Consumer Purchasing Behavior for Organic Agricultural Products as Indicated in JGSS-2002 Data

Abstract

This paper explores various factors affecting consumer purchasing behavior for organic agricultural products using the Japan General Social Surveys 2002(JGSS-2002) data. Cross-tabulation analysis suggests that consumers who are likely to frequently purchase organic agricultural products can be portrayed with the following characteristics: (1) they are female, older than average and are members of a consumer organizations; (2) they have high educational levels; (3) they read newspapers frequently; (4) they have high household incomes; (5) they usually purchase foods, cook and eat meals with family members; (6) at least one family member has a food allergy. In addition, it was found that consumers who reside in the Tosan and Kyushu regions wish to purchase organic agricultural products frequently.