Title of the Project

CONSUMER AWARENESS ABOUT

“ORGANIC FOOD’’
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

PERSEVERENCE, INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION has always placed a key role in

any venture. At this stage of understanding it is often difficult to understand a wider spectrum
of knowledge without proper guidance.
Completing a task is never one man effort. It is often the result of invaluable contribution of
numbers of individual in a direct or indirect manner.

Every first attempts possesses a number of problems. I faced a chain of difficulties and
problems which were successfully tackled by my respected guide. They have given much
valuable suggestions and guide by encouraging throughout.

I wish to express my deep sense of gratitude and thanks to my project guide. Their mild
manner demeanours, their tolerance in dealing with problems and their acknowledgment are
having been a constant source of inspiration.

I am also thankful to Head of Department of commerce for providing me an extraordinary and

efficient infrastructure ambience and support through the project.

Signature
 CONTENTS

SL NO. TOPIC PAGE NO.

1 Abstract 04

2 Introduction 05-07

3 Objective of the study 08

4 Methodology 09-11

5 Results and Discussion 12-15

6 Conclusion 15-16

7 Bibliography 16
ABSTRACT

The adoption of organic production and processing is highly determined by market demand.
Therefore, this is reflected in consumers’ perceptions and attitudes towards organic food
products. This research draws on a survey of 106 respondents. Results indicated that the main
reasons for purchasing organic food products are an expectation of a healthier and
environmentally friendly means of production. Organic buyers tend to be older and higher
educated than those who do not buy them. In addition, consumers’ trust in the authenticity of
the goods and price are also issues. However, the main barrier to increase the market share of
organic food products is consumer information. The awareness on the harmful effects of
chemicals present in food is increasing among the consumers. The trend towards purchasing
organic food is growing among people. The results of the study show that quality of products,
environmental concern, health concern and lifestyles are the most commonly stated motives for
purchasing organic food.
INTRODUCTION

MEANING
Organic food A broadly defined category of food which, in the purest form, is grown without
chemicals fertilizers or pesticides and sold to the consumer without adding preservatives and
synthetic food enhancers, it is widely believed by advocates of alternative healthcare that
organically grown foods are safer and more nutritious, however, there are no compelling data
that demonstrate clear superiority of organic over non-organic foods. Organic products may be
certified by voluntary organizations or government bodies, such as, ‘Farm-verified organics’
‘and 'California Certified Organic Farmer'. One of the biggest studies into organic food has
found that it is more nutritious than ordinary produce and may help to lengthen people’s lives.

''The study found that organic fruit and vegetables contained as much as 40% more
antioxidants, which scientists believe can cut the risk of cancer and heart disease .They also had
higher levels of beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.

NEEDS OF ORGANIC FOOD

Regardless of diet, organic foods are a smarter priority. Opting for organic food is an effectual
choice for personal and planetary health. Buying organically grown food -free of harm full
chemicals, bursting with more nutrition, taste and sustainable sustenance -is direct vote for
immediate health and the hopefully future of generations to come.

Following are the reasons to buy organic produce:-

1. Avoid chemicals present in chemically grown foods:-

Eating organically grown foods is the only way to avoid the cocktail of chemical poisons
present in commercially grown food. More than 600 active chemicals are registered for
agricultural use in America to the tune of billions of pounds annually The average applications
equates to about 16 pounds of chemicals pesticides per person every year.

2. Benefit from more nutrients

Organically grown foods have more nutrients -vitamins, minerals, enzymes and micronutrients-
than commercially grown foods because the soil is managed and nourished with sustainable
practices by responsible standards.
3. Enjoy better taste

Try it! Organically grown foods generally taste better because nourished, well balanced soil
produce healthy, strong plants. This is especially true with heirloom varieties, which are
cultivated for taste over appearance.

4. Preserve our ecosystem

Organic farming supports eco-sustenance or farming in harmony with nature.

Preservation of soil and crop rotation keep farmland healthy, and chemical abstinence preserves
the ecosystem. Wildlife, insects, frogs, birds and soil organisms are able to play their roles in
the tapestry of ecology, and we are able to play ours, without interference or compromise.

