Misreading between the lines: consumer confusion over organic food labelling

Organic products are now available in most supermarkets and consequently they provide consumers with an alternative to conventionally grown food. The empirical research presented in this paper shows that existing marketing communications are leading to significant confusion for consumers of organic products. A major contribution to this confusion is the fact that consumers are presented with numerous different labels which indicated that the product is certified organic. The recent release of a certification standard for Australian produced and consumed products has the potential to reduce this confusion, particularly if it is supported by a sustained marketing communication campaign that creates a high level of consumer awareness for a single new national label.