Organic food choice of consumers: Means-end-chain approach

In recent years, negative effects on agriculture related health and environment issues have been increasing. Against the negative effects on the healthy environment and healthy products of unconscious and intense chemical usage in agricultural production, consumer's preferences towards products grown according to organic farming methods are increasing. This study investigates the attitudes and behaviors of organic and conventional product consumers on purchasing organic products and intends to determine means end chain hierarchy that contributes to the formation of personal values and values that affect consumers' organic product preferences. As a research material, 120 consumers who consumed organic and conventional products benefited from face-to-face interview results. In the study, Means End Chain and laddering methods applied to evaluate organic and conventional consumer's personal values in choosing organic products in detail. For laddering analysis the Ladder UX program is used. The personal values of the consumers are examined by the interaction matrix and hierarchical values maps. As a result of the study, organic consumers have stronger links between attribute, consequence and values, while those in conventional consumers have weaker links. It has been specified that organic and conventional consumers agree that organic products are healthy and environmentally friendly products.