Health Concerns Driving Natural/Organic Sales

UNITED KINGDOM: A new consumer insights report by Organic Monitor reveals the major trigger for consumers to switch to natural and organic products is health concerns.

A whopping 90% of UK buyers of natural and organic personal care products said “avoidance of synthetic chemicals” was important or very important to them. When asked to name specific chemicals they look to avoid, almost two-thirds of buyers stated parabens.

Compared to the previous study in 2007, awareness of synthetic chemicals has increased significantly. For instance, the survey showed 19% of buyers wished to avoid phthalates and lanolin, compared to just 3% in 2007.

Certification is becoming more important to consumers, according to Organic Monitor. Forty-three percent of buyers said they look for symbols and logo is the most associated with certified products, with almost 30% of buyers looking for the SA logo.

Highlighting the confusion about natural/organic terms and certification, 21% of buyers said they look for the Fairtrade symbol. The Fairtrade symbol represents the presence of certified Fairtrade ingredients, but it does not represent certified finished products. All consumers surveyed said they are willing to pay extra for certified products. The majority, 72%, stated they would pay up to 20% more for certified products. Just 12% of buyers would be willing to pay a premium above 30%.

Organic Monitor was expected to release additional details from this latest research at its Sustainable Cosmetics Summit in Paris last month.