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Kayla Molina

ENGL 1302-102

Dr. Kevin Lindberg

17 October 2023

Organic foods have been an evident topic among researchers. In the United States, the

total sales of organic food have grown from $3.6 billion to $39 billion between 1997 and 2014

(Kim et al. 364). As its rise in sales has grown, so has the question: Is Orangic food genuinely

beneficial? Several studies on the effects of organic food have been recorded. Some included

consumer trust, social pressure, and health benefits compared to conventional foods.

To begin, consumer trust is crucial for a company to establish a market for credence

goods in order to sell their product (Nuttavthisit and Thogerson 323). There are two

differentiations of trust, which are embedded and disembedded. Embedded trust can be defined

as being a traditional, personal, or localized form of trust, whereas disembedded is more

universalistic and institutional (Nuttavthisit and Thogerson 324). For example, an embedded

trust would be going to a well-known local store, and a disembedded trust would be using

“green” to label products. When consumers buy products, specifically organic foods, they need

to believe that the product will benefit them and is provided by an authentic supply chain. The

authenticity depends on the retailer, certification, organic labels, and the confirmation that the

product is genuine (Nuttavthisit and Thogerson 324).

Moving on, social pressure can significantly affect a buyer's decision on whether they

will buy organic or conventional foods. Recently, societies' drive to have a high social standing
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has become more prominent. A study by Seon-Woong Kim tested how a person’s willingness to

pay is affected when in the presence of others.