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S.Naspetti, R.Zanoli (2006) ORGANIC FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY PERCEPTION THROUGHOUT EUROPE

Paper,
98 th EAAE Seminar ‘Marketing Dynamics within the Global Trading System: New Perspectives’, Chania, Crete, Greece as in: 29 June – 2 July, 2006

Document:
Zanoli_et_al.pdf

Abstract
Many more consumers have tried at least once organic food, but despite higher consumer awareness, they still show a great concern about food quality and safety. Recent research (OMIaRD) showed that there is still little knowledge of how organic products are produced and processed and which characteristics are fundamental for the consumer with regard to quality and safety. In this scenario, primary producers, processors and other stakeholders in the organic supply-chain have the difficult task of understanding consumers’ complex and sometimes contradictory wishes with regard to organic food. The aim of this study is to examine food quality and safety perception related to buying organic products, to better understand the European consumer decision-making process. To provide industry and producers the appropriate safety and quality attributes to be implemented, and to reach consumers requests, the link between consumer’s product knowledge and their personal values is analysed.

Keywords: Organic products, food safety, food quality, consumer’s perception

Relevance to our study:
The aim of this study is to examine food quality and safety issues related to buying organic products. In order to do so, organic consumer s’ value structures are analysed to uncover cross - cultural differences in 8 EU countries.
Despite higher consumer awareness in organic food, product knowledge still appears low for occasional as well as regular consumers. The research showed that there is still little knowledge of how organic products are produced and processed and which characteristics are fundamental for the consumer with regard to quality and safety.
Regarding safety, the research shows that consumers conceive it as a value of its own rather than as an attribute of (organic) food. They associate food safety with anxieties about possibly harmful substances but they almost express no real concern about a real health risk. There is a need to clarify whether this behaviour is linked to specific products or to different production systems. The results of the research indicate that quality dimensions and considerations are among the most important aspects in any food purchase, including organic ones. However, average organic consumers usually connect quality to health, and much less to safety, and don’t have a separate organic food quality perception. Safety appears to be a rather marginal and peripheral value for most of the product categories in all countries, with the exception of fruit and vegetables. Consumers have also become more interested in the local orientation as well as in the origin labels of organic food, due to the increased perceived distance of production from final consumption .

Relevancy on a scale from 1 to 5 = 3

Review status: Finished
Review started on 2009–01–21
Reviewed by Samanta Rosi Bellière?

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