Content uploaded by Brychan Thomas
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Brychan Thomas on Jan 25, 2022
Content may be subject to copyright.
49
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
Consumer Behaviour Towards Organic Food in France
With a Special Focus on Brittany
Said Al-Hasan1, Brychan Thomas2*, Stan Groot Koerkamp1
1Brest Business School, ESC Bretagne Brest, 2 Av. de Provence, 29200 Brest, France
2University of South Wales, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL, United Kingdom
E-mail: said.al-hasan@brest-bs.com; brychan.thomas@gmx.co.uk; stan.koerkamp@brest-bs.com
*Corresponding author details: Professor Brychan Thomas; brychan.thomas@gmx.co.uk
ABSTRACT
This research paper explores French consumer behaviour towards organic food with a particular focus on
Brittany. The paper evaluates the demand towards these types of products as well as understanding the main
motives for organic food consumption. The research question investigates: ‘What are the main drivers in
consumer behaviour that influence organic food consumption in Brittany?’ This research contributes to the
current body of literature by providing up-to-date information with a focus on a specific demographic area that is
relevant in the organic food industry in Europe. The results are based on primary research, by conducting a survey
among French consumers. Drivers that have the most strength in predicting organic consumption behaviour in
Brittany are health benefits, absence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), environmental impact and price.
Variables that have a relatively weak influence are certification warranties, natural appearance of the product and
availability. The study provides insight into this growing industry and forms a basis for further research.
Keywords: consumer behaviour; organic food; France; Brittany
INTRODUCTION
This research paper investigates the current situation in the
organic food market in France with a focus on consumer
behaviour in Brittany. The organic food market has seen
continuous growth over the last two decades. Consumer
knowledge on these products is increasing and in a world
with greater emphasis on the environment and healthy
lifestyles this trend is expected to continue for some years.
In addition, France is currently one of the largest producers
of organic food in Europe. It is therefore imperative to
comprehend the reasoning for this shift in consumption and
how end consumers can be reached effectively.
Delving deeper into the growing interest in these products
and understanding French consumer behaviour towards
organic food is the primary aim of this research. The paper
evaluates the demand towards these types of products as
well as understanding the main motives for organic food
consumption. Therefore, the main research question is:
‘What are the main drivers in consumer behaviour that
influence organic food consumption in Brittany?’
Three objectives have been set to carry out this
investigation. The first objective is to outline the current
landscape for organic food consumption in France. The
second is a better understanding of the relation between
lifestyle and organic food consumption. The last is to
identify the main motives and restraints of purchasing
organic food for French consumers.
This research contributes to the current body of literature
by providing up-to-date information with a focus on a
specific demographic area that is relevant in the organic
food industry in Europe. Seven hypotheses designed by the
authors are tested in this research:
• H1: It is expected that consumers mainly buy organic food
for health benefits and their concern for environmental
implications.
• H2: It is expected that organic labels or nutrition scores
on packaging positively influence consumer purchasing
behaviour.
• H3: It is expected that price and low availability are the
main reasons not to purchase a healthy food option.
• H4: It is expected that people who buy organic food
products are also more likely to have a healthy physical
lifestyle.
• H5: It is expected that people who buy organic food
products are more likely to incorporate environmentally
friendly practises in their day-to-day lifestyle.
• H6: It is expected that a higher education level and higher
income are positively related to purchase frequency of
organic products.
• H7: It is expected that people generally have a positive
attitude towards organic food consumption and think
that there is a future for organic farming in Brittany.
This research paper is structured by starting with a
literature review regarding the organic food landscape in
France which can be found in the next section. This is
followed by the key research question; a detailed outline of
the methodology, the results of the primary research
carried out which have been addressed and discussed, and
lastly, the paper closes with a conclusion where it provides
an answer to the aforementioned main research question.
International Journal of Scientific Advances
ISSN: 2708-7972
Volume: 3 | Issue: 1 | Jan - Feb 2022 Available Online:
www.ijscia.com
DOI: 10.51542/ijscia.v3i1.6
50
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
LITERATURE REVIEW
Background
Organic food consumption is gaining ground worldwide, as
sales are increasing every year with continuous linear
growth. In 1999, global sales amounted to a total 15.2 billion
dollars whereas a considerable 106 billion dollars in organic
food sales were reached in 2019 (Statista, 2021). Although
organic farming has been around for thousands of years, in
the current food industry this concept is perceived as a
relatively new and a growing trend that currently still only
represents a relatively small portion of the market.
In the traditional sense of farming there were no inorganic
methods available and therefore all food was produced
organically. A switch to higher levels of industrial
agriculture started after the Industrial Revolution in the
United Kingdom with the introduction of more advanced
farming machinery and genetic technologies which
allowed food producers to reach larger economies of scale.
In the early 1900s and particularly after 1940 onwards, a
counter reaction known as the organic movement started
to make waves as a response to the growing dependency
on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides in the agriculture
industry. Some of the most influential advocates of organic
farming from this movement were the English botanist Sir
Albert Howard, American agricultural scientist F.H. King
and Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. They all believed
in the merits of sustainable organic agriculture and are
considered to be pioneers in the industry.
Nowadays, with increasing concern for the environment
and personal health, organic food has been getting more
and more traction. An increasing number of people have
consumed organic food at least once. Nevertheless, many
consumers still possess little knowledge of the actual
production processes and the essential benefits of organic
food consumption.
Definition of Organic Food
In general terms, food is organic when there is an absence or
regulated amount of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
in the food production process. Organic certifications are
therefore crucial as it is nearly impossible for the general
consumer to identify by themselves whether a certain
product contains GMOs. It can therefore be stated that these
certifications function as a guarantee of the product being
actually organic.
The IFOAM, an acronym for International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements, is the leading worldwide
organisation when it comes to organic food production. It
was founded in 1972 by five founding members
representing their respective national organic food
organisations with the goal of creating a single, coordinated
voice for organic agriculture.
The organisation has its roots in France as the initiative
was taken by Roland Chevriot, the leader of the French
farming organisation, Nature et Progrès, who invited the
other founding members to a meeting in Versailles. The
other four founding members included:
• Lady Eve Balfour of the Soil Association in Great Britain
• Kjell Arman of the Biodynamic Association in Sweden
• Pauline Raphaely of the Soil Association in South Africa
• Jerome Goldstein of the Rodale Press in the United States
of America
Since its establishment, the IFOAM has developed its reach
with over 800 affiliates in over 120 countries to the
present day. Due to the organisation’s strong international
reputation, network and connections with numerous
international institutions such as among others the United
Nations, the World Health Organization and the
International Organization of Standardization (ISO) it is
valuable to consider the definition of organic food given by
the IFOAM as a base reference in the context of this
research:
‘’Organic Agriculture is a production system that sustains
the health of soils, ecosystems, and people. It relies on
ecological processes, biodiversity and cycles adapted to
local conditions, rather than the use of inputs with adverse
effects. Organic Agriculture combines tradition,
innovation, and science to benefit the shared environment
and promote fair relationships and good quality of life for
all involved.’’ (ISO)
From this definition it can be stated that organic food
production goes much further than the physical product
itself. It concentrates on improving and maintaining the
health of communities, individuals and ecosystems. This
includes efforts in recycling, fair value or remuneration for
farmers, processors, distributors and consumers involved
in the supply chain. Furthermore, it places an emphasis on
continuous scientific innovation in terms of technology
and practices to keep up with growing expectations and
competitiveness in the industry.
Organic food exists in many product groups such as fruits,
vegetables, milk, eggs, herbs, meat, beverages and even
alcoholic drinks amongst others. In the context of this
research all organically processed foods are considered
regardless of specific product groups.
