The emergence of diverse organic consumers: does a mature market undermine the search for alternative products?

TY - JOUR

T1 - The emergence of diverse organic consumers

T2 - does a mature market undermine the search for alternative products?

AU - Lund, Thomas Bøker

AU - Andersen, Laura Mørch

AU - Jensen, Katherine O'Doherty

N1 - published online 4 Sep 2013

PY - 2013/10

Y1 - 2013/10

N2 - This study uses qualitative and quantitative data as well as household panel data regarding actual purchases of organic food in order to make a psychographic profiling of organic consumers and examine recent developments of organic demand in Denmark. It is shown that contemporary organic consumers have become a heterogeneous group, since three distinct positively minded segments are identified. These positively minded segments hold a very high share of all organic food sales on the Danish market and are also driving demand forward. The Danish organic market can be said to have matured insofar as positively oriented segments that differ in their food involvement, shopping behaviour and levels of ethical concern have appeared, while marketing and distribution strategies have co-developed with these trends. We discuss our findings in the light of the attitude-behaviour gap that is said to exist in regard to organic consumption and the consequences that are thought to follow from the detachment of consumers from organic producers according to the much debated conventionalisation thesis.

AB - This study uses qualitative and quantitative data as well as household panel data regarding actual purchases of organic food in order to make a psychographic profiling of organic consumers and examine recent developments of organic demand in Denmark. It is shown that contemporary organic consumers have become a heterogeneous group, since three distinct positively minded segments are identified. These positively minded segments hold a very high share of all organic food sales on the Danish market and are also driving demand forward. The Danish organic market can be said to have matured insofar as positively oriented segments that differ in their food involvement, shopping behaviour and levels of ethical concern have appeared, while marketing and distribution strategies have co-developed with these trends. We discuss our findings in the light of the attitude-behaviour gap that is said to exist in regard to organic consumption and the consequences that are thought to follow from the detachment of consumers from organic producers according to the much debated conventionalisation thesis.

U2 - 10.1111/soru.12022

DO - 10.1111/soru.12022

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0038-0199

VL - 53

SP - 454

EP - 478

JO - Sociologia Ruralis

JF - Sociologia Ruralis

IS - 4

ER -