5. Reduce pollution and protect water and soil

Agricultural chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers are contaminating our environmnent;

poisoning our precious water supplies and destroying the value of fertile farmland. Certified
organic standards do not permit the use of toxic chemicals in farming and require responsible
management of healthy soil and biodiversity.
POSITIVE ASPECTS OF ORGANIC FOOD
1. Healthier to consume

Proponents may claim that organic foods are more nutritious than the non-organic variety, but
scientific studies showed that there is little difference in nutrient content, except for phosphorus
and total polyphenols, which are significantly higher.

2. Higher level of antioxidants

Organic fruits and vegetables contain 40%more antioxidants according to research. As an
element that the body needs to keep the system healthy and free from disease, having more
antioxidant is sure to be more beneficial. This is because it reduces the risk of heart disease,
stroke and cancer.

3. Better tasting

Some non-organic foods contain additives that can alter the taste, nutritional value and may
even lead to weight gain. All of these are not found on naturally grown food items, which mean
taste is better and more natural. Recent studies also showed that organic food has more healthy
chemicals and minerals salts that increase nutritional value and quality.

4. Promotes a healthy family

An article on Cord Blood Test Results showed that a newborn chemicals and 21 pesticides. So
it is no wonder that conventional food practices have been closely associated with birth defects,
ADHD, autism, childhood leukemia, learning disorders and nervous system disorders in
children. Why put yourself and your future children at risk by eating non-organic foods?

5. Protects the environment

Organic farming uses manure instead of fertilizers, crop rotation in place of single crop,
weeding for herbicides, and nitrogen-fixing plants instead of nitrogen fertilizers. Without the
chemicals, growing organic foods protect the environment from pollution and contamination of
nearby bodies of water. Organic farming also conserves water and soil

NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF ORGANIC FOOD

1. More expensive

It is true that you will be able to save more money with organic foods because it prevents a lot
of diseases that could send you to the hospitals where your finances is highly likely to be used
up. But when the concern is about the cost of initial purchase, naturally grown foods turn out to
be not as cheap as proponents would have you believe. Because organic farmers do not use
chemicals or artificial methods to grow crops or livestock, production is much lower. The only
way farmers will make a profit is to sell their products at a higher price.
2. Perishable

Because natural foods do not contain preservatives, they have shorter storage life and tend to
spoil faster than conventional foods. If you have to buy them more than once or twice a week,
you would have to double your grocery budget for food. In the end, you don’t get to save
money.

3. Not widely available

It takes twice as long to produce organic crops than the conventional kind. This means organic
foods are not always available in stores, and especially because only a few local farms are
adapting organic farming. Some communities, however, are luckier than others when it comes
to supply of naturally grown foods.

4. More Effort

Organic farming may have benefits, but before anything can be harvested, farmers have to go
through a lot of work and face plenty of challenges. Using manure as a fertilizer, for ex is
difficult to apply, and even more difficult to control the mineral content.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this project were to study consumer perceptions and practices with regard to
organic foods, raise consumer awareness about quality and safety issues and advocate relevant
food laws and regulation for such foods.

1. To know the consumer behavior for buying organic products in India.

2. To find out the awareness level about organic food in India.

3. To identify the future scenario on the basis of collected facts and services provided by the
consumers.

4. To gain knowledge about consumer attitude towards organic food product in India.

The three main objectives of organic production are:-

 Establish a sustainable management system for agriculture that -

1. Contributes to a high level of biological diversity.

2. Make responsible use of energy and natural resource

3. Respects high animal welfare standards and in a particular meets animals' species-
specific behavioral needs.
  Aim at producing products of high quality.

 Aim at producing a wide variety of foods and other agricultural products.

METHODOLOGY

The first activity done was an online survey. Since many consumers were not fully aware of
organic foods and their impact on health, an online survey conducted by me to get an idea
about consumer perceptions and practices with regard to organic foods. The survey results
helped me draw up a strategy for consumer awareness so that we could educate consumers
further.

In the analysis of the survey results consumer knowledge and awareness of organic foods,
attitudes about buying organic, frequency of and motives for purchasing organic foods, reasons
why consumers did not buy them and knowledge of current organic certification processes were
evaluated.
Consumer survey has been conducted online by distributing a questionnaire through Face book
and mass mailing system. A total of 105 people responded to the survey.

