New Survey Reveals Consumers Look for ‘Non-GMO’ Label More than ‘Organic’

According to new research data, consumers are looking out for non-GMO products more than organic. For the first time, consumers rated non-GMO above organic in purchase intent.

The 2014 Market LOHAS, Mambo Sprouts Marketing Annual Natural and Organic Consumer Research survey found that 80 percent of consumers seek out non-GMO products. In comparing importance of buying non-GMO or organic, 56 percent said Non-GMO was key to brand buying versus 52 percent who said Organic was the key.

This report speaks to the larger, non-GMO movement. Consumers are becoming more conscious about what they eat, especially when it comes to additives and GMOs. According to Non-GMO Foods: U.S. Market Perspective, a recent report by Packaged Facts, products that do not contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will account for 30 percent of U.S. food and beverage sales by 2017.

Offering non-GMO products can mean larger profits for food companies. Restaurants and food companies are taking notice, like Chipotle, whose switch to using less GMO ingredients have increased sales.

According to Consumerist, “Chipotle recently reported a 30 percent increase in quarterly profits and sales at stores open more than a year were up 9.3 percent. In the last quarter of 2013, stores were averaging an additional $622/day over the same time period in 2012.”

Hopefully, as the amount of consumers who demand non-GMO food increases, so will the companies who strive to use non-GMO ingredients in their products.