Factors affecting the consumption of organic and functional foods in Brazil

The objective of this work was to investigate the factors which affect the consumption of organic foods enriched with functional properties. The study was developed by investigating the consumer profile of organic and functional foods by applying a questionnaire hosted on the Google Forms^® platform (docs.google.com/forms/). The obtained results show that individuals in the age group 31 to 40 years old and those 51 and older, widowed, divorced and inhabitants of the Midwest, Southeast and South regions consume organic food more often. The education level did not influence the willingness to pay more for the purchase of an organic food, the consumption frequency or the interest in consuming organic food with functional potential. The interviewee group had a monthly income of up to R$4,686.00 (In Reais - 5 minimum monthly salaries) and showed a consumption frequency between “almost never” and “sometimes”, while those with an income higher than R$4,686.00 presented between “sometimes” and “often”. Residents of capital cities and from smaller cities showed similar behavior for all variables analyzed. We can conclude that the degree of confidence and the interest in consuming organic foods with functional potential were little influenced by socio-demographic differences.

Keywords:
healthy foods; brazilian consumers; consumption frequency; quality of life