The consumer meaning and perceived value of organic has evolved.
 
Since the mid-1990s, The Hartman Group, Bellevue, Washington, has been tracking the evolution of US consumers through their ever-expanding exploration of organic categories. During that time, the consumer meaning and perceived value of organic has evolved, along with the users of organics themselves.This infographichighlights some of the ways consumers’ participation and perceptions have changed between 2006 and 2016.


During this 10-year period, organic participation grew among all consumer segments, dayparts and food categories. Organic food and beverage usage grew from 73 percent in 2006 to 82 percent in 2016. 

The primary reason organic shoppers purchase organic is to avoid products that rely on pesticides/chemicals. This reason is closely followed by the desire to avoid products that rely on growth hormones and to avoid genetically modified foods.