Organic food is safer, better

It may cost more, but it’s worth it, and it’s better for the environment and safer. And while those who buy organic food regularly are still a minority, their numbers are growing bigger all the time. Most organic food buyers overwhelmingly believe it tastes better and is worth the extra cost.

Citing the results of a Harris Poll involving 2,392 adults surveyed in the US by Harris Interactive, the Ecological Society of the Philippines (ESP) said more and more people, including Filipinos are finding it good for the health and the environment to consume organic foods.

ESP president Antonio M. Claparols said the survey says that only seven percent of all adults are buying organic food all or most of the time. A further 31 percent say they do so occasionally.

Some segments of the population are more likely to buy organic foods regularly: College graduates (11 percent), liberals  (11 percent), Westerners (10 percent), Echo boomers (those aged 18-30, 10 percent), and Gen Xers (these aged 31-42, nine percent).

Those who buy organics (including those who only do it occasionally and rarely) report that their organic purchases are much more likely to have increased (32 percent) than to have decreased (five percent); evidence that organic food consumption has been rising, Claparols reported.

The ESP chief added that the very large majorities of the public believe that organic food is safer for the environment (79 percent) and  healthier  (76 percent). Almost everyone (95 percent) of the public, including 88 percent of frequent organic food buyers, believes organic food is more expensive.

About a third (36 percent) of the public, including almost all (91 percent) frequent organic food buyers, believes that “organic food is better for you” and that “the extra expense  is worth it to have better food.” A smaller 29 percent of the public believe it is a waste of money as it is no better for you than conventional foods.