Consumer insights about sustainable and ‘beyond organic’ agriculture: A study of biodynamics in the United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, and Germany

Abstract

Agricultural systems that classify as ‘beyond organic’ have the potential to advance sustainability efforts. The present research considers these emerging systems from a consumer insights perspective. Using biodynamic (BD) agriculture as an exemplar, public opinions were explored in a multi-method and multi-national study with samples of consumers in the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, Singapore, and Germany. Across 1237 participants, the empirical findings pointed to largely positive attitudes. Between-country differences were minor, whereas consumer segmentation identified pan-national groups of people with attitudes that were, respectively, BD Positive (71%), BD Neutral (20%) or BD Negative (9%). In the BD Positive segment, consumers responded positively to the environmental and social aspects of BD agriculture, and it mattered to them that BD agriculture was a balanced and integrated approach to farming/food production. That is, they were not averse to the holistic/spiritual aspects that are unique to BD. Biodiversity, but also other aspects of environmental sustainability mattered more to consumers than social sustainability, notably worker welfare and community resilience. The research provides new consumer insights about biodynamics by being generic to BD agriculture rather than product specific (e.g., BD wine), and advances extant consumer research by jointly exploring environmental and social sustainability. Several practical implications emerge from the results.