RELEVANT FACTORS IN THE PURCHASE OF ORGANIC PRODUTCS: AN EXPLORATORY RESEARCH

ABSTRACT In the last years, due the growth of natural food consumption it had emerged questions concerning the competitive advantage of organic products in relation to other sources of foods such as traditional, genetically modified and ecological foods. The objective of this paper is identify the relevant factors concerning the purchase of organic foods. A sample, composed of 138 consumers of São Paulo State was utilized. The data treatment consisted of descriptive statistics and factor analysis. The results evidenced five competitive factors: (a) legal aspects and certification; (b) ethic of the company; (c) price and trading policy; (d) political influences and (e) environmental policy. Another important result when deciding what to buy an organic product was the impact of this production on the improvement of the environment, as decision to organic products. Finally, the study suggests the adjustment of the organic product demand to the needs of a demanding consumer as a way of improving its life quality and market share.