Percepción y hábitos de consumo de los alimentos ecológicos entre las mujeres de Vitoria

Abstract

Organic food is relatively new and is rarely found in the Spanish consumer’s diet. Given the scarce information on these types of food, this study is an attempt to find out how they are perceived, by looking at consumer habits. Data collected from the interviews focus on women living in the city of Vitoria aged between 35 and 54. The following can be highlighted from the results: the interviewees have a very positive image of the way organic foods are processed and the resulting benefits. Around half of them reported consuming them, but very few do so on a daily basis. Frequency of consumption depends on how much knowledge they have about organic food, i.e. the main reason given for consuming these foods is because they are less “artificial” and are better for your health. Vegetables are the type of food preferred by female consumers. About half of them reported spending less than 15% of their total budget on food. An important increase in the demand for organic food is expected, because it has been observed that as these products are consumed over longer periods of time, consumption becomes more frequent and varied, and a larger percentage of money is spent on them. The present economic crisis does not seem to have stopped the expansion of organic foods, as over half the people who consume them started to do so in the last three years.