Organic Food in France
France plays a significant role in the organic food industry.
Globally it was the third largest consumption market for
organic products in 2019, only behind the United States
and Germany, with a total value of €11.93 billion (Agence
BIO, 2020). The growth of this consumption market in
France is only emphasised by the 13.5% increase in value
compared with the previous year. Furthermore, the value
of the organic consumption market was €6.4 billion in
2015. This means that the value of the total market has
almost doubled in four years (Agence BIO, 2020).
FIGURE 1: Share of Organic Food Consumption of
European Total In 2019 (Source: Agence BIO)
Germany
28%
France
23%
Italy
10%
Sweden
8%
UK
6%
Spain
5%
Denmark
5%
Austria
5%
Netherlands
4%
Others
6%
Share Of Organic Food
Consumption Of European Total
51
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
In the European context, France is good for 23% of its total
organic food consumption (Figure 1) (Agence BIO, 2020).
Only Germany boasts a higher share. With a population of
more than 68 million people divided over 28 million
households France is one of the largest food markets in
Europe. However, organic food penetration is higher than
other countries with a similar population size such as the
United Kingdom and Italy.
Organic Food in Brittany
Brittany is located in the far west of France and consists of
four departments being Côtes-d’Armor, Finistère, Ille-et-
Villaine and Morbihan. The population of the region as a
whole is estimated to be around 3.3 million people.
Brittany has a long history of agriculture and is
characterised by its mild climate with soft relief and
regular rain fall. The conventional agrifood industry in
Brittany is mainly oriented towards the meat and dairy
industry.
In addition, Brittany is the most important fishing region
in France as it accounts for almost half of national fishing
sales. It is also the first region in terms of shellfish farming
areas.
In 2016, Brittany ranked first among all regions with
regards to animal production with a national share of 22%
of the total value. More specifically, Brittany accounts for
56% of the production of pigs, 21% of calves, 33% of
broilers, 42% of eggs for consumption and 22% of milk.
Furthermore, it represents 40% of national tonnages for
animal slaughter. Despite its strong output on animal and
dairy production, Brittany also amounts to a large share of
vegetable farming. In fact, it ranks as the third French
region for vegetable production. Brittany has the highest
national output of cauliflowers (84%), artichokes and
shallots (80%) and more than half of spinach and a third of
tomatoes (Direction Régionale de l’Alimentation, de
‘Agriculture et de la Forêt, 2018).
TABLE 1: Distribution of surface of organic farm land (Source: based on data-sets of Agence BIO)
Certified organic surface 2019
Evol. / 18
OCCITANIE
383777
11,79%
AUVERGNE-RHONE-ALPES
226161
16,00%
NOUVELLE-AQUITAINE
206054
15,28%
PAYS DE LA LOIRE
162576
13,35%
BOURGOGNE-FRANCHE-COMTE
135761
15,87%
PROVENCE-ALPES-COTE D'AZUR
131196
13,44%
GRAND-EST
121955
13,20%
BRETAGNE
97610
13,21%
NORMANDIE
81592
12,27%
CENTRE-VAL DE LOIRE
56091
8,73%
HAUTS-DE-FRANCE
31568
16,32%
CORSE
21230
37,16%
ILE-DE-FRANCE
14678
15,01%
OUTRE-MER
5522
24,27%
France is composed of 13 regions plus its overseas
territories. Brittany ranks as number eight in terms of
certified organic production surface (Table 1). It is clear
that across all departments there is a huge growth in
conversion to more and more organic farming. Excluding
the region Centre-Val de Loire all other departments have
seen a growth percentage of over 10% compared to the
previous year with Corsica even reaching a massive
37.16% increase. This only highlights the growth potential
and increasing foothold that organic food has on the
agriculture industry in France. In 2019, Brittany had 3.347
organic farms which was an increase of 7.97% compared
to the year before.
From all departments this was the lowest percentage
increase, however Brittany still ranks sixth in terms of
number of organic farms in France in 2019 (Agence BIO,
2020).
In terms of organic surface exploited, agriculture
production is fairly evenly distributed throughout the four
departments of the region (Table 2). Organic forage
represents the vast majority of the overall organic surface
utilised. Subsequently, large organic crops and fruits and
vegetables also make up a considerable portion of the total.
This is in line with conventional agriculture in Brittany
where these three domains are most prevalent as well.
TABLE 2: Composition of organic farming in Brittany (Source: based on data-sets of Agence BIO)
Organic
forage
surfaces
Large
organic
crops
Organic
fruits and
vegetables
Organic
wine
PPAM
Bio
Other
Organic
Surfaces
Total
COTES-D'ARMOR
17077,3124
4447,61
2127,2643
0
12,56
530,09
24194,8367
FINISTERE
15412,026
3111,25
2550,9924
1,17
36,828
544,629
21656,8954
ILLE-ET-VILAINE
21854,6226
4380,77
1248,3524
0,48
8,19
227,3326
27719,7476
MORBIHAN
18769,1798
3847,04
859,331
0,05
57,81
504,8078
24038,2186
Total
73113,1408
15786,67
6785,9401
1,7
115,388
1806,8594
97609,6983
Percentage of total
74,90%
16,17%
6,95%
0,00%
0,12%
1,85%
100%
52
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
Maigné, Monier and Poméon (2017) suggest that there is
potentially a positive link between living in a French
department with a high percentage of organic agriculture
and the consumption of organic products. This conclusion
was reached by comparing the distribution of national
market share for a selection of organic products and the
share of agricultural surface used for organic farming. This
seems particularly true for the north-west and south-east
areas of France where both consumption and organic
agriculture are relatively high. Although there are some
exceptions to this theory such as the Île-de-France area
where organic farming is low and organic consumption
levels are above average.
There are two options for boosting the growth of organic
agriculture, either taking the pull approach or the push
approach. The pull approach is built on the idea that
market growth is carried by consumer demand that pulls
these products through the supply chain. Therefore,
authorities would have to install policies that stimulate
this demand which in turn will force producers to increase
their production output for organic food. On the contrary,
with the push approach the products are pushed through
the supply chain starting from the producers with
production levels based on historical data and forecasted
demand. It seeks to promote organic products by pushing
them onto consumers and therefore increase sales.
The two strategies can possibly be used in conjunction
with each other if they are well calibrated (Lampkin,
1996).
Profile of Organic Food Consumers
In addition to product attributes to analyse consumer
behaviour it is essential to look at characteristics of
consumers themselves according to socio-economic
factors. These socio-economic characteristics can change
the ranking of purchase motives. For instance, a seventy-
year-old retired man might not hold the same reasons to
purchase organic food products than a twenty-five-year-
old female student. Therefore, segmentation is not only
made on demographic characteristics, in addition
emphasising benefits pursued is considered as an
important aspect in segmenting organic food consumers
(Gad Mohsen and Dacko, 2013).
Organic products are increasingly aimed at broader groups
of consumers in a variety of consumer groups that each
possesses their own worldview and value systems.
Furthermore, the frequency of purchases should be taken
into account. With an increasing assortment in stores the
distinction between exclusive organic consumers and
consistent non-buyers is not as defined as it was
previously the case.
FIGURE 2: Factors influencing consumer behaviour (Kotler et al., 2005)
The model by Kotler et al. (2005) (Figure 2) shows the
inter-relation between cultural, social, personal and
psychological factors that ultimately lead to the purchase
decision. All four characteristics together will attempt to
describe consumer groups by analysing their place in
society and personal motivations. These are largely not
aspects that can be controlled by marketing efforts from
parties involved in the organic food industry. However,
they should be taken into account when attempting to
stimulate demand among consumers.
