Farmer Consumer Partnerships - How to successfully communicate the values of organic food

Summary

As the popularity of organic food increases, many organic businesses are facing ever greater competition in the marketplace. And in a world where more and more organic products are mass produced, and where most consumers have little - if any - contact with the organic farmers who have produced their food, many people feel that the underlying principles of the organic movement are coming under increasing threat.
Yet research shows that there is growing interest among today's consumers in the wider ethical principles which underpin organic agriculture. They want fairer working conditions; they want to support disadvantaged societal groups, higher standards of animal welfare, and the preservation of tradition and landscapes through their purchasing decisions - and they are willing to pay more for products which support this 'added value'.
This booklet provides farmers and processors with practical advice and case studies on how to target their marketing strategies to the growing number of 'ethical consumers', and how to improve their communication with their customers.
This publication summarises the main results of the CORE Organic project 'Farmer Consumer Partnerships'. The research project aimed to determine how the commitment of organic farmers to ethical values can be
communicated to customers in order to strengthen the companies positioning in the market.