UK Organic (UKO) and the Organic Research Centre (ORC) have released the much-anticipated Consumer Insights Report 2024.
Joining forces at the beginning of the year to undertake this comprehensive research project, UKO and ORC pooled resources along with support from Sustain and contributions from the sustainable household brand If You Care.
Spanning over 90 pages, the report is an in-depth analysis of UK consumer attitudes, behaviours, and knowledge regarding organic products and is based on a survey of 2,000 participants and 20 qualitative interviews. The research focusses on deepening the understanding of how consumers engage with organic products to provide a clear and detailed picture of the relationship UK consumers have with organic products and farming.
Among the report’s many valuable insights, the analysis found that over two thirds of participants intentionally purchased organic products, with many consumers motivated by health concerns (including allergies and intolerances), a desire to follow a healthier diet, a desire to purchase products with sustainable production (including higher animal welfare) and an active effort to avoid harmful synthetic pesticides in their products.
One particularly surprising insight in the report found that, contrary to popular belief, those who are the most committed to purchasing organic products – also known as ‘Organic Enthusiasts’ – are not necessarily the most affluent. Lower-income shoppers displayed higher rates of purchasing organic products regularly in multiple product categories, and were more likely to buy organic for special occasions whereas their higher-income counterparts tend to buy organic when products are on offer, or are priced similarly to non-organic options.
Cristina Dimetto, Managing Director of UK ORGANIC, commented on the release said “This comprehensive report is an invaluable tool for uncovering who the organic consumers are and identifying those who might switch to organic or increase their organic purchases if given the right motivations. We’ve decided to make it available to everyone, not just our Affiliate Supporters, because we believe in collaboration and growing the sector together. This report is a crucial asset for building marketing strategies and defining the right channels. Working with the Organic Research Centre was a pleasure, and it allowed us to expand the initial project by combining our efforts. We truly look forward to further collaborations with Lucy MacLennan and her team.”
Lucy MacLennan, Chief Executive of Organic Research Centre said “We are very grateful to our project sponsor and all our collaborators for supporting this essential work. This report forms part of a wider effort by ORC, in partnership with UK ORGANIC, to track how organic is perceived by the public, and to identify where and how we need to progress as a sector. As always, we welcome feedback and any ideas for further collaboration in this area.”
In a collaborative effort to support and strengthen the organic sector the report has been made freely available to the industry. You can download the full report for free here.