Cultural
Cultural characteristics refer to a set of values, perceptions
and behaviours instilled in a person which are largely
learned from family, friends, society and institutions.
Furthermore, purchasing behaviour can be related to how
a person is perceived in terms of social status. Culture is
largely seen as country-bound but even within countries
there exist various sub-cultures. To further demonstrate
the influence a culture can, have, Götze (2019) found that
people in the German speaking region of Switzerland are
more inclined to consume organic food than their French
speaking counterparts. Furthermore, there were little
differences found between the French speaking region and
the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. Switzerland is a
particularly interesting case to analyse as it is one of the
few countries in Europe with such a specific divide
between languages and cultures living under one
constitution. This negates many variables that would be
present between comparing consumption between
countries directly.
In a country such as Switzerland the cultural component
among regions in the decision-making process is therefore
probably more pronounced than France. Although this
does not mean that there might not exist differences
between French regions in terms of values, perceptions
and behaviours or even within regions among various
cultural groups. Furthermore, in the same study it was
demonstrated that among all regions in Switzerland urban
households are more likely to purchase organic products
than those living in rural locations (Götze, 2019).
Several beneficial attributes of organic food such as
environmental impact and fitness and health could be social
aspects that are more valued in one society than another and
being conscious of them in purchase behaviour could even
provide a consumer with a certain status.
53
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
For instance, organic food was seen by British consumers
as a way to acquire societal status and fulfil personal
aspirations (Shafie and Rennie, 2012). It should be taken
into account that not all cultural values in terms of what is
valued in life are by definition universal.
In addition, it is possible for cultural shifts to take place
within a society. For instance, if health consciousness is
being increasingly valued and stimulated in a society then
consumers might become increasingly aware of their food
in-take. Similarly, if more emphasis is given to climate
change then people might be more inclined to make a
conscious effort to reduce their personal carbon foot print
by for instance recycling their waste and purchasing an
electric car instead of a gasoline driven vehicle.
Generally, in almost every society there exists some type of
social class structure based on groups that share similar
socio-economic variables such as occupation and education.
A society is commonly divided into upper, middle and lower
class. These categories are solely made to classify common
values, interests and behaviours among a group of people.
Pierre Bourdieu (1979) studied the tastes, leisure
activities and eating habits within the French classes.
Bourdieu (1979) indicated that the differences in eating
habits among social classes were mainly down to income
differences. For instance, lower classes are more likely to
purchase fattening, more difficult to digest and most
importantly cheaper foods such as pasta, potatoes, beans,
bacon and pork. Eating these foods, furthermore, stimulate
strength of the body which aids in occupations that include
heavy physical labour. On the other hand, the upper-class
values more non-fattening foods such as beef, veal and
lamb as well as fruits and vegetables. Their diet is defined
by lighter, more refined food that is tasty, health
promoting and does not make a person fat. Food
consumption can therefore become a symbolic reference
to a social class (Bourdieu, 1979).
Social
People are often influenced by those around them in their
behaviour, wants and needs. The social environment,
including family, friends, peers and society, therefore has a
significant impact on consumer decision making. In line
with the cultural aspect, people compare themselves to
their peers and try to attain social status by achieving or
doing what is valued in society.
A distinction can be made between various groups that can
influence a consumer. The primary group is the closest circle
of people that a person regularly interacts with that consist
of for instance family, friends and co-workers. Secondly, the
secondary group consists of organisations or associations
that the consumer might be part of. These are typically
identified by less frequent interaction and more formal
communication than the primary group. Lastly, there are the
reference groups. These reference groups might be people
that the consumer might not have direct contact with but
feels like he or she can identify themselves with. These could
for instance be sport stars, musicians or any other public
figure that the consumer might take inspiration from.
Women are more likely to purchase organic food products
as they are often the primary grocery shoppers in the
household and more aware of nutrition and food safety
(Yiridoe et al., 2005). Furthermore, it is indicated that having
children increases organic purchases of a household
(Ozguven, 2012). This is nuanced by Wier et al. (2008),
who suggest that having one or two children in the
household increases the purchasing frequency while having
three or more children will decrease the amount of organic
purchases.
In addition, the same research suggests that in particular
having younger children has a positive effect on organic
food purchases while having older children has a negative
impact. It is hypothesised that parents become more
health conscious and are concerned by food safety in
particular for babies and children of a young age.
Moreover, having more than three children or children of
an older age might lead to larger financial expenditures.
This leaves a strain on food purchases with a higher price
premium such as organic products. This leads back to the
relationship between price and advantageous purchase
attributes such as attained health benefits.
In addition, older children can also influence the purchase
decisions by influencing the parents with their
preferences. Older children are also able to express their
desires more directly verbally to their parents than
younger children and babies. Family and direct social
environment strongly influence consumption; moreover,
in one household it is possible to have multiple decision
makers. Perhaps the family life cycle could be a better
predictor for consumer behaviour than other demographic
characteristics such as age.
Personal
Personal factors refer to the influence of profession,
income, life phase and lifestyle of a consumer on their
purchase behaviour. Preferences and consumption
patterns can change over a lifetime and are often the result
of these factors as well as the influence from family and
friends. There are conflicting findings regarding the
connection between age and organic food consumption. It
is suggested that middle-aged households have the highest
inclination to purchase organic (Wier et al., 2008),
however it is also reported that consumers under the age
of 30 are the most likely consumer group (Dettmann and
Dimitri, 2010; Magnusson et al., 2001). As it is still a
relatively new and growing market it might be attractive
to young consumers who might be more in tune with
current world issues such as the environment and health
consciousness. On the other hand, with the price premium
that most organic products have this might impede them
to make actual purchases as they still tend to have
relatively low incomes. Contrarily, it might be an
interesting option for older consumers looking for
products of high quality with slightly higher financial
capacities. Income has a positive effect on organic
purchases (Dettmann and Dimitri, 2010) whereas others
indicate no correlation (Li et al., 2007; Zepeda and Li,
2007). In theory it would make sense for consumers with
a higher income to have higher expenditures towards
organic food as the price premium might be a smaller
financial burden, however research is not conclusive
whether this is actually the case in practise.
Multiple studies have found a strong relation between
education and consumption with the higher the academic
level the more likely a person is to consume organic food
products (Wier et al., 2008; Dettmann and Dimitri, 2010;
Dimitri and Dettmann, 2012). Furthermore, households
living in urban areas spend a higher share of their food
budget on organic food than those in rural areas (Zhang et
al., 2006).
Another potential interesting link that can be made is
between consumption and the lifestyle of a consumer. This
is to see whether benefits sought in organic food products
such as health benefits and the protection of the
environment are also evident in other life choices and
consumer patterns. For instance, in theory a person who
seeks health benefits from organic food would probably be
more likely not to smoke cigarettes.
54
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
Similarly, a person who is concerned about climate change
might next to consuming organic food also be more likely
to take public transport more often. However, there is not
much conclusive research available on this relationship yet
in the domain of organic food to segment consumers
according to their lifestyle.
The COVID-19 pandemic derailed daily routines and lifestyle
patterns of many consumers. This was also evident in food
consumption patterns where French consumers were much
more influenced by their mood in their food intake choices.
Particularly boredom and emptiness were two main drivers
for this change. Furthermore, emphasis on weight control
and health were other aspects influencing food choices
whereas convenience and price became less decisive factors
(Marty, de Lauzon-Guillain, Labesse and Nicklaus, 2021).
Psychological
This element refers to the motivation, perception and
beliefs and attitudes of a consumer. These are heavily
linked with the purchase attributes that might be seen as a
benefit or a disadvantage of buying organic. A motivation
for purchasing food could be simply to still hunger.
