?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Organic+Food%3A+Understanding+the+consumer+and+increasing+sales&rft.creator=Anon%2C+&rft.subject=+Food+security%2C+food+quality+and+human+health&rft.subject=+Education%2C+extension+and+communication&rft.subject=+Markets+and+trade&rft.subject=Consumer+issues&rft.description=Background%0D%0AThis+report+is+based+on+research+by+Taylor+Nelson+Sofres+(TNS)%2C+commissioned+by+the+Soil+Association+and+supported+by+the+Welsh+Development+Agency+and+Organic+Centre+Wales+to+explore+the+attitudes+and+buying+behaviour+of+organic+consumers.+The+aim+of+the+research%2C+conducted+in+January+and+February+2003%2C+was+to+increase+understanding+of+consumer+motivations+in+order+to+promote+organic+food+more+effectively+and+increase+sales.+The+aim+of+this+report+is+to+summarise+the+research+for+the+benefit+of+Welsh+organic+businesses+and+provide+them+with+practical+pointers+for+their+marketing.%0D%0A%0D%0AMethodology%0D%0ATNS+analysed+the+buying+behaviour+and+attitudes+of+15%2C000+households+using+its+Superpanel+database+and+conducted+a+further%2C+more+detailed+opinion+survey+in+which+they+interviewed+4%2C000+people+in+their+homes.%0D%0A%0D%0AKey+findings%0D%0A+The+market+relies+heavily+on+the+purchases+of+a+committed+minority+of+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98heavy+buyers%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+and+sales+through+three+leading+retailers.+Tesco%2C+Waitrose+and+Sainsbury%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s+account+for+70+per+cent+of+organic+food+sales%2C+and+just+23+per+cent+of+organic+consumers+account+for+84+per+cent+of+spending.%0D%0A+Most+lighter+organic+buyers+are+probably+buying+organic+products+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98accidentally%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+rather+than+consciously+buying+organic.+The+most+important+consumers+for+growing+the+market+are+the+medium+and+heavy+buyers+whose+motivations+indicate+a+positive+attitude+towards+organic+food%0D%0A+Heavy+buyers+tend+to+be+older+and+better+off+than+the+UK+population+average%2C+and+most+live+in+London+and+the+South+East.+This+is+a+discerning+and+selfconfident+group+of+consumers%2C+much+more+likely+to+regard+themselves+as+connoisseurs+of+food+and+wine%2C+to+seek+out+eco-friendly+products+and+to+read+the+ingredients+on+packs+before+buying.%0D%0A+The+two+most+important+motivations+driving+organic+consumers+are+taste+and+health.+There+is+a+direct+correlation+between+the+extent+to+which+consumers+believe+in+the+health+and+taste+benefits+of+organic+food+and+the+number+of+categories+they+buy+into.%0D%0A+Taste+and+food+safety+concerns+are+the+main+factors+in+persuading+people+to+try+organic+food+for+the+first+time+and+in+encouraging+buyers+to+increase+their+spending.+But+light+consumers+only+become+medium+consumers+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93+serious+organic+shoppers+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93+when+they+also+are+persuaded+of+the+positive+health%2C+environmental+and+animal+welfare+benefits+of+eating+organic.%0D%0A+A+combination+of+delivering+good-quality+and+great-tasting+organic+lines+to+medium+consumers+while+communicating+to+them+the+food+quality+benefits+in+detail+(ie+pesticide+and+additive+avoidance+and+higher+nutrient+content)+may+well+be+the+key+to+expanding+the+body+of+heavy+consumers.%0D%0A+Among+non-buyers%2C+price+is+the+main+barrier+to+purchase%2C+although+one+in+seven+non-buyers+cites+not+having+enough+information+to+justify+the+price+premium.%0D%0A+Fruit+and+vegetables+are+the+main+entry+point+to+organic+purchasing.+From+there+consumers+tend+to+graduate+to+eggs+and+dairy+products%2C+then+packaged+grocery+products%2C+then+meat+and+soft+drinks.%0D%0A+Most+people+first+find+out+about+organic+food+from+a+television+programme+or+press+article.%0D%0A+Sixty+per+cent+of+organic+consumers+are+more+likely+to+buy+organic+food+if+it+originates+from+the+UK%2C+compared+to+1+per+cent+who+are+less+likely+to+buy+UK+products+and+38+per+cent+for+whom+it+does+not+really+matter.%0D%0A+Motivation+towards+locally+sourced+products+within+the+UK+is+generally+not+as+strong+as+motivation+towards+UK+products+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93+with+the+exception+of+Wales%2C+Scotland+and+the+East+Midlands%2C+where+support+for+local+food+is+even+stronger+than+support+for+UK+produce+generally.%0D%0A%0D%0AKey+recommendations+for+marketing%0D%0A+Tell+the+organic+story%3A+communicate+product+origin+and+all+the+diverse+benefits+of+eating+organic+through+promotional+literature+and+on-pack+information%2C+encouragement+of+farm+visits%2C+building+of+contact+with+journalists%0D%0A+Market+and+deliver+on+taste%3A+ensure+products+meet+consumer+quality+expectations%2C+promote+the+full+flavour+of+organic+produce%2C+organise+promotional+tastings%0D%0A+Hit+the+consumer+hotspots%3A+focus+marketing+spend+on+medium+and+heavy+consumers%2C+the+south+east+and+the+top+three+multiple+retailers%0D%0A+Keep+it+simple%3A+don%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99t+neglect+to+tell+consumers+how+they+identify+organic+products+and+how+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98organic%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+differs+from+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98free+range%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+and+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98natural%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99%0D%0A+Highlight+health%3A+communicate+the+highly+motivational+health+benefits+as+far+as+advertising+restrictions+allow%0D%0A+Make+connections%3A+link+up+with+appropriate+charities+to+accentuate+wildlife+and+other+benefits%3B+exploit+the+typical+sequence+of+buying+by+promoting+eggs+and+dairy+to+fruit+and+veg+consumers%2C+meat+to+dairy+consumers%0D%0A+Exploit+the+Welshness+of+your+product+within+Wales+but+highlight+the+Britishness+elsewhere+in+the+UK&rft.date=2004&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10858%2F1%2FTNS2004eng.pdf&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10858%2F2%2FTNS2004cym.pdf&rft.identifier=Anon%2C+(2004)+Organic+Food%3A+Understanding+the+consumer+and+increasing+sales.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F10858%2F