Exploring the decision‐making process of Canadian organic food consumers : Motivations and trust issues

Purpose – Although consumption of organic food (OF) shows promising trends in Canada, there is no clear understanding of the barriers that still prevent a larger demand for OF. The main objectives of this paper are to understand what, how, where, and why Canadian consumers buy OF by exploring consumers' motivations and decision‐making process, and digging into consumers' trust orientations with regards to OF. Design/methodology/approach – In‐depth interviews are conducted and data collected are analyzed using content analysis. Findings – Results indicate that Canadian typical organic product consumers have a defined purchase scheme in terms of retail stores selection and price, as well as values and trust orientations. They identify health, the environment, and support for local farmers as their primary motivators for organic consumption. In particular, health motivation is mainly based on avoidance from chemical residues, antibiotics, hormones, genetically modified organisms, and diseases. Results also show that distribution, certification, country of origin, and labeling are all related to consumers' level of trust when consuming OF. Research limitations/implications – Data collection was conducted in only one Canadian city and should be extended to other cities across the country. Originality/value – This paper entails an exploration of consumer's decision‐making process and their underlying motivations and trust orientations but also an investigation of the marketing mix related to OF.