Consumer preferences for food products

Though it started as a niche market, today organic products make up a substantial share of food consumption. In Italy, in terms of production, areas and businesses dedicated to organic farming are on the increase. On the demand side, there is a positive trend in the organic market, especially in the North. The numbers show it: the South produces and the North consumes. Once again, Italy is divided between North and South. Is it an eternal mix, a synthesis of cultural/educational differences that translate into different food styles, or are the other variables that affect it? The South’s underground economy and the absence of an adequate network of distribution channels play an important role in determining this divergence. The main aim of this paper is to understand the reasons for this lack of propensity to purchase and consume organic products by a normally distributed portion of the population of the Province of Palermo, considering factors such as age, education level, and income. The study shows that the consumption of organic products no longer tends to be correlated positively with income. Education, however, plays a crucial role as awareness of the benefits of consuming organic products increases with higher levels of education.