However, the purchasing decision is much more complex
than that. Supermarket consumers have a wide selection of
choice for food products and there are other benefits
sought than just eating for survival. This is where the
purchase attributes come into play and what might be
important for one consumer as a motivation to buy might
not necessarily be the same for another.
Motivation can also change over time or with certain
events. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic
people started preparing more meals at home instead of
eating out and their eating patterns changed. This might
consequently have an effect on their weekly grocery
shopping and the products that they purchase. During this
period, some people put extra consciousness on improving
their physical health while others with a disruption of their
daily routines started living an unhealthier lifestyle than
they did previously.
Another factor of a purchase motivation would be belonging,
meaning belonging to a group that the consumer would like
to identify themselves with. An organic consumer might for
instance want to identify themselves as a person who places
importance on the protection of the environment or who is
health conscious. These are related to the personal values of
an individual person.
Buyer
The buyer is a combination of the cultural, social, personal
and psychological elements together. It helps to identify
who the consumer is and what motivates them. It aims to
answer whether the consumer base of organic food is a
homogenous group that shares the same characteristics
and motivations or if there are different segments within.
The only conclusive socio-demographic factor that has a
positive effect on organic consumption is education. This
in turn could work further into income as well as people
with an above average education will also tend to reach an
above average income. In terms of the purchase attributes,
the consumer will probably not choose organic over
conventional food products for just one of the advantages
but rather a combination of attributes. It seems that
particularly health benefits and environmental impact are
valued aspects in organic products.
The increased availability for consumers is helping to grow
the organic food industry. However, it is essential to keep
communicating the tangible benefits of these products
clearly with appropriate promotion that engages with the
emotions of consumers to further encourage organic
consumption (Latacz-Lohmann and Foster, 1997).
In conclusion, the organic movement saw its infancy in the
early 1900s and really started to take shape after 1940.
Organic agriculture and organic food products can be
defined as much more than offering just a physical product
for consumption. It aims to protect the environment and
maintain the well-being of people. Organic food products
exist across many product groups that include both fresh
and shelf-stable products. In France, the organic food
sector has seen tremendous growth in recent years and
has developed itself as the third largest organic
consumption market worldwide. Some 55 percent of
organic food products in France are sold through mass
retail which includes hypermarkets, supermarkets,
convenience stores, e-commerce and hard discounters. In
comparison to the rest of Europe, France has the second
highest number of organic farms and also the second
highest total surface of organic cultivated farmland. For
farmers, to convert their land to organic farmland can be
attractive due to the higher price premiums. However,
there are also variable costs involved that can differ
depending on individual cases. A significant amount of
organic production is exported, mainly to other European
Union member states. Furthermore, the COVID-19
pandemic did not de-accelerate the rapid growth of the
organic sector in France. When focusing on Brittany,
production is mainly focused on the production of animals,
dairy products and vegetables. Brittany ranks as the sixth
region in terms of number of organic farms in 2019,
despite having the lowest growth percentage of new
organic farms in France. The European Union is putting
increasing efforts in developing the organic industry which
is evident from their ‘Farm to Fork’ strategic plan which
involves objectives on a European level to reach 25% of
total farmland to be organic by 2030. The Farm to Fork
plan is part of the European Green Deal which aims to
make Europe the first climate neutral continent by 2050.
There are multiple motives or drawbacks from purchasing
organic food products. These attributes can be divided into
private and public motives. Private attributes refer to
direct advantages that the consumer experiences and that
cannot be shared. On the contrary, public attributes have a
more altruistic underlying motive that contributes to the
greater good of the planet and mankind. Purchase motives
and drawbacks examined include: absence of GMOs,
animal welfare, availability, certification warranty
(organic logos), environmental impact, expectation of a
better taste, fair remuneration for farmers, health benefits,
more natural appearance, nutritional value, origin and
price. The general consensus in the literature available is
that especially health benefits, environmental impact and
price have a strong influence on purchasing behaviour. In
addition, socio-economic factors should be considered in
relation to consumption patterns which consist of
characteristics such as age, income, family status, lifestyle
and culture which each have varying influences on organic
food consumption.
METHODOLOGY
For this research it was decided to take a positivist
approach with regards to information collection by
gathering quantitative data from primary sources. This
approach has been favoured by the authors as it suits the
aim of the research and corresponds with effectively
testing the pre-established hypotheses. Using quantitative
data will provide clearer patterns regarding the motives of
purchasing organic food as well as exploring if there is a
link between the lifestyle of consumers and their organic
purchasing behaviour. There could be multiple stances on
the reasons that influence the decision whether to buy
organic food products as there are many factors that
differentiate consumers such as demographic
characteristics, consumer attitudes, motives and lifestyles.
55
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
Furthermore, to better understand the possible consumer
profiles and their relevance, it requires an objective
mindset to discover quantifiable results from a subjective
consumer experience.
The aim of the research is to understand French consumer
behaviour towards organic food and delve deeper into the
purchase motivations that drive this. The rule, the interest
of French consumers in organic products has positively
increased, is known and the effect is that the sales of
organic purchases have increased. The objective is to
confirm or dismiss the potential drivers. Therefore,
abduction is utilised in this research.
The decision was made in the epistemology to follow a
positivist approach. It has therefore been determined to
concentrate on acquiring information by means of
quantitative data gathering methods for the primary
research. Through this method, it will be attempted to
make generalisations regarding consumer profiles,
purchasing patterns and purchasing motives. The primary
data collection method used in this research will be
surveys as it is in line with the positivist approach adopted
in the epistemology desiring objective quantitative data.
This research method is also thought to accommodate
answering the main question of the study most efficiently
and objectively. The decision not to use interviews and
focus groups is that these research methods lead to
descriptive qualitative information and as aforementioned
the positivist stance is taken in the epistemology which
essentially requires quantitative information collection.
This study utilises a cross-sectional research where the
consumer behaviour of French consumers is explored at a
single period in time between June 2021 and December 2021.
The advantage of using a cross-sectional research is that it
provides an overview of multiple variables at a certain
moment of time and can therefore approve or disapprove
assumptions made in the hypotheses. Furthermore, it does
open up the opportunity for future research to perform
similar research and use this study as a base for contrasting
data at different moments in time or across countries. This
in turn can potentially show an evolution in consumer
behaviour or demonstrate differences in culture.
Primary data has been gathered by means of a survey
among French consumers. The secondary data in the
literature review supports the primary research by
providing context to the primary research and as a
reference for the results gathered. The results can
therefore be compared to the existing research and
potentially add as a reference to the current body of
literature available on the subject. It is attempted to
provide more insight in the purchasing behaviour of a
specific group of people, being French consumers, by
exploring their purchase motives. The target group of the
research are consumers in Brittany who are 18 years or
older. Consumers younger than this age are not included
as they normally are not one of the main decision makers
in the purchase process in their household. The data has
been collected through the means of online surveys
distributed among consumers living in Brittany, with
respondents residing in the department of Finistère. The
choice for conducting online surveys was made for the
ease of use for participants, possibilities for wider and
faster distribution as well as the efficiency of analysing
the data. The composition of demographic data of the
respondents is presented in Table 3.
