The European consumers’ understanding and perceptions of the “organic” food regime

TLDR

This paper explores consumer understanding and perception of organic food, focusing on the emerging concept of organic farmed salmon. The study examines key themes associated with the term “organic” as interpreted by consumers and considers the influence of labelling and regulatory authorities. Focus groups across five European countries revealed widespread confusion and skepticism about the meaning of organic, especially for farmed salmon, and a general distrust of the certification process.

Abstract

This paper explores consumer understanding and perception of organic food, with specific reference to the relatively new concept of organic farmed salmon. Key themes associated with the term “organic” and its meaning, as determined by consumers, are explored and the role of labelling and regulatory authorities considered. Focus groups in five countries (UK, Germany, Spain, Norway and France) consisting of 196 participants showed that most consumers are confused about the meaning of the term organic and are largely unaware of the organic certification and labelling process. Many consumers were unsure, even sceptical about the concept of organic farmed salmon and display a large amount of distrust in the regulatory process. The implications for the concept of organic food and salmon production and directions for further research are discussed.