New legislation in Brazil on the use and inspection of pesticides could be creating an opportunity for organic producers, suggests new intelligence by consumer behaviour analyst Mintel.
A national debate on pesticides in the country has led to growing awareness of the risks to human health and the environment.
According to UN estimates, pesticides account for 200,000 acute poisoning deaths every year around the globe. Meanwhile, Brazilian consumers are growing increasingly concerned about levels of pesticides used in food production. As they search for ‘cleaner’ options, more of them are identifying organic as a way go.
Mintel notes that three in ten Brazilians say they have tried organic food/beverages, while a similar percentage say they have not tried organic food or drinks, but would be interested in doing so as a way to adopt healthy eating habits.
Many Brazilians it seems have already realized organics’ added value, with research showing that half agree that it is worth paying more for organic food/drinks. But Mintel says that there is a sizeable educational effort needed to increase knowledge about organic production and its benefits – with more than two in five Brazilian consumers admit to having little knowledge about organic.
In a blog post, Mintel food and drink specialist, Marina Ferreira, writes: “ Three-quarters of Brazilians would like to see a wider range of organic food/drinks available in stores, indicating that a wider distribution of products is needed. Consequently, the development of partnerships between producers and large retailers is necessary to strengthen the organic production chain. Carrefour supermarket recently announced that it will give more space to organic products in its stores in Brazil.”
Ferreira suggests that subscription services – box scheme-style offerings – would be one effective way for organics to extends its reach. She notes some operators – Clube Orgânico is one example – are already investing in this model.
Photo: Clube Orgânico