TABLE 3: Demographics of survey respondents
Classification variable
Modality
N
Age
18 - 30 years old
31 - 43 years old
44 - 56 years old
57 - 69 years old
70 years or older
70
3
7
4
-
84
Gender
Male
Female
39
45
84
Academic level
Lycée
Bac+2 (BTS, IUT…)
Licence
Master
Doctorat
3
7
15
57
2
84
Income
Not applicable
Less than €1.000
Between €1.000 and €1.500
Between €1.500 and €2.000
Between €2.000 and €2.500
Between €2.500 and €3.000
Between €3.000 and €5.000
Between €5.000 and €8.000
€8.000 or more
I do not know
19
19
15
11
7
3
7
2
-
1
84
The content of the survey has been created by dividing it
into four blocks. The first block of questions consists of
demographics including age, income, gender and
education. This is followed by the second block of
questions related to consumption frequency and lifestyle
choices in other areas of life related to similar benefits that
organic food products can provide. Thirdly, respondents
were asked to rank from a list of motives which they find
the most important in relation to organic food purchases.
In the same block respondents were also asked for reasons
why they would not purchase organic products or in other
words what would incentivise them to increase their
consumption. Lastly, respondents were asked to respond
to a series of statements related to various aspects of
organic consumption in agriculture in the Brittany region
and rate their level of agreement through a Likert scale. It
is attempted with this survey to obtain a full overview of
consumer behaviour patterns in Brittany by highlighting
various aspects such as demographics, lifestyle and purchase
motives so that they can be contrasted against each other.
56
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
RESULTS
This section aims to respond to the hypotheses and
ultimately provide an answer to the main research
question. The results are based on a survey conducted
among 84 participants in Brittany, France. The main aim of
the study is to understand French consumer behaviour
towards organic food and delve deeper into the purchase
motivations that drive this. The following sub sections
provide the main results of the research regarding the
main drivers in consumer behaviour that influence organic
food consumption in Brittany.
1: PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES FRENCH CONSUMERS VALUE
IN THE PURCHASE OF ORGANIC FOOD PRODUCTS
To determine the product attributes that consumers value
most in organic food products respondents were asked to
rank 10 pre-determined product attributes from a scale of
1 to 10, with 1 being the most important attribute and 10
being the least important for them personally.
The advantage of ranking the attributes, instead of for
instance a Likert scale, is that it forces respondents to
discriminate between them and it therefore exhibits a
clearer preference for one attribute or another.
Response frequency of purchase motivations shows the
response frequency for each attribute with their rank as
well as the percentual rates for each individual attribute
and their rank. Furthermore, a total score has been
attributed to each product attribute by multiplying the
response frequency with Rank 1 by a score of 10, for Rank
2 by a score of 9, continuing to Rank 10 with a score of 1.
Adding up all these scores has resulted in a total score for
each attribute displayed in Figure 3.
FIGURE 3: Total scores for motives for purchasing organic food
The attributes that were chosen among respondents as most
important in organic food products and were ranked first
were health benefits (25%), absence of GMOs (21.4%),
environment (11.9%), animal welfare (10.7%) and better
taste (9.5%).This is congruent with the ranking according to
the overall scores given in Figure 3, with the exception of the
attribute ‘origin’ that overtakes the expectation of better
taste for fifth place. Attributes that were seen as least
important consist of certification warranties, natural
appearance and fair compensation for farmers. Similar
research conducted by Nunes, Madureira and Veiga (2021)
among Portuguese respondents shows comparable results
with health benefits, absence of GMOs and environmental
impact as the most valued attributes in the same order and
organic logos, appearance and availability as relatively weak
influences.
2: THE MAIN REASONS FOR FRENCH CONSUMERS NOT
TO PURCHASE ORGANIC FOOD
Contrarily to drivers of the organic food market, it is
imperative to analyse potential obstacles and identify
reasons that refrain consumers from purchasing these
products which could limit potential growth.
Similar to the products’ attributes that were favourable for
purchasing organic food, respondents were presented with
ten potential obstacles that if taken away would stimulate
their organic food consumption. Again, respondents were
asked to rank these reasons from Rank 1, being the most
important, to Rank 10 being the least important for them.
Consequently, reasons for not purchasing organic food can
be deduced from these statements.
Response frequency of attributes that would stimulate
organic food purchases.
In the total scores and looking at the response percentages
it is evident which attributes are the main obstacles for
purchasing organic. The four attributes that stand out can
be divided into two categories being related to price and
other to consumer trust. Some 35.7% of respondents put
having a higher income as their first choice of factor that
would stimulate opting for organic, followed by product
prices being lower with 22.6%. This means that 58.3% of
respondents put a cost related reason as their main
obstacle for not choosing an organic option more often,
whether it comes from an income point of view or a
product price stand point. Furthermore, a lack of trust in
products actually being organic (16.7%) and lack of trust
in organic certification logos (7.1%) were expressed as
another significant concern. Together, it represents 23.8%
of respondents who ranked a lack of trust as number one.
In addition, 30.9% of respondents ranked either of these
two reasons as the second most important hurdle not to go
for an organic option.
3: THE RELATION BETWEEN CONSUMER LIFESTYLE
AND THE PURCHASE OF ORGANIC FOOD
Another interesting relation to explore is the potential link
between the lifestyle of consumers and their food
consumption behaviour. It looks to investigate whether
benefits sought such as those related to the improvement
of personal health or the protection of the environment are
also reflected in other areas of life. This could contribute to
creating a more complete consumer profile.
549 487 481 545
652
430 484
307 309
376
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
I buy organic food products because of...
57
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
A comparison has been made between the organic food
consumption frequency among respondents between
smokers and non-smokers. It can be concluded that non-
smokers are more likely to consume organic food more
frequently than smokers. No smokers indicated that they
consume organic food on a daily basis whereas 23.44% of
non-smoker respondents do put themselves in the
category of daily consumers. Even the difference of
consumption on a weekly basis is fairly high with only 15%
of smokers eating organic food at least once a week
opposed to 34.38% of non-smokers. Personal health
benefits were indicated as the most important reason for
consuming organic food and this is the first indication that
consumers of organic food are also health conscious in
other areas of their life as they are less likely to harm their
body with other unhealthy activities such as smoking.
Consumption frequency related to lifestyle
Some 75% of respondents stipulated that they do not
follow a specific diet. Among the respondents that do
follow a diet every day, consumption was the highest
among vegetarian/vegan (4.76%) respondents. Among
vegetarian/vegan respondents the consumption frequency
of organic food is high with all of them consuming organic at
least once a month and most of them either on a daily or
weekly basis. For other diets such as weight loss and
related to sport/fitness the results are relatively in line
with those that do not follow a specific diet, although the
percentage that never consumes organic is relatively low.
Overall it can be concluded that people who do follow a
specific diet are likely to consume organic food relatively
often, however the difference between people that do not
follow a diet programme is only really evident amongst
those that follow a vegetarian/vegan diet.
In addition, physical exercise is another element directly
related to pursuing a healthy way of living. Among all
respondents, a total of 61.91% of consumers consume
organic food on a daily or weekly basis. The data shows
that 50% of total respondents both consume organic food
on a daily or weekly basis as well as performing physical
exercise on a daily or weekly basis. This suggests a strong
correlation between high organic consumption frequency
and high physical exercise frequency.
4: RELATION BETWEEN DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AND
ORGANIC CONSUMPTION FREQUENCY
After analysing the potential link between lifestyle and
consumption it is also fundamental to examine the
interrelationship of socio-economic factors with consumer
behaviour. This is to obtain a complete understanding of the
market and to see if there are any behaviour differences
between consumers from different personal backgrounds.
Of the total respondents, 21.43% consume organic food on
a daily basis, 40.48% every week, 14.29% at least once a
month, 14.29% less than once a month and 9.52% never
consume organic food (Table 4). The majority of
respondents fall into the 18 – 30 year old age category and
are students.
