in the fast-growing U.S. organic food market. UU.
Conventional agriculture has been using synthetic herbicides, pesticides and insecticides produced by large chemical companies such as Monsanto since the 1940s, long before they were proven to be safe. The EPA banned the first synthetic chemical used in conventional agriculture (DDT) after 30 years of research that concluded that it was causing reproductive harm, hormonal imbalances, tumor growth and neurological disorders in humans (. Although banned in 1972, DDT is still detected in the soil of some conventional crops. Glyphosate quickly took its place as the next synthetic chemical herbicide, produced by the same company (Monsanto) in the 1970s, after the EPA banned DDT.
You should know that research conducted by the Internal Agency for Research on Cancer of the WHO (World Health Organization) considered that glyphosate was “probably carcinogenic to humans”. They also discovered that “people who work with the herbicide (glyphosate) seem to have a higher risk of suffering from a type of cancer called non-Hodgkin lymphoma (. Glyphosate is now one of the most used products for conventional agriculture. The first section contains questions about the buying behavior of organic products, and the answers are measured on a 5-point Likert scale.
Many studies have established different reasons for buying organic food in developed and developing countries. A critical analysis of these studies suggests that, in general, there is some awareness among consumers about organic foods around the world. Organic foods have been promoted as foods made with lifestyle in mind, rather than one that prioritizes health. Hughner found that, even though consumers have a positive attitude toward buying organic foods, very few people buy them.
Ultimately, every decision you make can help or disrupt your health, and the accumulation over time of a particular decision (such as eating non-organic products) can ultimately be toxic to your health. Demeritt (200) also added that about 59% of those who did not buy organic products indicated that they had never really considered organic, while about 39% indicated that price was the main inhibiting factor. However, during the pilot survey, we discovered that “organic products” would be too broad a term, since it includes clothing and personal care items, and consumers may see or behave differently with respect to different items, such as food, clothing and personal care. While they are likely to perceive that organic foods are pure, natural and healthy, this perception could be based on their belief that organic foods are free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
In general, consumer decision-making and behavior with respect to organically produced products are consistent with the economic view that consumers demand the characteristics inherent in such products.
Organic foods
are most often considered to be more nutritious and safer than conventionally produced foods; people concerned about their health are more likely to develop a positive attitude towards the health-improving characteristics of organic foods (Michaelidou, %26, Hassan, 200). De Magistris and Gracia (201) argued that consumers recognize organic foods based on the logos or organic labels attached to the product. Taking into account the principles established in these three models, Gracia Royo and de Magistris (200) (figure) developed a model of behavior of consumers of organic food in relation to their willingness to consume organic food products..
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