The percentage of consumers who believe organic products are good for them is down to 45%, while those who believe they’re good for the environment has fallen to 48%, according to the latest survey from consulting firm WSL Strategic Retail. Both measures stood at a 54% approval rating two years ago. Higher cost of organic products versus mass market alternatives is a primary deterrent to many consumers, especially during a period when families are already struggling to stretch the household budget.
It’s encouraging to see some skepticism regarding the environmental and health benefits of organic products. There’s ample reason to question whether consumers are being sold a bill of goods — perhaps even at the expense of the environment and their health. As always, the Economist produced a superb piece on the problem with the green product movement some months ago. It notes that while it may sound nice to eschew use of pesticides and fertilizers, organic farming produces far lower yields, consumes more real estate, may well use more energy, and produce more pollution related to transportation :
All food choices involve trade-offs. Even if organic farming does consume a little less energy and produce a little less pollution, that must be offset against lower yields and greater land use. Fairtrade food may help some poor farmers, but may also harm others; and even if local food reduces transport emissions, it also reduces potential for economic development. Buying all three types of food can be seen as an anti-corporate protest, yet big companies already sell organic and Fairtrade food, and local sourcing coupled with supermarkets’ efficient logistics may yet prove to be the greenest way to move food around.
The piece is dense enough that there’s not really one excerpt I can select to do it justice; you should read the whole thing. The answer here is probably not to condemn organic farming, but to call for a reality check. Consumers who pay extra for more expensive products probably ought to be sure that they’re actually getting benefit.
