Agroaldea
Spain has 1,61 million hectares of surface registered in the production of organic agriculture and remains the European leader by surface.
A 28 percent of Spanish consumers have consumed organic products and up to 25 percent do it daily, according to a study by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment that also reflects the profile of these consumers who are, mainly, those concerned about their health, the environmentalists, the “convinced” and the “uninvolved”.
The document reflects that the number of consumers of organic products has increased as well as their distribution, which was mainly located in the northeast of the peninsula and is now distributed throughout Spain, and frequency of consumption.
In particular, among consumers of organic products, has increased the frequency to more than two days per week and the 25 percent do it daily. Beginners usually start with fruits and vegetables..
The study, that reflects the typology and sociodemographic profile of the organic food consumer in Spain, reflects four types of consumers by their attitude.
These are the “unimplicated”, who consume them for fashion and who are younger than the rest but who have decreased since 2011. In addition, environmentalists stand out, that they do it because of their concern for the conservation of the environment in all their daily actions and that they have grown compared to the previous study, on which they have increased, above all, the incorporation of men into this type of consumption.
Also, The third profile is the “convinced”, who have the most militant position and who demand natural nutrition and environmentally friendly lifestyle habits, with higher weight of women, long history of consumption and with a slight decrease compared to 2011.
In fourth place are those concerned about health, whose purchasing decisions are based on their well-being and who show a slight decrease. In this case the number of men increases.
The typical ecological consumer is people somewhat older than those in the study carried out in 2011, middle aged and predominantly female.
The study also analyzes the main motivations for purchasing organic foods, the frequency of consumption, your degree of product recognition, the geographical distribution of the ecological consumer, and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as its segmentation.
In 2011 The level of training was higher than that of the population as a whole., Meanwhile in 2014 They have a level of training and activity similar to that of the average population, which points to a greater presence in new segments.
Now households with children and a well-informed consumer predominate, who reads the labels of the products he buys and identifies the organic product.
At the same time, it is a consumer profile committed to sustainability and the environment., although this factor weighs less than in 2011, and that perceives the ecological product as natural and of superior quality.
The initial products are fruits and vegetables and their motivations for the majority, health and nutrition. They have also slightly increased the organic products in their homes., so the vegetables, fresh vegetables and organic fruits have increased the most.
The data show how there has been an extension and greater homogenization in the geographical distribution of the organic consumer, Well, although in 2011 They were more frequent in the northeastern part of the country, They are currently distributed throughout the Spanish territory.
Equally, The average number of years of consumption of these products by the organic consumer has grown, that pass from the 6 years in 2011 to the 8 current years, which indicates a growing consolidation of consumer loyalty in this consumer segment.
Organic products already represent the 28 percent of food purchased by consumers of these products, who have also shown interest in increasing this percentage.
The study confirms “the sensitivity” of the consumer to price, aspect that has not prevented this consumer from becoming more numerous and consuming more and more organic products.
Regarding purchasing habits, The analysis concludes that the supermarket is an “important” place to purchase these products, but direct purchases from farmers increase.
The store specializing in organic food is increasingly attracting consumer interest in making purchases. Shopping at non-specialized retail establishments is also important.
Spain, production leader.
Spain has 1,61 million hectares of surface area registered for organic farming production and remains the European leader by surface area, despite a slight decrease compared to 2013.
The report highlights that the number of operators dedicated to agricultural production in Spain, livestock, to the transformation and elaboration, for marketing or import, has grown a 3 percent, standing out especially in aquaculture production and exporters to third countries.
An increase that is also reflected in the total number of establishments dedicated to ecological industrial activities, which increases by a 5 percent, up to a total of 4.664 of those who 3.894 are related to plant production and 770 with animal production.
The offer that the consumer can find in organic farming covers a wide variety of products, among which cereals for grain stand out., with 159.124,34 hectares of olive grove products 168.829 hectares or those of the vineyard with 83.931 hectares.
Organic livestock also provides a varied offering of meats and derivatives., thanks to the 5.808 registered farms, of which the largest number corresponds to cattle, followed by those dedicated to sheep and goats.