Donal Hickey says organic food sales continue to rise
WITH Christmas nearly upon us people’s thoughts are starting to focus on food, drink and the feasting that goes with the season.
And, while much of what’sconsumed during the Christmas excess could hardly be said to be in the ‘healthy’ category, people are becoming more concerned about healthier food. Consumption of organic food, for example, is up by 16% since 2003, according to latest research.
Most frequently purchased organic food types continue to be vegetables, fruit, poultry and dairy products. Chief reasons for buying organic food in Ireland remain consistent with health issues, with higher quality and lack of chemicals/pesticides being the key factors.
Yet, less than 1% of our farming land is used for producing organic food, well below the EU level. At the end of 2006 there were 1,260 registered, organic food operators in Ireland of whom 1,104 were farmers/growers. The ambitious aim is to have 3% of agricultural land here used for organic food production by 2010.
Three in 10 Irish people say they have changed their eating habits in the last year to be healthier. This regime means that 77% eat foods that are low in fat and eight out of 10 try to limit the amount of fast food they eat. Almost three-quarters of Irish adults also said they would be willing to pay more for healthy food. An irony is that increasing numbers are opting for convenience and fast foods, despite reservations about such foods by some food experts.
Busy lifestyles are influencing food choices and, according to findings of a Periscope survey highlighted at a Bord Bia conference, 75% of Irish consumers choose food that is quick and easy to prepare — a 20% increase in just six years.
Hectic routines are also impacting on meal preparation, with one in two Irish adults saying they are too busy to cook as often as they’d like, and almost 50% using ready-to-eat foods. Cooking from scratch is also on the decline with only 30% preparing meals at home.
From a miniscule base, organic food has steadily grown in awareness and popularity. Consumer spending on organic produce now averages €40 per month, up from €29 in 2003. Seven out of 10 shoppers prefer to buy local food — which should not always be assumed to be organic — with 93% of those doing so because they want to support the local economy. Some 29% source their local food from farmers’ markets, 35% from local supermarkets and 23% from larger supermarkets.
The overall findings show consumer demand is for authenticity with health, naturalness and freshness being the primary motivating factors for purchase. According to the research, three out of four Irish grocery shoppers claim to buy local food because they want the most natural food.
Farmers’ markets are developing all the time and, by now, there’s hardly a town without an open air food market where people can purchase local produce.
But, what exactly do people want? Research carried out by Lansdowne Market Research found that local food means fresh food to the consumer, with the perception being that when you buy at a farmers’ market it’s just fresher, which has to be better.
More than three-quarters of those surveyed believed local food tends to taste better. The research found there’s a feelgood factor attached to local food, with those buying into the trend recognising not only the physical benefits but also the emotional connection they get from the origin, heritage and tradition of local food.
Not to under-estimated is a sentimental attachment to the kind of food that people in older age groups grew up on, though the days when people grew their own vegetables, using natural manure as fertiliser, had their own free range fowl, and killed their own pigs have long since passed.
The research covered interviews with opinion leaders and local food market experts, nine group discussions with 75 consumers around the country, and a nationally representative study of grocery shoppers, with 600 respondents.
What has clearly emerged is a tendency to reject mass market food products. Consumers feel local foods shouldn’t be a copy of big brands and should look and feel like they are from a cottage industry. Also critical is human interaction and the relationship between the seller/producer and the customer.
As up to 70% of organic food consumed here is imported, a real opportunity exists for producers to convert to organic. Financial incentives for producers have recently increased by 17%. Bord Bia estimates the Irish organic food market is worth €66 million.
a d v e r t i s e m e n t
This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Monday, November 26, 2007
