Foods are actually too cheap

Result of media and consumer study commissioned by the Heinz Lohmann Foundation between consumers and the food industry a growing alienation takes place. - Principal investigator Prof. Achim Spiller: More and more consumers feel a "desire for naturalness".

The German food industry is perceived very differently by consumers: While a third of consumers productivity aspects - and the associated price effects - for is good and has confidence in the food industry, are approximately 20 percent of consumers as well as large parts of the media and the Internet Commmunity production-technical achievements in the food industry extremely negative towards. The findings of a study by the University of Göttingen comes (Chair Marketing for Food and Agricultural Products) on behalf of Heinz Lohmann Foundation. The results were presented today at the 8. Nutrition Symposium by Prof. Achim Spiller us its employees Maike Kayser and Justus Böhm presented.

The study shows a clear trend: More and more consumers feel a "desire for naturalness" - as a result of the increasing alienation of food production. The highly touted by the industry efficiency and technologisation is considered "negative change of natural processes" of consumers. Also associated with the efficiency improvement rate cuts are no longer considered legitimate aim of agricultural production. Rather, more and more consumers believe that food actually be too cheap, so study leader Spiller.

The increasing skepticism about the technical achievements of the food industry is also related to the lack of legitimacy for volume increases. Prof. Spiller: "Food security in Europe can no longer be communicated as a success." In addition, process innovations are no longer perceptible to consumers on the product. The food industry today finds itself between two different social poles: an "desirable/natural economy" and a "price/productivity economy." The scientist from Göttingen concludes that the food industry should consciously question its own value concept of increasing productivity and reducing costs in order to avoid further alienation from society. In addition, the industry must participate in public discourse and consciously seek dialogue with opinion leaders (on the social web and in the media).

In the past decades, the agricultural and food producing sector has undergone a fundamental development. Whereas a farmer in Germany was able to feed ten people in the 50s, by 2008 this figure was already 148 people. The hectare yield for wheat and potatoes could be doubled during this time. The average milk yield of a cow increased from 2480 kg in 1950 to 6827 kg in 2008. In addition: In the 21st century, the supply of food has developed so far that only two percent of the German population still have to work in agriculture. And at the same time, the non-agricultural population only has to spend 14 percent of their income on food. Despite the positive key figures - from the point of view of the agriculture and food industry - 62 percent of the assigned contributions from the social web and 43 percent of the media contributions rate productivity negatively. On the other hand, the interviewees perceived additional aspects of food such as regionality or animal welfare as a positive performance of the agricultural and food industry. Food security and food safety are taken for granted by consumers.

Another result of the study: Greenpeace has the highest credibility among consumers after its own family and friends. After politics, the food companies and the slaughterhouses are the worst off. The food retail trade is viewed more neutrally.

Source: Hamburg / Rechterfeld [ Heinz Lohmann Foundation ]