The Influence of Trust and Attitudes on the Purchase Frequency of Organic Produce

Abstract

Growth in organic food sales is mainly due to consumers becoming more aware of health issues and environmental concerns. Understanding the drivers of organic consumption is crucial to predict future market outcomes. In this analysis, the authors expand previous research by including general and institutional trust variables in addition to consumer attitudes to examine organic food purchases. Food production is unobservable and hence, consumers need to exhibit trust with respect to organic production and certification. A bivariate ordered probit model applied to U.S. survey data confirms that organic purchases are determined by health, nutrition, and taste. In some cases, general trust and trust in media are statistically significant. Trust in institutions that are involved in the organic certification process is not statistically significant. A hierarchical cluster analysis grouping consumers based on trust and attitudes shows that (dis)trust in the organic certification and supply chain does not hinder organic food market growth.