Consumers will pay extra for eco-labelled vegies

Consumers will happily pay more for eco-labelled vegetables, new research has shown.

The result of a series of consumer focus groups and an online survey of more than 1000 grocery purchasers, the research, which was conducted by Applied Horticultural Research (AHR) in conjunction with AUSVEG, was published in Vegetables Australia, a leading vegetable industry magazine.

“More than 40% of participants indicated they were willing to pay more for certified sustainable products, while more than half said supermarkets should favour environmentally responsible suppliers, even if it meant prices would increase,” said AUSVEG spokesperson Hugh Gurney.

“The study demonstrated that people most interested in eco-labels tend to like vegetables and consume more of them. They also usually buy free-range eggs, have some interest or experience with growing their own vegetables or herbs, and often have above-average household income.”

Consumers already had strong views about purchasing products such as free-range eggs and non-generic milk brands, the research showed, but were less familiar with the wider issues of vegetable production.

Despite the findings, the researchers say stated consumer intentions are not necessarily in line with sales figures.

AUSVEG is developing its own eco-labelling scheme in conjunction with Coles as part of EnviroVeg Platinum, a voluntary program that enables growers to have their practices verified by an independent party and access rewards.

“Consumers are telling us they want to buy environmentally sustainable products and are willing to pay more to do so. Once operational, the EnviroVeg Platinum labelling scheme will provide shoppers with reliable information and the peace of mind they need to make informed purchasing decisions,” Gurney said.