Willingness to pay for organic foods in Algeria: A gender based study

Abstract

Organic food consumption has increased rapidly in recent years as people grow more concerned about their health, the environment, and the origins of their foods. These foods are produced using natural methods while avoiding synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, and genetically modified organisms. As a result, green customers frequently prefer organic foods for a variety of reasons, including perceived health benefits, superior flavor, environmental concerns, and animal welfare. Organic foods may be more expensive than traditionally produced meals, but many individuals believe that the benefits exceed the costs. This study has an aim to check the impact of gender of respondents on the willingness to pay a premium for organic foods. This type of products is illustrated on natural milk and natural oil generated from olive. The method explored in this research is an online survey during February 11-25, 2021 among 103 Algeria participants. Then, the results were analysed through SPSS software V26 in order to use Chi-square test.

The results show that the willingness to use organic foods is independent of respondents' gender. It means that both men and women are willing to pay it in this circumstance (p-value = 0.231). Furthermore, various recommendations for future research were made, including the inclusion of additional factors (age groups, academic degree, and income level).

Key Words: Consumer behaviour - Organic foods - Chi-square test- Gender - Algeria.