Locally-sourced products are gaining an edge over organic foods according to a new market research report gauging consumer attitudes in the US.
In their latest report released this week, Mintel analysts found that more than half — 52 percent — of consumers said it’s more important to buy local products than organic foods, a finding that coincides with statistics on new product launches.
For example, fruits labeled organic have declined 58 percent between 2008 and 2011, according to data from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD).
When it comes to vegetables, that figure takes an even more precipitous dip, with a 77 percent decline during the same period.
“Natural and organic produce items aren’t completely passé but local varieties are steadily gaining ground,” said Mintel analyst John Frank. “Interestingly enough, senior citizens are even more likely to believe that buying local produce is more important than organic.”