New research has revealed that issues of trust may play a more important role when people choose to buy organic than is generally thought. 

The study, carried out by Brunel University, is based on two large-scale surveys in Britain and Japan (1,300 and 1,500 respondents respectively). It sets out to explore the factors that directly motivate consumers to choose organic, beyond accepted aspirations to make healthier, greener and more ethical choices. 

Writing in The Conversation, the lead researcher on the study, Professor Steven David Pickering, says that when people buy organic “it’s less about what’s on the plate and more about what’s going on in people’s heads”. Buying organic, he says, is “effectively buying a promise: that production followed certain rules, that certification means something and that the system policing those rules is credible”. 

He adds: “It also depends on how much trust (consumers) place in the certification and regulatory system behind the label, and how comfortable they are paying more for something they cannot personally verify.”

Organic food products, the researchers say, are “classic credence goods”, requiring consumers to rely on labels, institutions and social cues. This significantly amplifies the importance of trust in purchasing decisions. 

The Brunel University research distinguishes between institutional trust (confidence in government and official bodies) and generalised social trust (trust in other people). While both influence organic purchasing, the researchers say, they operate differently.

The study finds that institutional trust is the single most consistent factor influencing willingness to pay a premium for organic products. Consumers who have confidence in public institutions are more likely to believe in the integrity of organic certification and, in turn, more willing to spend extra.

This effect is especially pronounced in Japan, where organic markets are less mature and certification systems are more centralised. In such contexts, strong institutional trust acts as a critical signal of product credibility. By contrast, in the UK—where certification is more fragmented and part public, part private —trust still matters, but it is complemented by broader social dynamics.

Generalised social trust is most closely linked to whether consumers see organic food as aligning with their personal values—such as environmental responsibility or ethical consumption. However, it does not appear to significantly affect perceptions of product quality. In markets like the UK, where organic consumption is more established, these social trust networks help embed organic choices into everyday behaviour.

Alongside trust, risk appetite emerges emerges as another reliable predictor. Consumers who are more comfortable with uncertainty are consistently more willing to pay extra for organic products across all categories—dairy, meat, eggs, and vegetables. Generally, those less risk-averse appear more open to experimenting with higher-cost alternatives, regardless of national context. 

The researchers say their findings reveal “clear empirical support for the idea that trust is a critical driver of organic food preferences”. This suggests important strategic implications for the organic sector, especially around communicating messaging about  certification and standards. There could also be benefits in messaging aimed at reducing perceived risks, to convince more cautious buyers that organic products offer tangible quality, production process and health benefits. 

“When trust erodes, ethical consumption becomes harder. This isn’t because people stop caring about sustainability or animal welfare, but because they stop believing the promises attached to higher prices”

Addressing issues of consumer trust has particular implications at a time when food prices are rising and trust in public institutions is under pressure, says Pickering. “When trust erodes, ethical consumption becomes harder. This isn’t because people stop caring about sustainability or animal welfare, but because they stop believing the promises attached to higher prices. Organic food, then, depends on trust. And without that trust, even the most well-intentioned labels will struggle to sell.”