A recently released report shows that our consumer behavior is very contradictory. Are we lying to our own shopping bags?
The outrage in letters to the editor and online commentaries is always great when a new ‘meat scandal’ comes to light and shocking images of horrific animal farming are made public. No wonder, nobody wants to have meat on their plate that comes from a stressed and sick animal that has never seen the light of day. Interestingly enough, you always hear everywhere that many people think that they are not part of this problem.
We preach organic quality, but choose the cheapest
“If we buy meat from companies where we have looked at the barns”, “I don’t buy cheap deals at discount stores” or “We only buy organic goods of the highest quality” – that is the tenor in many places.
In a motivations analysis by the AMA, 48 percent—nearly one in two people—say animal welfare is important to them when they shop. But the reality at the grocery store checkout tells a different story. The organic portion of our meat purchases is a meager four percent. When we do choose organic, it’s mostly milk and dairy products.
About a quarter of a carton of milk can be organic, and for natural yoghurt more than a fifth. In addition, almost nine percent of butter is bought organically and almost eight percent of cheese. So we dream of the beautiful meadows and the farmer with the cute pig that the advertising promises us so colourfully, but then we still choose cheaper, conventionally kept goods.
Report: Consumer behavior is contradictory
“This is exactly the dilemma we are currently facing in the discussion about pig farming and fully slatted floors. We reject that, we have very high demands on livestock farming and production, but then we buy the cheapest one,” says Maria Fanninger, founder of “Land Creates Life”. This week, the association presented its current report on food consumption and shows the contradictory consumer behavior of Austrians.
Our hard-working farmers must therefore be supported by society and politics if, on the one hand, they want to introduce the highest animal welfare standards, but on the other hand, too few people buy these more expensive products from them. Minister of Agriculture Norbert Totschnig is aware of these circumstances and now wants to provide more incentives to strengthen organic farming.
Austria must remain the number one organic country
From 2025, an additional 30 million euros will be available annually for organic farms. “My goal is for Austria to remain the number one organic country,” says Totschnig.
But we all have to do our part, because every purchase on the shelf is also a production order. Many people don’t even realize how much power they have over their consumer behavior. Anyone who thinks about what they actually want while shopping and then looks at what is in the shopping cart can easily make a statement.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
