Customer’s purchase intention of organic food

Organic foods are gaining huge popularity due to high level adulteration in food materials. Today people are health conscious and prefer quality food instead of consuming foods unsafe additives, preservatives, flavour and colouring. The phrase “organic” denotes to the way agricultural products are grown and processed. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation, therefore it promotes the healthy food characteristics. In simple term, organic foods are grown with natural fertilizers (manure, compost).

Abundant of research found positive value of organic foods and consumers are increasingly inclined towards these food items. The only downside of organic food is it high cost.  While cultivating, pests are controlled using natural methods (birds, insects, traps) and naturally-derived pesticides. Weeds are controlled naturally through crop rotation, hand weeding, mulching, and tilling.

Good food favourably impact on emotional and mental wellbeing. Organic foods are rich in nutrients, fresh, have fewer pesticides. Through growing organic food, agriculturalists can help in maintaining environmental sustainability. Organic foods are available in global market and there has been an increase of demand.

But there are several factors that prevent consumers to purchase organic foods. These include the price of the organic products are higher as compared to traditional foods, Small range of products are available. Consumers also hesitate to buy organic foods because they do not understand the difference between conventional food and organic food. They have dearth knowledge about the advantages of using or consuming organic products.

Research studies indicated that though large numbers of organic food are purchased in the supermarkets, there is a rise in direct selling of organic food. The major reason for consumers to purchase organic food is because organic food have high-quality degree of goods, local, fresh and seasonal food. It has been observed that consumers are more inclined to buy organic products and natural products because they think that it helps them to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

From the above elucidation, it can be concluded that consumers are more conscious about health and making purchase decision of organic food products. In today’s highly polluted environment, customers are very smarty and knowledgeable to know right food organic food) to consume (and take good dietary precautions to stay healthy and lead quality life. They comprehend very well that the organic food has high nutritive value and price is not a prime factor while making purchase decision for organic food.