Consumers’ perceptions and policy implications towards the future of the Organic Food Sector in Italy

Research on organic consumers’ preferences has been given a lot of attention in the
past, analysing in detail the motives of organic food consumption across the World.
Less attention has been paid to the expectations of consumers change in the context
of growing complexities of sustainable agriculture. The main goal of this study is to
explore how the ongoing changes of the organic sector are reflected in consumers’
perspectives of organic agriculture and their preferences for organic food quality. The
study was conducted in Italy with the use of the Q-methodology with a Q-set of 44
statements and a P-set of 20 participants. Three main groups of consumers were
identified: “Mainstreaming for the better good”, “Critical supporters looking for more”,
“Organic intensification supporters”. Despite each ideal-typical group showing different
perceptions of the future of the organic movement, they all shared similar policy
implications. Three main topics of discussion emerged from the results of this study
which are: the expectations of the consumers towards the future of the organic
movement, the role of trust in purchasing behaviors and the importance of supporting
rural development.