Organic Food & Beverage Trends 2004

Organic Food & Beverage Trends 2004

BELLEVUE, Wash.--Consumer use of organic products increased from 55percent in 2000 to 66 percent in 2004, according to the latest Organic Food& Beverage Trends 2004: Lifestyles, Language and Category Adoption report,released by The Hartman Group in August.

The report covers current trends such as consumer segmentation, changes inorganic product usage, consumer opinion on organics with an analysis of consumerlanguage, changes in shopping channels, the latest categories adopted and areview of organic brands that resonate with consumers. The report integratesboth quantitative and qualitative research to provide a complete picture ofcurrent organic consumer trends.

Health and nutritional concerns remains the most frequently selectedreason for purchasing organic foods with 46 percent of all organic consumersciting this as a reason, said Laurie Demeritt, president and chief ofoperations of The Hartman Group. Consumers specific health concerns focuson avoiding food and beverage products with pesticides, growth hormones andantibiotics.

The quantitative results in the study are taken from two primary sources: 1)the Organic Trends study, conducted over the Internet in December 2003, with anationally representative sample of 5,000 respondents; and, 2) a survey of 353consumers from the Hartman Interactive Consumer Panel, The Hartman Groupsonline panel of over 15,000 consumers. In addition, the report incorporatesqualitative research including case studies of individuals according to theiruse and adoption of organic products.

For more information, visit www.hartman-group.com/products/reportorganic2004.html.