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'Local' tops 'organic' in consumer studies
by Pan Demetrakakes
August 1, 2008

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Food shoppers prize local foods and, in some cases, may value them above organic, according to a pair of recent studies.

An Ohio State University survey showed that shoppers are willing to pay a premium for locally produced products—at farmers’ markets, almost twice as much. The survey offered respondents a choice between two baskets of strawberries, each presented with a variety of factors involving price, farm location and type, and freshness guarantees. Respondents at grocery stores were willing to pay an average of 48 cents more for strawberries produced locally, and shoppers at farm markets, 92 cents extra.

Another study, by the Food Marketing Institute, showed that local food products have stronger appeal for consumers than organic ones. FMI’s 16th annual Shopping for Health survey revealed that when local and organic versions of a theoretical product cost the same, 50% would choose the local version, 28% the organic one. The survey also showed that, of respondents who said they have stopped buying organic products, 70% cited high cost as the main reason.


Pan Demetrakakes


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