Key findings emerging from online survey

 98% respondents were aware of the term organic foods
 However, only 10% bought organic foods regularly or occasionally
 While 43% respondents did not buy because the products were expensive, 54% were
discouraged by the limited availability and 44% had doubts about the origin/source of
product.
 Those who bought organic foods did so because they were healthy, safe to consume,
ecofriendly and did not have pesticides and chemicals. Some of the respondents
supported the organic movement and local farmers. Some felt organic foods led to
saving of resources for the next generation while others felt that cultivating them
preserves soil quality.
 Organic vegetables and fruits were the most popular products followed by powdered
spices.
 For 82% respondents, organic certification was important but 65% were not aware
about organic standards and labels.
 Between conventional and organic food products, 72% preferred organic foods while
8% said it did not make any difference to them which category they bought.
Demographic profile

Sixty-one per cent of the 106 respondents were in the 41-65 age group and 62% were men.
Most of the respondents were postgraduates, lived in metropolitan cities and were salaried with
annual income of more than Rs. 4 lakh.

Qualification GENDER PROFILE

Under graduate Graduate

Post Graduate Male Female

Age group Location

20-40 41-50 51-65 Above 65 Metropolitian city Mega city Other Urban Area Rural areas
 Occupation Annual income

Less than Rs 2Lakh Rs 2 Lakh to Rs 4 Lakh

Self employed Salaried House wife Retired Student Other More than Rs 4 Lakh

Familiar term

Ninety-nine per cent of respondents were familiar with the term ''organic food'' When asked to
define the term, a majority of respondents related ''organic'' to ideas of freshness, being natural,
healthy and absence of pesticides. While 68% of the respondents said it was food not sprayed
with pesticides, 77% said it was food grown using manure and without chemical fertiliser.
Thirty-seven per cent mentioned that such foods were environment friendly, 62% said they did
not have chemicals, 24% perceived them as healthy and 32% said they were natural.

Interestingly, there were respondents who considered organic foods as herbal foods (7%), foods
without antibiotics (28%) and traditional/indigenous foods (14%). This indicates that
consumers interpreted the term „organic‟ in a variety of ways and many did not have a correct
understanding of the term.

Familiar with the term ''organic food''

yes no
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Do you prefer organic food or not?
Yes, I prefer more of organic food then non-conventional and fast food because it is healthier
and nutritional for our health.
The overall number of studies comparing the nutritional value of organic vs. conventional
foods is growing. There also is an increasing interest in investigating the health effects of
organic food consumption.

Some of the reasons are as follows:

 Organic produce contains fewer pesticides.

 Organic food is often fresher because it doesn't contain preservatives that make it last
longer.
 Organic farming is better for the environment.

 Organically raised animals are NOT given antibiotics, growth hormones, or fed animal
by products.

Purchase behaviour
Those who bought organic food indicated the place and frequency of purchase. Around 40% of
respondents who bought organic foods go to supermarkets while only 17% purchased them
online or through mail order. Organic foods were also bought at local shops (33%),
greengrocers (33%), local market (35%), organic shops (15%) and farmers‟ market/shop
(15%). As for the frequency of purchase, 44% of buyers purchased organic foods once a month
while 6% did so once a week. Around 38% hardly ever bought such foods. Respondents who
buy organic foods regularly had been consuming them.

How often do you buy organic

products?
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Once in a week Once in a month Hardly ever
What they buy ?
Among organic products, vegetables and fruits were the most popular with 56% of buyers
opting for them. While 40% bought powdered spices (turmeric powder, chili powder,
coriander powder, etc.), 22% bought beverages (tea, coffee) and 19% dairy products (cheese,
yogurt, milk). Other products purchased were pulses, cereals, jaggery, honey and breakfast
cereals. Among the non-food products organic toiletries, cosmetics and cleaning agents were
popular.

Reasons for buying

Buyers of organic foods were asked why they buy them. While 47% said it was because they
were „safe to consume‟, 46% said it was the fact that such foods were „free from chemical
pesticides and fertilizer‟ was what motivated them. Other reasons cited were that they were
healthy (40%), „environment friendly‟ (43%), „saved resources for the next generation‟ (33%)
and their purchase supported local/small farmers (53%) instead of big multinational companies.
While 30% of buyers supported the organic movement, 9% said organic foods had a positive
image and it was a fashion to consume them.
Interestingly, around 41% were neutral to the appearance and taste of the foods and were only
concerned with it being organic.

