[lofo List] Harmtan: who's buying organic? demographics 2006

[Debbie Miller <sunrise.organics@sasktel.net>]

Hi Cathy

Yes, this is interesting. It reminds me of a marketing and consumption of 
organic products study that was done in Costa Rica a few years ago. That 
group went into it with many of the same assumptions - that most organic 
consumers had higher income, higher education. They were surprised to 
discover that there was very little correlation between education and 
purchasing, and very little variance between income groups. They studied 
organic consumers in a big city supermarket as well as at some very small, 
local markets. There were differences in the amount of food purchased of 
course - many of the people who shopped at local markets were very low 
income so they couldn't afford to buy much of any kind of food - but the 
percentages were almost the same. If I recall correctly, the study concluded 
that the 3 most important buying criteria were health concerns, 
environmental issues and appearance.

Deb

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cathy Holtslander" <choltslander@canadians.org>
To: <lofo@cs.uregina.ca>
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 1:19 PM
Subject: [lofo List] FW: [COMFOOD:] Harmtan: who's buying organic? 
demographics 2006


> This might be of some interest to our project. - Cathy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wellner, Cathryn [mailto:Cathryn.Wellner@interiorhealth.ca]
> Sent: May 18, 2006 12:55 PM
> To: B. C. Food Systems Network
> Subject: FW: [COMFOOD:] Harmtan: who's buying organic? demographics 2006
>
> This survey from the Hartman Group challenges middle-class assumptions 
> about who buys organic produce, at least in an American context.
>
> Cathryn Wellner
> Food & Health Project Leader
> #220 - 1815 Kirschner Road
> Kelowna, BC  V1Y 4N7
>
> (250) 862-4335; fax 870-4670; cell 215-3713
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sympa user [mailto:sympa@elist.tufts.edu] On Behalf Of Tim Crosby
> Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 5:55 PM
> To: Community Food Security Coalition
> Subject: [COMFOOD:] Harmtan: who's buying organic? demographics 2006
>
> From the Hartman Group:
>
> " Organics have definitely arrived: Almost three-quarters (73%) of the 
> U.S.
> population consume organic foods or beverages at least occasionally.
> Clearly, the conventional belief that all organic users are highly 
> educated, high-income, Caucasian females should be put to rest. Although 
> many organic consumers fit this profile, they in no way represent the 
> entire spectrum of organic users.
>
> " Contrary to common industry beliefs, we at The Hartman Group understand 
> that the organic consumer is no longer represented by just a single ethnic 
> group. As the number of consumers purchasing organics continues to 
> increase, organic consumers have become quite diverse in terms of their 
> demographics.
> Our research shows that one of the most prevalent beliefs about organics
> -
> that only Caucasian consumers are interested in organic products - is 
> simply not true."
>
> Full article at http://www.hartman-group.com/products/HB/2006_05_17.html
>
>
>
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