Journal Article

Explaining the choice of organic produce: cosmetic defects, prices, and consumer preferences

Kidwell, Julia, Thompson, Gary D.

1998

Overview

The choice between organic and conventional produce was estimated empirically using a two-equation probit model. Data were collected in-store on cosmetic defects, produce prices, and consumers' demographic and economic traits. Store choice displayed a significant impact on the probability of purchasing organic produce. Shoppers at the specialty grocer were sensitive to price differences between organic and conventional items. Households with children under eighteen were more likely to purchase organic produce while shoppers with graduate or professional degrees were less likely to do so. Differences in cosmetic defects had statistically significant albeit small effects on the probability of purchasing organics.

• Publisher: Oxford University Press,American Agricultural Economics Association,Blackwell,American Farm Economic Association,Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subject: 1994 / Agricultural economics / ALIMENT BIOLOGIQUE POUR HOMME / ALIMENTOS / ALIMENTOS BIOLOGICOS / APPLES / ARIZONA / Attitudes / Bio-Lebensmittel / BROCCOLI / BROCOLI / CAROTTE / CARROTS / Census of Population / Children / COMPORTAMIENTO DEL CONSUMIDOR / COMPORTEMENT DU CONSOMMATEUR / Consumer attitudes / CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR / Consumer preferences / CONSUMER PRICES / Consumers / Cooperatives / cosmetic defects / D120 / Data collection / DECISION MAKING / Decision theory / Defects / DEMOGRAFIA / DEMOGRAPHIE / DEMOGRAPHY / ECONOMETRIC MODELS / Economic models / Estimation / Food / food prices / FOODS / FRUITS / FRUTAS / HORTALIZAS / households / Konsumentenverhalten / LAITUE / LECHUGAS / LEGUME / lettuce / LETTUCES / MANZANA / Market shares / METHODE STATISTIQUE / METODOS ESTADISTICOS / MODELE ECONOMETRIQUE / MODELOS ECONOMETRICOS / Natural & organic foods / Organic farming / ORGANIC FOODS / organic produce / Pesticides / POMME / PRECIO AL CONSUMIDOR / PRECIOS / Preferences / PRICES / PRISE DE DECISION / PRIX / PRIX A LA CONSOMMATION / Probabilities / PROBABILITY / probability analysis / PROBIT ANALYSIS / PRODUIT ALIMENTAIRE / Purchasing / Q110 / Random variables / raw vegetables / Retail trade / Socioeconomic factors / STATISTICAL METHODS / Statistical significance / Store choice / Supermarkets / TOMA DE DECISIONES / TOMATE / TOMATOES / TUCSON, ARIZONA / two-equation probit model / URBAN AREAS / Utility functions / VEGETABLES / weak exogeneity / Willingness to pay / ZANAHORIA / ZONAS URBANAS / ZONE URBAINE