Increase Consumer Recognition of Organics

Credit: Hans Herzog Estate

OANZ is helping to build the Aotearoa, New Zealand organic story

From March to September 2022, an OANZ Sector Work Group met fortnightly via Zoom to identify the Organic Sector’s ‘WHY’ and determine how best to communicate organics to consumers. The objectives for this communication project include:

  • Feed the groundswell of NZ consumer support for organics

  • Build a new generation of organic advocates

  • Grow more value from organic exports

PURPOSE OF PROJECT

Regular organic purchasers make up 10% of the shopping population in New Zealand.

Research undertaken for the Organic Sector Strategy indicates that the propensity to purchase increases with knowledge of organic farming practices. Millennials are internationally recognised as having the most concern about the world’s environmental predicament and are the largest consumers of organic products. The purpose of this project was to identify the Organic Sector's "WHY" and determine how best to communicate organics to consumers. Outcomes for this project include:

  1. Increased demand for New Zealand organic products

  2. More New Zealand-based research and science supporting organic production

  3. Health and environmental benefits of organic agriculture are communicated to consumers

  4. Key influencers promote New Zealand’s organic sector across media platforms

  5. Increased support for the development of the organic category

  6. An organic narrative including mātauranga Māori principles unique to Aotearoa New Zealand is created for use by producers, brand owners and exporters domestically and in international markets

  7. Existing organic campaigns, especially Organic Week, have the opportunity to be built upon

  8. New collaborations are established with mainstream media

So how do we get from the present to our future goal of increasing consumer recognition of organics?

  • This action group reviewed the available science that has taken place in New Zealand to back up the benefits of organics. Unfortunately, there is not much NZ-based science; however, there was a lot of global data to draw from.

  • From the early development of organics, women with children have been the prime consumers of organics. Concerned about their family’s health, especially their children, mothers research and read labels to develop an understanding of product ingredients.

    Shoppers today have increasingly high expectations for brands and retailers. They expect to see the full scope of their values reflected in the products they choose – including environmental sustainability, human health, animal welfare, and social justice. This group of consumers will pay more for a product that matches their belief of what food should be. This group is skewed towards a higher level of education but slightly less so with income. This group shares health-related information with their friends on social media.

    All marketers are aware of the power of Millennials (18–29-year-olds). While this demographic may not have the spending power of 30–44-year-olds, they are the future.

    Equipped with a clear understanding of global and local issues facing them and wanting to remain healthy, this generation will bear the brunt of climate change and its consequential changes. With social media highlighting life’s issues, Millennials will take more deliberate actions to meet their goals. They are early adapters to a new trend or product, but should this not meet expectations; they can quickly move on.

    While price doesn’t necessarily determine their purchase decisions, authenticity does, and while focused on themselves, they also have an awareness of the environment.

  • Drawing on the groups findings, they defined ‘Why Organics’ by creating 3 key messages using the acronym of SUST:

    Simple

    Uplifting

    Substance

    True - Prove it!

    Informed by the current evidence for organics and based on the target audience, the group formulated 3 key messages covering climate change, health people and healthy environment. Each key message had 3 key proof points to back up each statement.

    Download a pdf with research links and a .png image file for sharing.

  • Group members raised concerns about the lack of Māori representation. Due to time commitments, Te Waka Kai Ora could not join the group. OANZ suggested that this group present its findings to Te Waka Kai Ora and continue the development of 'Why Organic' communications together in Phase 2 when the appropriate resources are acquired.

KEY CONSUMER-BASED DRIVERS MOTIVATING ORGANIC PURCHASING IN NZ

Consumers continually make evolving choices around the food they purchase and feed to themselves and their families. As a result, 84% of New Zealanders positively perceive organics, which generally associates organic products with food items and fresh produce that are naturally grown and free from synthetic chemicals. However, nearly 1 in 10 (9%) do not have a firm opinion of what organic means and 7% have a negative opinion.

Most New Zealanders (81%) purchase organic products with at least some frequency, up from 80% in the 2018 Market Report. Understanding this purchasing frequency has significant relevance for understanding the priorities of organic consumers—the core drivers being health, environment, and taste.

  • 40% of 25-39yr olds say health is their main driver for organic purchase

  • 16% buy organic because it tastes better

  • Consumers want to know what is in and on their food, but also the impact that its production has on the environment

  • 70% buy organic as seen to be free from residues and sprays

  • Consumers are showing their concern for climate change by changing their diets, this is reflected in the growth or organics

Where to next?

Collective advocacy is needed!

Develop and deliver a coordinated Organic Sector communication strategy during 2023-24

Shoppers today have increasingly high expectations for brands and retailers. They expect to see the full scope of their values reflected in the products they choose – including environmental sustainability, human health, animal welfare, and social justice.

Thankfully, New Zealand is a step closer to having its own standard and universal process for certifying organic products and production. Whichever sustainability benefits are most important to you, from reducing greenhouse gases or your family's health, there is only one option that addresses the full suite of consumer preferences AND will be backed by government policy and certification.

NEXT STEPS: Organics Aotearoa New Zealand will seek funding to develop a data-driven organic communications strategy that clearly communicates the benefits of organics and helps educate the public on the new NZ Organic Certified label. The strategy will include the following:

  • Conduct consumer research to inform the toolkit design, using focus groups to drill down into Aotearoa-specific understandings of ‘organics’

  • Aim to soft-launch a communications toolkit for Sector representatives to utilise as part of Organic Week 2023

  • Run a series of events over autumn/winter 2023, presenting and workshopping the toolkit to stakeholders in the Organic Sector and beyond

  • Finalise toolkit in spring/summer 2023, with a media/PR launch event at the OANZ Organic Conference in May 2024

Organics Aotearoa New Zealand would like to acknowledge and thank the many people across the Organic Sector who participated and gave time and energy to this action group, specifically Chairs, Robyn Vickery, BioGro New Zealand and Kath Dewar, GoodSense Marketing and to every volunteer who participated in the action group meetings. For more information please download the full report below or to get involved in the next stage please contact us.