Organics: a fresh perspective

Sales of organic fruit and vegetables are still on the upswing, but growth is slowing. Why? Carman Allison, director of industry and consumer insights at Nielsen, says that while Canadians perceive organics to be beneficial, they also think these products are expensive. He suggests promoting locally grown and organic products together. “ will appeal to consumers’ need to buy local and their concern over food safety.” 

More points on organics:

A” for  effort:  Only 24% of Canadians try to eat organic fruit and vegetables when possible.

Top of mind:    87% of Canadians associate organic foods as being free of (or being minimally exposed to) chemical pesticides. And 77% think they’re more expensive.

Where we  buy:  Conventional grocery stores (72%) continue to be the No. 1 destination for organic foods, followed by farms and farmers’ markets (33%) and health-food stores (15%). 

Source:  The Nielsen Company; 2009 survey