Consumer Preferences for Organic Foods

Summary

The Danish market for organic foods is especially well suited for consumer analyses because it is relatively mature, meaning that it does not suffer seriously from the supply shortages and barriers which dominate most of the markets outside Denmark. The well-functioning Danish market makes it possible to collect and analyse reliable data on purchases. Our study distinguishes itself by being based on observations of stated as well as actual purchasing behaviour of a large number of organic as well as conventional foods. The project applies information at the individual household level (panel data), which makes possible a detailed and informative approach. The panel data were provided by a marketing research company. In addition, the modelling is supported by a questionnaire, surveying households in the very same panel as applied in the model estimations. An essential feature and the ultimate strength of the project is that it can reveal differences between actual and postulated behaviour and enlarge the analyses by information on attitudes, values, food habits/eating patterns and food interests. In the paper, preliminary results from the project are presented.