Organic growth projected as more millennials become parents
Millennials will consume even more organics as more of them become parents, according to a new survey from the Organic Trade Association.
“Millennials are the largest consumer group in the United States, and they’re choosing organic. As more members of this generation become parents, their presence in the organic market will just get stronger,” said Laura Batcha, CEO and executive director of OTA.
The 2017 U.S. Families’ Organic Attitudes and Behaviors Study studies generational buying habits of U.S. households, and found last year that Millennial parents — parents in the 18- to 35-year-old age range — are now the biggest group of organic buyers in America.
Considering only about 20% of millennials are parents and about 80% are expected to eventually be parents, that’s a big opportunity over the next 10-15 years, OTA believes.
Other finds show:
- The “heavy” buyer of organic is on average 34.2 years old (millennial), the moderate buyer of organic 41.9 years old, light 41.4 and non-buyer of organic 42.0 years old;
- 33% of millennials without children often buy organic food/products as part of their lifestyle. This rises with millennials with children, with 42% saying they often choose organic food/products;
- 21% of millennials without children say that organic is the most important attribute when buying food for their household, whereas 30% of millennials with children say organic is the top influencer; and
- 60% of millennials without children always or often look for the USDA Organic seal when buying organic, while that statistic rises to 73% for millennials with children.
The full study is available for purchase at OTA.com, with members getting a discount.