TABLE 4: Consumption of organic food in relation to age
Consumption of organic food
Demographics
Every
day
At least
once a
week
At least once
a month
Less than
once a
month
Never
Grand
Total
18 - 30 years old
11.90%
34.52%
13.10%
14.29%
9.52%
83.33%
31 - 43 years old
2.38%
1.19%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
3.57%
44 - 56 years old
3.57%
4.76%
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
8.33%
57 - 69 years old
3.57%
0.00%
1.19%
0.00%
0.00%
4.76%
Grand Total
21.43%
40.48%
14.29%
14.29%
9.52%
100.00%
AGENCE BIO
13%
60%
17%
10%
100.00%
When comparing these results to the national research
results carried out by Agence BIO it can be stated that
everyday consumption among this sample group is higher
than the average with 21.43% of respondents opposed to
13%.
5: ASSUMPTIONS MADE FOR THE FUTURE OF ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMPTION
The organic industry has developed considerably over the
last two decades and it will be interesting to see for how
long the continuous annual growth of the market can
continue. So far, the annual sales figures in France do not
seem to start slowing down yet. Even during the COVID-19
pandemic the industry shows a resistance against
economic downturns.
Furthermore, from the primary research it has been
observed that there is a real concern regarding climate
change among consumers and that the vast majority has a
positive attitude towards the consumption of organic
products. In addition, consumers do not seem to find
product availability or product range a barrier anymore in
the current climate. Moreover, it was noted that more
consumers than not leaned towards saying that organic
products provide value for money.
HYPOTHESES
To provide context to the research, the seven hypotheses
aforementioned will be tested. The primary research was
specifically designed to verify these hypotheses.
Hypothesis H1 is supported. The three most important
reasons indicated by respondents to purchase organic food
were health benefits, absence of GMOs and environmental
impact. Although the absence of GMOs was not specifically
mentioned in the hypothesis it does both directly serve
advantages for both health and environment. Furthermore,
the difference in total scores between the first three product
attributes and the other ones was quite significant. It can
therefore be said that health benefits and the protection of
the environment are the main reasons for purchasing
organic food, with a side note that specifically the absence of
GMOs seems to be the most important driver behind the
benefits to both of these two attributes.
Hypothesis H2 is partly supported. An organic certification
warranty was chosen least among respondents as reasons
to purchase organic food. Furthermore, a lack of trust in
organic products being actually organic and a lack of trust
in certification logos were chosen as the third and fourth
most important obstacles for selecting organic products.
58
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
However, on the other hand, when asked if respondents
would be more likely to purchase food products if it carries
an organic label 39.29% agreed and 13.10% strongly
agreed. Only 5.95% strongly disagreed along with 8.33%
who disagreed and 33.33% who neither agreed nor
disagreed. The results are therefore mixed. Consumers do
not seem to look at organic labels as one of the main
criteria in their purchase decision process, which could
partly be because of a lack of trust. However, at the same
time they respond to products more if they carry an
organic label than if not.
Hypothesis H3 is partly supported. Price has emphatically
been expressed as the main argument for not opting for an
organic choice. Respondents cited having a higher income
and prices being lower as the main two reasons in
scenarios in which they would purchase more organic food
products. A considerable 58.3% of respondents ranked
either of these factors as their principal obstacle. On the
contrary, out of the ten reasons that respondents could
choose from, product availability in more stores and a
wider product range ranked eighth and ninth respectively.
This would indicate that consumers are content with the
current availability of organic products both in the amount
of points of sale where the products are sold as well as the
variety of the product assortment in stores. Therefore,
price is definitely the main reason for consumers not to
purchase organic while low availability does not seem like
a strong barrier in the current climate according to French
consumers.
Hypothesis H4 is supported. There is a strong correlation
between health consciousness, regular exercise and
organic food consumption. It has already been stated that
health benefits are the main reason for purchasing organic
food among respondents. Furthermore, of the total
respondents 61.91% consume organic food on a daily or
weekly basis with 50% of total respondents both eating
organic and performing physical exercise on a daily or
weekly basis. This means that approximately 5 out of 6
consumers who regularly eat organic food also regularly
exercise. In addition, a comparison was made in organic
consumption frequency between smokers and non-
smokers. No smokers indicated to consume organic food
on a daily basis whilst 23.44% of non-smokers were daily
organic consumers. Also, on a weekly organic consumption
basis the difference is clear, 34.38% of non-smokers
consume organic food every week against 15% of smokers.
It can therefore be said that this hypothesis is supported.
Hypothesis H5 is partly supported. Nearly no respondents
were not concerned by climate change at all, however it
seems like some environmentally friendly practises are
more integrated in the daily lifestyles than others. For
instance, the data shows a clear positive relationship
between people who recycle and the organic consumption
frequency. Some 23.53% of people who recycle consume
organic food every day as opposed to 12.5% who do not
recycle. On a weekly basis, a higher representation is again
in favour of those who recycle (44.12%) against those who
do not (25%). It can thus be said that there is a strong
relationship between these two factors. A weaker
correlation was found between usage of public transport
and organic consumption as there was no great disparity
found in consumers that use public transport regularly and
those that do not. Hence, this hypothesis can only be partly
supported as consumers seem to integrate certain
environmentally friendly practices. For instance, in the
case of public transport usage practicality might be
favoured.
Hypothesis H6 is partly supported. Approximately 70% of
the sample group has an academic level equal to a master
degree or higher and when comparing the consumption
frequency to the national average it can be concluded that
there is a positive relationship. Especially the everyday
consumption is higher among the sample group compared
to the data from Agence BIO. The primary research
indicates there might be a positive correlation between
consumption frequency and income as well, however the
sample group did not consist of a sufficient amount of
respondents with a high enough income to come to a
decisive conclusion.
Hypothesis H7 is supported. Consumers have a positive
attitude towards organic food in Brittany. On a five-point
Likert scale 34.52% strongly agreed, 40.48% agreed,
19.0% neither agreed nor disagreed, 4.76% disagreed and
only 1.19% strongly disagreed to having a positive attitude
towards organic consumption. The amount of consumers
that do not view organic consumption positively is
relatively small whereas a considerable 75% of
respondents do see it in a positive light. Consumers in
Brittany are also very positive in their perception of there
being a future for organic farming in their region, with
44.05% of respondents strongly agreeing to this statement
and another 38.10% agreeing. However, the vast majority
of consumers also acknowledge that authorities can do
more to stimulate organic consumption.
MAIN QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE MAIN DRIVERS IN
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR THAT INFLUENCE ORGANIC
FOOD CONSUMPTION IN BRITTANY?
The research has been centred around discovering the
main drivers in consumer behaviour that influence organic
food consumption in Brittany in both a positive and
negative sense. The main question is answered based on
the results of the primary research with support of the
existing literature on the subject.
Product attributes that were most valued by consumers
are health benefits, absence of GMOs and environmental
impact. Especially health benefits and protection of the
environment are factors that often come up as the
principal reasons for organic consumption across research
in various countries as well. This is also evident in the fact
that consumers who regularly consume organic food also
exercise on a regular basis and do not tend to be smokers.
Moreover, people who recycle tend to be higher
consumers of organic products and are concerned about
climate change.
Absence of GMOs in such specific terms is cited less often;
however, this production method is the driving force
behind why organic products are firstly organic and
secondly provide benefits for health and environment.
Certification warranty logos and natural appearance of the
products were indicated as the least important drivers in
the decision-making process. On the contrary, price is seen
as the primary obstacle for organic consumption. Organic
food often comes with a price premium as the production
input costs are higher than that of conventional
agriculture. Consumers indicate that either higher incomes
or lower product prices would alleviate this burden.
