Consumers and organic farming in Portugal: meanings and (dis)trust

Abstract

In the last years of the current century, the organic farming sector has seen its production areas, market shares and the number of consumers fast growing. In the European Union, the legal framework for this mode of production dates back to the early 90s of the 20th century, but over the years this legislation has undergone several changes. Despite a tight legal framework, fraud or controversy situations sometimes arise around the inspection and certification of organic products. The flaws in the expert, technical, scientific systems in the control and monitoring of organic food production, even if they occur exceptionally, when they are disclosed by the media, they end up increasing consumers distrust and lack of credibility in the origin and methods of the production of these foods. In this text, based on qualitative and quantitative data, we analyze the meanings that consumers have about organic products, often confusing them with the products that they grow at home or offered to them by their family, friends and family networks. The mechanisms for building a relationship of trust with organic foods are also analyzed, which include both the expert knowledge inscribed on a certificate and a logo, as well as the tacit, lay, experiential and sensory knowledge they have with these foods in their daily lives. It is concluded that consumers use different and multiple strategies, combining expert knowledge with lay knowledge, to ensure that what they ingest in their bodies are really organic products.