Some locally produced foods may be grown organically, but certainly not all. Some consumers, nonetheless, seem to be uninformed of that fact.
In a recent study, one in five consumers mistakenly thought that local meant organic. The survey of 2,511 consumers conducted in 2011 was recently published in the International Food and Agribusiness Management Review.
A majority of consumers had a good grasp of some aspects of the term local. For instance, 67 percent recognized fewer miles to transport as a characteristic of locally grown products. However, 23 percent incorrectly believed that products labeled local were also produced without synthetic pesticides. Similarly, 17 percent thought an organic label meant the fruit or vegetable was grown locally.
Two-thirds of the respondents were from the U.S., while the rest were from Canada. The study revealed some differences between the two countries in terms of perception and understanding. The Americans seemed to be more confused about the terms local and organic than the Canadian consumers, as 25 percent inaccurately identified locally grown food as organic, compared to 20 percent of the Canadian consumers.
Foods labeled as organic or locally grown offer some consumer benefits but often come with a higher price tag. While organic labeling is fairly straightforward in a legal sense, terms like local, all natural and free range are not as regulated or easily defined, even for those of us familiar with agricultural production. These results reiterate the fact that there is still room for improved clarification in food labeling and education to help consumers know exactly what it is they are paying for.