Furthermore, a significant number of French consumers
feel a lack of trust in products actually being organic. This
could be solved by utilising organic certified labels;
however, consumers show a lack of trust in these logos too.
The least important hurdle for consumers is the product
packaging not being environmentally friendly, which can
be interpreted two ways. Either this is not seen as an
important part of the purchase decision process or
consumers are content with the current packaging being
environmentally friendly and therefore do not put much
emphasis on it. In addition, product range and product
availability were seen as the other least prominent hurdles
which would indicate that consumers are satisfied with the
59
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
current access they have to organic products. There seems
to be a positive correlation between the level of education
and organic consumption. Additionally, consumers
generally have a positive attitude towards organic products
and see a future for organic consumption in Brittany.
Therefore, to conclude, factors having a positive effect on
consumption of organic products are the health benefits
that it provides along with the protection of the
environment, mainly valued through the absence of GMOs.
Also, availability of organic products does not seem to be a
hurdle for French consumers as well as level of education
being another positive driver of consumption. Elements
that have a negative effect are price and lack of trust in
products being organic.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Brittany has a long history in agriculture and France has
always been one of the countries at the forefront in the
development of organic agriculture. In 2019, France was
the third largest organic consumption market in the world
behind the United States and Germany valued at €11.93
billion. This was a 13.5% increase compared to 2018,
showing the massive growth the market is experiencing.
Furthermore, the country has the second highest number
of organic farms and second highest number of cultivated
organic farmland in Europe.
Most organic products in France are sold through mass
retail (55%), followed by organic specialty stores (28%),
direct sales (11%) and artisan traders (6%). Organic
products accounted for 6.1% of all food purchases in
France in 2019. On average the yearly expenditure on
organic products is €178 among French consumers.
Moreover, the sales of organic products have continued to
rise amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating that
the industry is fairly insensitive to crises.
Organic production is being supported by the French
government as a long-term cornerstone of the agriculture
industry. It has launched several initiatives such as
farmers who convert conventional farmland to organic
being eligible for financial funding, the launch of the AB
(Agriculture Biologique) organic label and sponsoring
international events related to the development of organic
production.
Conventional agricultural production in Brittany is
principally concentrated on meat and dairy products while
also being responsible for almost half of the national
fishing sales. Additionally, the region has a significant
output in vegetable cultivation as well. Brittany ranks eight
out of the thirteen French regions in terms of certified
organic farmland surface and sixth in number of organic
farms. In terms of the usage of this organic surface, a large
portion is dedicated to the production of forage (74.9%),
large crops (16.17%), fruits and vegetables (6.95%)
among smaller category groups.
Not only the French government but also the European
Union is a contributing factor to the organic industry with
policy support measures, rural development campaigns
and research. The European Union attempts to stimulate
adoption of organic practises for mainly three reasons. In
the first place, the global supply chains are being put under
pressure with a growing world population. Especially in
developing countries incomes will be rising with people
increasingly searching for high quality food. Secondly,
organic production practises can contribute in the fight
against climate change. The European Union has set itself
the goal of becoming the first climate neutral continent by
2050. In the third and last place, the European Union
strives for balanced territorial development in its member
states through increasing work opportunities and local
economic advancement. One of the goals of the European
Farm to Fork strategy is to achieve 25% of farmland being
used for organic cultivation by 2030.
According to Lancaster (1996), consumers are more
interested in the benefits or characteristics which a good
possesses than the physical product itself. Ten potentially
beneficial product attributes typical of organic products
had been outlined being absence of GMOs, animal welfare,
certification warranty, environmental impact, expectation
of better taste, health benefits, nutritional value, origin,
natural appearance and fair compensation for farmers. In
the primary research consumers were asked to rank them
on a scale from 1 (most important) to 10 (least important).
The attributes that scored highest among respondents in
the primary research were health benefits, absence of
GMOs and environmental impact. Attributes least chosen
were certification warranty and products having a more
natural appearance. The highest scoring attributes are in
line with the existing academic literature across various
countries and national research conducted by Agence BIO.
The primary reason for the added health benefits gained
from organic food is the absence of GMOs. Moreover, for
fresh products such as fruit and vegetables that are locally
organically produced the transport time will be shorter
keeping the product fresher and preserving the nutritional
value better. Research also proposes that a healthy diet
does not only contribute to physical enhancements but
also mental well-being. In organic production methods,
GMOs are either completely absent or regulated to legal
limits. Several potential negative health effects have been
linked with the intake of pesticides such as an increase in
the chances of getting prostate cancer, lung cancer,
Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer. Climate change is a
real global concern that affects the world in many ways.
Organic production can contribute to lowering the CO2
output as it has a lower carbon footprint than conventional
farming. In conventional agriculture practises more
chemical pesticides and fertiliser are used as well as a
higher usage of fossil fuels in the preparation of farm land.
Aside from ranking the attributes most valued in the
purchase decision for organic products, respondents were
also asked to rank ten factors that would stimulate their
organic consumption more. In other words, what the main
obstacles are for opting for the organic option. Most
significant hurdles were related to price, a lack of trust in
products being actually organic and a lack of trust in
organic certification labels. Another noteworthy factor
that scored very low as a potential obstacle was
availability, both in terms of the amount of stores that sell
organic as well as the product range available in-store.
This would indicate drivers with the most strength in
predicting organic consumption behaviour in Brittany are
health benefits, absence of GMOs, environmental impact
and price. Variables that have a relatively weak influence
are certification warranties, natural appearance of the
product and availability. It could mark the start of a
broader understanding of the move towards a
standardised consumer profile of frequent organic
consumers in terms of benefits sought.
To gain a further understanding of organic consumer
behaviour it should be explored whether there is a
correlation between purchase decisions and lifestyle. A
strong positive relationship was found between high
consumption frequency and regular physical exercise.
Furthermore, non-smokers are more likely to consume
organic on a regular basis than smokers. The diet that
translated the most into increased levels of organic
consumption among respondents is a vegetarian/vegan
diet. The results regarding people using public transport
is inconclusive with there not being a distinct difference
60
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
between those that consume organic frequently and those
that do not. However, it was found that people who recycle
their trash are more likely to opt for organic products more
frequently. This relates to the level of concern for the
environment and climate change of which the primary
research shows that a higher level of concern converts into
higher organic consumption frequencies.
In terms of socio-economic factors, it is found that
consumers who profit from a greater level of education
have a stronger inclination to purchase organic. This is
emphasised by the primary research, with a sample group
that consists of a large percentage of people who either are
pursuing or in possession of a master degree who are
consumers at a higher frequency than the national average
statistics. The academic literature suggests a positive
relation between income and organic consumption. This is
highlighted by price being indicated as the most
meaningful hurdle of purchasing organic products. Among
respondents, organic consumption frequency seems
slightly more prominent among males than females, which
is not completely congruent with the existing literature. A
possible explanation for this is that in existing research it
is cited that females are more likely to buy organic as they
are the main decision makers in every day shopping in a
family. In the sample group, there is a relatively high
representation of the age group 18 – 30 year olds. In this
age group, many people have not arrived at the life phase
yet that they have their own family. The future of organic
consumption in the region of Brittany is perceived as being
bright and will maintain a prominent place in the food
industry for years to come. Nevertheless, the general
feeling is that authorities can put in more effort to promote
organic consumption.
The research proposes several recommendations that can
contribute to the overall growth of the organic industry as
a whole in Brittany:
(1) Marketing managers can with growing existing
research on the subject differentiate and target sub-
segments of consumers’ profiles appropriately to more
effectively communicate their message and
subsequently boost organic consumption. Various
consumer groups might require various incentives to
increase their organic consumption frequency with
current existing consumers moving towards a more
standardised consumer profile with similar benefits
sought. However, socio-economic and lifestyle
characteristics of consumers should not be
underestimated and provide a valuable source of
reaching potential consumers. The recommendation is
to truly engage with consumers and communicate the
benefits that justify the value for the price premium
that organic products possess.
