Abstract
One of the aspects that configure the social agreement these days in Ecuador is based on the “Food Sovereignty”. In this sense, this paper tries to identify and validate determinant factors over the consumption of ecological food in Ecuador. Among other factors, the authors analyse the demo-graphic characteristics, the knowledge about organic agriculture, the attitudes towards environmental issues, the considerations about organic product sales, the lifestyles and the main priorities when choosing food. The population of study was the city of Ambato, province of Tungurahua (Ecuador) with a sample size of 400 subjects in order to determine the patterns of organic consumption right there. In particular, this research was conducted through a face-to-face survey of 40 questions considering 86 variables divided into blocks of perceptions, attitudes, behaviours and socio-demographic profiles, such as income source, home size, education level, lifestyle or monthly family incomes. Hence, a model of analysis is determined on the awareness of organic products and its association with ecological purchase.
Highlights
The World Bank in its report on agriculture development envisioned a food crisis by increasing the prices of agricultural products (Waldman, Sumner, & Leach, 2008) and manufacture products on a large scale. This action will make an increasing scarce of the planet’s resources for most people in the world, running businesses with a lack of consideration to the environment in their managerial issues (Santos Soret, 2002) adding up another problem that affects the supply of the population, as well as the survival of millions of peasants in the world (Leff, 2008) causing the stagnation of demand and market saturation (Sanchez, Gil, & Grace, 2000)
With regard to the “ecological segmentation”, new segmentation alternatives have favoured organic foods to define new marketing possibilities and new purchasing attempts (Mollá-Bauza & Vilas, 2001; Torjusen, Lieblein, Wandel, & Francis, 2001). This type of market has currently great potential for growth and development in Ecuador, considering factors such as environmental awareness, concerns about health issues and culture of responsible consumption, among others (Sánchez et al, 2011). This attractive outcome under the perception of organic food (Roitner-Schobesberger Darnhofer, Somsook, & Vogl, 2008) is only possible when the process of segmentation and marketing actions allow efficiently to meet this type of market
On the basis of the obtained data, it reveals that ecological goods come from organic agriculture and are considered as something good for environment. With these previously mentioned statements and based on the research findings, we can see that it is not enough for the ecological purchases to have only traditional segmentation variables, as have suggested Ortiz and Flores (2008), because it makes research less important by leading only to the demographic aspects, and study could be unproductive on a certain level which complicates moment of the strategic decision-making process
Summary
The World Bank in its report on agriculture development envisioned a food crisis by increasing the prices of agricultural products (Waldman, Sumner, & Leach, 2008) and manufacture products on a large scale. With regard to the “ecological segmentation”, new segmentation alternatives have favoured organic foods to define new marketing possibilities and new purchasing attempts (Mollá-Bauza & Vilas, 2001; Torjusen, Lieblein, Wandel, & Francis, 2001) This type of market has currently great potential for growth and development in Ecuador, considering factors such as environmental awareness, concerns about health issues and culture of responsible consumption, among others (Sánchez et al, 2011). This attractive outcome under the perception of organic food (Roitner-Schobesberger Darnhofer, Somsook, & Vogl, 2008) is only possible when the process of segmentation and marketing actions allow efficiently to meet this type of market (i.e. the investment is made to be rebounded in sales so that the company increases its sales revenue, profit and return on investment). Some marketing segmentation variables have been crossed with some sociodemographic variables (related with the lifestyle and environmental preferences) in order to obtain the focal point of this paper
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