Motivations behind Preferences for Local or Organic Food

ABSTRACT: This article aims at understanding the food choice motives underlying consumer preferences for organic versus local food. A sample of 720 German consumers is employed to investigate self-stated preference for organic or local food and the underlying food choice motives of health, natural content, price, animal welfare, and sensory appeal. Consumers preferring organic over local food put comparatively higher value on the motives of natural content and animal welfare and less on sensory appeal and price. For both groups, however, natural content and animal welfare are the most important motives, followed by sensory appeal, and lastly health and price.