The Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Buying Decision of Organic Foods

Author:Saleh Saad Alqahtani* Department of Marketing, College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Email Id: qahtanis@ksu.edu.sa

Abstract:
The organic food market is one of the fastest growing food sectors in recent period all over the world. The demand for organic food products is dramatically rising in Saudi Arabia as the population becomes more affluent and more educated about health and wellness issues, leading to greater consciousness in food choices and it has transformed the Kingdom into the GCC’s top organic foods market. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s domestic organic and natural foods sector is currently valued at around SAR 1 billion, accounting for 90 per cent of the regional market. The present study examined the impact of demographic characteristics on buying decision of organic foods for residents of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. This study focuses on the impact of health literacy, knowledge and the price of organic foods of consumer's purchasing decision. The sample was collected from 436 participants through an electronic questionnaire. The main findings revealed that there is no relationship between demographic variables and the consumer's willingness to buy organic food. It was also found that health awareness and knowledge of consumers for organic food and organic food prices, factors were linked to the desire of consumers to buy organic food. The main recommendations were; the organic food producers should put more effort on promoting and publicizing the advantages, as well as taking into account the aspects of pricing for those products highlighting the health benefits that accrue to the consumer by the consumption of organic foods.

Keywords:Organic food, organic agriculture, consumer behavior, demographic characteristics, purchase decision, sustainable development.

DOI:

International Journal of Trade & Commerce (Vol: 4 Issue:2)