Factors that would encourage buying

While some people didn’t buy organic foods at all, others did so occasionally or bought only
one or two products. The factors that would encourage buying was:
(i) If they were more affordable and easily available (58%)
(ii) If the method followed in cultivating the product could be trusted (50%)
(iii) If they had recognizable label (40%)
(iv) If they were seasonal products (32%)
(v) If they were from the local region (39%)
(vi) If there was more information in the media about them (40%)
(vii) If they had more shelf life (38%)

Products people would like to buy

When consumers were asked which organic food products they would like to buy or consume,
99% of the respondents indicated fresh vegetables and 94% fruits. Eighty per cent indicated
that they would like to buy powdered spices like turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder
and coriander powder. This was followed by pulses (76%), cereals (71%), milk and milk
products (69%), dry fruits and nuts (64%), oil (61%), tea and coffee (56%), herbs (57%), sugar
(49%), bread and bakery products (46%), meat and meat products (26%) and baby products
(24%).
 Product group(s) people would consume
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certification was important to them but 65% were not aware about organic standards and labels.
If they were to choose between conventional and organic food products, 72% preferred organic
foods while 8% said it did not make any difference to them which category they bought.

awareness of organic standards and

labels

yes no

Few buyers
Surprisingly, though 99% of the respondents were familiar with organic foods, only 10%
actually bought them, whether regularly or occasionally. The main reasons for this according to
respondents were: less availability/supply (54%), costly/not affordable (43%) and origin/source
of product was not credible/trustworthy (44%). Eighteen percent said they did not know where
to buy organic foods and there was less variety in this category, while 9% did not specify any
reason for not buying them.

CONCLUSION
 Some consumers not clear about term ‘organic’
 Most consumers think all organic food was sustainable and define ''organic'' as ''natural',
'lacking pesticides', 'fresh' and essentially 'good for the environment'. They had
expressed interest in healthy and nutritionally rich food as well as environmental
concerns and sustainability. Interestingly, there are respondents who considered organic
food as herbal foods or foods that did not have antibiotics and some even understood
them as traditional/indigenous foods.
 High Price
The major problem that inhibited people from buying organic food was the price. It was
the major barrier to increased purchasing among those who bought organic products on
a limited scale. It also prevented those who didn't buy at all from taking that first step.
Many people would purchase organic foods if they were affordable.
 Availability Problem
Another major hurdle was lack of availability and doubts about origin. However,
perceptions that organic food was becoming more readily available and getting cheaper
were among the main motivating factors for those who intended to buy more.
Supermarkets/retail chains were the most preferred place for buyers. Consumers were
keen to have more organic shops in their area and to see more organic foods in the
market. Fresh vegetables and fruits were the most preferred produce. Consumers
believed that organic farming was in harmony with nature and the environment. Many
bought organic foods to support local farmers and farm workers.

 Lack of Awareness of Labels

People do not seem to know much about certification (standards) and labels of organic
food products but it is an important issue for them. The government should inform
consumers about certifications and genuine labels. Also, if more organic foods can
carry an indicator of the region, sales are likely to rise. Marketers should raise
awareness among consumers about regional products to support local farmers.
Moreover, labour standards should also be included in the certification process.

Action Areas
 Consumers interpreted the term 'organic' in variety of ways. It indicates that they did not
have a correct understanding of the term. There is need to raise awareness on this issue.

 As 17% respondents purchased online, there is need to monitor organic products sold
online.

 Around 65% respondents were not aware of organic standards and labels. It indicates
that there is strong need for creating awareness.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. https://www.organicfacts.net
 2. www.sustainablebabysteps.com

3. www.healthy-holistic-living.com >definition

4. www.naturalhealthfertility.com

5. https://www.sciencedaily.com

6. www.beliefnet.com

REFERENCES
1.Aguirre, Juan A. 2007. The farmer's market organic consumer of Costa Rica. British Food
Journal 109 (2):145-154.

2. Ahmad, S., N. Bayaah, and N. Juhdi. 2010. Organic food: A study on demographic
characteristics and factors influencing purchase intentions among consumers in Klang Valley,
Malaysia. Intenrational Journal of Business and Management 5 (2):105-118.

3.Ajzen, I. 1991. Theory of planned behavior Organizational Behavior and Human Decision
Processes 50:179-211. Aryal, Kamal P, P. Chaudhary, S. Pandit, and G. Sharma. 2009.
Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Organic Products: A Case from Kathmandu Valley The
Journal of Agriculture and Environment 10:12-22