Any description of food
quality should include an
assessment of its production methods.
As a direct consequence the question was raised as to whether it is legitimate to call something a ‘quality food’ simply on the basis that it looks or tastes good if its production caused damage to the environment. The question caused considerable effort to be made to promote the idea that any description of food quality should include an assessment of its production methods.
In 1989, a
number of people who had been involved in various facets of considering food quality and
organic production came together in a colloquium to discuss the
concept of food quality and methodologies for evaluating it. Most of these people had long associations with organic food production, research and policy. There were also some participants from the conventional sector.
A consensus was reached which agreed that any assessment of food quality should rest on six criteria. These were authenticity
(due to the advent of genetic engineering), Function, Biological nature, Nutritional status, Sensual nature, Ethical status
(which included environmental considerations).
Since then the concept has evolved further to highlight the importance of relationships between farmers, processors and traders in the context of regional development.
Ten years later it seems that the fundamental framework is as robust and even more pertinent than ever, especially with the invidious encroachment of genetic engineering. The belief then, and now, is that if organic food makes any claim to ‘quality’ that implies excellence, it should be based on this conceptual framework. Indeed, if the phrase ‘organic quality’ is to mean anything honourable and to be more than a cynical marketing ploy then all foods, processes or systems claiming it must fully comply with that concept.
We, the authors of the concept, believe this and we are sure that a reasonable number of people within the international organic community also do. But do the
consumers of organic foods? What do they perceive ‘quality’ to be? Who are the consumers anyway?
Although we are all consumers, discussions like this tend to treat the
Consumer as an ‘abstract’. Creating this distance allows us to refer to consumers in anyway we wish; as an amorphous mass; a discriminating jury; a sophisticated arbiter of taste; or even as a lump of wet clay to be moulded and shaped. The abstract consumer is subject to reverence, vilification and all degrees in between. Even worse, the abstract consumer is used by all interest groups, ‘goodies and baddies’ alike, in a tactic that is pure Machiavelli – to provide a worthy justification for our actions.
However, if we think for a moment of our own behaviour and aspirations as individual consumers, we can see that there can be significant contradictions. For example, we may want fresh food but we also want convenience; we may want healthy wholefoods but sometimes most of us welcome a touch of champagne and canapés; we may support our local economies but hold onto aspirations and tastes that make us global shoppers. If we recognise this and try to place ourselves within the consumer body, we instantly recognise that it is anything but an amorphous mass.
There are many differences, confusions and even conflicts that prevent us from giving a single and simple answer. There are, though, a number of indications and recurring themes that are notable and seem to appear in all countries where a market for organic food is developing.
It does seem that factors such as health and flavour are more important to more organic consumers than altruistic factors such as environment, animal welfare and social considerations. In addition, there is an indication that a significant number of organic consumers would welcome ‘organic convenience food’. This despite the increase in processing, use of additives, packaging, centralisationand food miles involved in producing such foods. There is also the likelihood that most processing will destroy many of the quality characteristics that the organic farming system gave to the food.
More abstracts about the Consumer Preference - Does ‘Organic’ mean ‘Quality’?