Barriers to the Consumption of Organic Food in Visegrad Group Countries

The consumption of organic food fits into the sustainable development goals and constitutes a justification for the further development of organic farming. The research aimed to identify the most important limitations to the growth of organic food consumption in the Visegrad Group countries and to indicate the differences and similarities in their perception. Therefore, at the turn of 2024, a survey was conducted among consumers in each of the countries of the Visegrad Group on a population of 600 people using an identical survey questionnaire. The research shows that in all four countries, the most important barrier to the growth of organic food is its high price, which is of great importance to Slovak consumers. The low availability and narrow offer, as well as insufficient information on organic food, were also important for consumers. On average, over 80% of the surveyed consumers rate the price level of organic food as high – the highest percentage was observed in Slovakia and the lowest in Czechia. Also, approximately 80% of the surveyed can accept a price up to 20% higher than conventional food. In the opinion of the respondents, the most important factors that would increase organic food consumption include lowering its prices, increasing income, and expanding the offer and availability.