if they would trust an EU symbol, 45 per cent said they would trust it completely while a further 36 per cent would trust it to some degree. Over 45 per cent of consumers would prefer an EU symbol to a retailer symbol. Profile of Irish Organic Food Consumers While there is no specific profile of an organic food consumers in Ireland they generally tend to fit into the following criteria; In the ABC1 socio-economic group .Generally tend to be married and female. More likely to be in the 35-54 age group .Tend to be from small to medium sized households .More likely to live in an urban area Conclusions One third of Irish consumers buy organic food at least once every three months with 28 per cent purchasing monthly. The level of spend on organic food tend to be around 20 per month with 60 per cent of purchases taking place in supermarkets. The cost of the organic food is a prohibiting factor that is preventing a large proportion of consumers from buying organic food with 53 per cent of consumers saying a drop in the price of organic food would be very likely to encourage them to buy. Fruit and vegetables are the organic food products that consumers are most likely to try first followed by meat and dairy products. Irish consumers generally have a very positive attitude to organic food. However, there is a high level of confusion among consumers as to what the term "organic" actually means. Also, there is a very low recognition of the Irish organic symbols by consumers. This suggests that the term "organic" is selling the product at the moment. However, if the Irish organic food sector is to grow. It is important that consumers know how to recognise a certified organic product. Also, Irish organic produce needs to be clearly labelled as such so that Irish producers can benefit from the growth in the market. The primary research method used by myself is listed bellow;1.Questionnaire drafted. (appendix 1.)2.General public surveyed in a selecti...