(2) Authorities can contribute more in terms of building
trust in products actually being organic and the validity
of organic certification labels, as this is still seen as a
significant hurdle among consumers. Authorities are
generally seen as a relatively trustworthy source of
information and it is therefore encouraged to be more
transparent in terms of product traceability. This
information should be easy to find for consumers and
organic certifications such as the AB label or the
Euroleaf label can be promoted more with higher
visibility to gain more trust from consumers.
(3) The most notable hurdle for purchasing organic, price
is a more difficult obstacle to tackle. Large farms or
producers will perhaps be able to push down prices
through economies of scale. Similarly, close
collaboration between local stakeholders might help to
reduce input production costs. Another potential aid is
government funding, which already exists in France,
for those producers who convert their cultivation
surface to organic. This can provide a higher incentive
for farmers to make this conversion as it helps reduce
operational risks. Furthermore, technological
developments in production methods in the near
future might make organic farming just as viable as
conventional agriculture in terms of input costs.
(4) As aforementioned, current efforts by authorities to
promote organic products seem not to connect
sufficiently with consumers in Brittany. It will require
acquiring research data on a local level to gain a deeper
understanding of the consumer market and
appropriately communicate its advantages to
consumers. Furthermore, promotional campaigns can
be realised by way of advertising or through for
instance increasing the availability of organic products
in public places such as school canteens. Moreover, the
availability of information on benefits, production
processes and traceability will contribute to consumer
engagement. As indicated by Lampkin (1996) both a
pull and push strategy can be used simultaneously to
grow the organic sector as long as it is well calibrated.
Concerning limitations to the research, COVID-19 has
impacted the way in which research is conducted as for
instance it would be more challenging to obtain results in
person from respondents. Furthermore, COVID-19 and
seasonality might influence responses related to eating
patterns. Moreover, time and budget constraints did not
allow the research to be carried out on a larger scale.
Furthermore, the research limits itself to the Brittany
region and expanding the scope of the geographical
location can be a potential extension for future research.
REFERENCES
[1] Agence Bio (n.d.). Elevage Bio: des normes élevées de
bien-être animal. [online].
Available at: https://www.agencebio.org/wp-
content/uploads/2018/10/bien_etre_animal_en_bio
.pdf [Accessed 24 July 2021].
[2] Bourdieu, P. (1979). La distinction. Critique sociale
du jugement, Paris: Les editions de minuit.
[3] Dettmann, R.L. and Dimitri, C. (2010). Who's Buying
Organic Vegetables? Demographic Characteristics of
U.S. Consumers. Journal of Food Products Marketing,
16(1), 79-91.
[4] Dimitri, C. and Dettmann, R.L. (2012). Organic food
consumers: what do we really know about them?
British Food Journal, 114(8), 1157 – 1163.
[5] Direction Régionale de l’Alimentation, de l’Agriculture
et de la F. de B.-S. officiel du service régional du
ministère en charge de l’agriculture (2019). Agreste
Bretagne Synthèse - La Bretagne agricole et alimentaire.
[online] draaf.bretagne.agriculture.gouv.fr.
Available at:
https://draaf.bretagne.agriculture.gouv.fr/Agreste-
Bretagne-Synthese-La [Accessed 8 July 2021].
[6] Gad Mohsen, M. and Dacko, S. (2013). An extension of
the benefit segmentation base for the consumption of
organic foods: A time perspective. Journal of
Marketing Management, 29(15-16), 1701–1728.
Available at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02
67257X.2013.800896 [Accessed 16 August 2021].
61
Available Online at www.ijscia.com | Volume 3 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2022
International Journal of Scientific Advances ISSN: 2708-7972
[7] Götze, F. (2019). Demand for organic food in
Switzerland. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340000
274_Demand_for_organic_food_in_Switzerland
[Accessed 3 August 2021].
[8] Kotler, P., Wong, V., Saunders, J. and Armstrong, G.
(2005). Principles of Marketing (4th ed.). London:
Pearson Education Limited.
[9] Lampkin, N. (1996). Organic farming and agricultural
policy in Western Europe. [online] Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/287656
335_Organic_farming_and_agricultural_policy_in_We
stern_Europe [Accessed 28 September 2021].
[10] Lancaster, K.J. (1966). A New Approach to Consumer
Theory. Journal of Political Economy, [online] 74(2),
132–157. Available at:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1828835 [Accessed
19 July 2021].
[11] Latacz-Lohmann, U., Foster, C. (1997). From “niche”
to “mainstream” ‐ strategies for marketing organic
food in Germany and the UK. Available at:
https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.
1108/00070709710188336/full/html [Accessed 16
August 2021].
[12] Li, J., Zepeda, L. and Gould, B.W. (2007). The Demand
for Organic Food in the U.S.: An Empirical
Assessment. Journal of Food Distribution Research,
38(3), 54-69.
[13] Maigné, É., Monier-Dilhan , S. and Poméon, T. (2017).
Impact of the consumer's environment on the
demand for organic food in France. Journal of
Organics, 4(1), 3-20.
[14] Magnusson, M.K., Arvola, A., Hursti, U-K. K. and
Sjödén, P-O. (2001). Attitudes towards organic foods
among Swedish consumers. British Food Journal,
103(3), 209-227.
[15] Marty, L., de Lauzon-Guillain, B., Labesse,. M.,
Nicklaus, S. (2021). Food choice motives and the
nutritional quality of diet during the COVID-19
lockdown in France. Appetite, [online] 157, 105005.
Available at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii
/S0195666320316275 [Accessed 25 Nov. 2020]
[16] Nunes, F., Madureira, T. and Veiga, J. (2021). The
Organic Food Choice Pattern: Are Organic
Consumers Becoming More Alike? Foods, 10(5), 983.
Available at:
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/foods10050983
[Accessed 3 August 2021]
[17] Ozguven, N. (2012). Organic Foods Motivations
Factors for Consumers. Procedia - Social and
Behavioral Sciences, 62, 661–665. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271583
966_Organic_Foods_Motivations_Factors_for_Consu
mers [Accessed 16 July 2021].
[18] Statista. (n.d.). Worldwide sales of organic foods,
2018. [online] Available at:
https://www.statista.com/statistics/273090/world
wide-sales-of-organic-foods-since-1999/ [Accessed
5 July 2021].
[19] Shafie, F.A. and Rennie, D. (2012). Consumer
Perceptions Towards Organic Food. Procedia - Social
and Behavioral Sciences, 49, 360–367. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257716
052_Consumer_Perceptions_Towards_Organic_Food
[Accessed 13 August 2021].
[20] Wier, M., O’Doherty Jensen, K., Andersen, L.M. and
Millock, K. (2008). The character of demand in
mature organic food markets: Great Britain and
Denmark compared. Food Policy, 33(5), 406–421.
Available at:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2008.01.002
[Accessed 19 July 2021].
[21] Zepeda, L. and Li., J. (2007). Characteristics of
Organic Food Shoppers. Journal of Agriculture and
Applied Economics, 39(1), 17–28.
[22] Zhang, F., Huang,. C. L., Lin,. B. (2006). Modeling fresh
organic produce consumption: a generalized double-
hurdle model approach. Available at:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235157
14_Modeling_fresh_organic_produce_consumption_a
_generalized_double-hurdle_model_approach
[Accessed 13 August 2021].
