Building consumer demand for organic food

Summary

Strategies to boost demand for organic food rely on giving information to consumers and appealing to their motivation. Our experimental study reveals that availability and assortment are equally crucial for increasing organic choice. Competing marketing and sustainability messaging divert attention away from organic. Attractive organic offers are a key lever for increasing organic purchase. Policy and retailers need to address unsubstantiated sustainability claims that undermine organic demand. Different, substantiated sustainability claims need to be coordinated to avoid cannibalising on the organic market.
Policymakers can contribute to stimulating consumer demand for organic products as a strategic lever to reach ambitious goals for organic sector development. The aim should be to make organic the easy default for everyday shopping—visible, trusted, and affordable.