Maria Frostling-Henningsson, Martin Hedbom and Ludvig Wilandh
This research paper focuses on why intentions to buy organic and/or eco-friendly food are not always manifested in practice. Based on Warde's antinomies of structural opposition…
Abstract
Purpose
This research paper focuses on why intentions to buy organic and/or eco-friendly food are not always manifested in practice. Based on Warde's antinomies of structural opposition, we found several consumer dilemmas including the dilemma of choosing between organic and eco-friendly food. This study addresses ethical and environmental concerns that contemporary Swedish consumers have when eating organic and taking environmental action and presents some consumer strategies used to cope with these concerns.
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical data was collected from a consumer panel followed during 18 months. A mix of qualitative methods was used; interviews, shop-along studies, ZMET, collecting shopping receipts and poems.
Findings
The research paper contributes with knowledge about the dilemma between organic and eco-friendly. It further defines the strategy of “justification of non-choices” as the most common consumer strategy to cope with the dilemma.
Research limitations/implications
Results from this study shows that conscious consumers often face a conflict between buying organic food and taking environmental considerations. In order to solve the conflict consumers used various strategies; justification of non-choices was the most common strategy.
Practical implications
For wholesalers and retailers the results show that conscious consumers demands groceries that are both organic and eco-friendly in order to act on intentions.
Originality/value
By using innovative qualitative methods this report identifies some contemporary consumer dilemmas. The dilemma that the most conscious consumers have is the dilemma between organic and eco-friendly. In order to solve this “justification of non-choices” is the most common strategy for consumers to handle the dilemma.
Details
Keywords
John Thøgersen, Susanne Pedersen, Maria Paternoga, Eva Schwendel and Jessica Aschemann-Witzel
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the country-of-origin (COO) effect in the context of organic food and develop suggestions for further research in this…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the country-of-origin (COO) effect in the context of organic food and develop suggestions for further research in this area. Research has investigated COO effects and consumer responses to organic food, but there is little research on the combination of the two.
Design/methodology/approach
A narrative review of two research streams and their intersection, forming the basis for the development of a research agenda.
Findings
There are few studies analysing the possible interaction between the effects of organic and COO on consumers’ food preferences and choices. In general, COO seems to lose impact when other quality cues are salient. This suggests a lower impact of COO for organic than for conventional food products. However, there is still no research on the possible impact of organic labelling in categories where products from a foreign country are able to demand a premium, and little is known about consumer preferences for different import countries regarding organic food. Six potential future research directions are suggested.
Research limitations/implications
There is a need for research that more systematically investigates the possible interactions between COO and organic labelling on consumers’ food product preferences and choices. A research agenda is suggested as a starting point.
Originality/value
This literature review highlights the lack of research on the interaction between COO effects and consumer responses to organic food. The literature review creates a basis for future research and a possible research agenda is suggested.