DOCSLIB.ORG

New York Zoning Law and Practice Report

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
New York Zoning Law and Practice Report NEW YORK ZONING LAW AND PRACTICE REPORT January/February 2007 Vol. 7, No. 4 In This Issue • A Guide to Regulating Big Box A GUIDE TO REGULatING BIG BOX STORES, FRANCHISE Stores, Franchise Architecture, ARCHITECTURE, AND FORMULA BUSINESSES and Formula Businesses ......... 1 Daniel A. Spitzer and Jill L. Yonkers Introduction Generations of travelers have marveled at the multi-hued wonders of the red rock country surrounding Sedona, Arizona. But a journey through Sedona does not include the stark Editor-in-Chief Patricia E. Salkin, Esq. reminder of one of America’s most common travel symbols. Managing Editor That is because in Sedona, the trademark arches of McDonald’s William D. Bremer, Esq. are teal green, not bright yellow, a concession made to local Electronic Composition demand for a more aesthetic complement to the community’s Specialty Composition/Rochester DTP southwestern architecture.1 Published six times a year by West Editorial Offices: 50 Broad Street East, The Sedona restriction is not unique. From a Starbucks in Cleveland, Ohio Rochester, NY 14694 which resembles a lighthouse on nearby Lake Erie,2 to an art-deco Wal-Mart in Baldwin Park, California,3 communities across the country are requiring Tel.: 585-546-5530 Fax: 585-258-3768 national corporations to drop signature-style motifs to accommodate local Customer Service: 610 Opperman aesthetic tastes. Nor do these regulations stop with issues of appearance; Drive, Eagan, MN 55123 more and more, communities are also limiting the size of so-called “big box” retailers and discount stores. Although allegedly enacted to counteract the Tel.: 800-328-4880 Fax: 612-340-9378 environmental impacts that these large, 100,000 square-foot-plus stores cre- ate in terms of traffic, pollution, parking requirements, drainage, and loss This publication was created to pro- of open space, in many instances the true goal is local economic protection. vide you with accurate and authori- These neutralizing provisions, largely in response to the perceived negative tative information concerning the impacts of Wal-Mart, have led to some communities prohibiting these busi- subject matter covered; however, this nesses from certain districts or even from their entire community. publication was not necessarily pre- pared by persons licensed to practice This article examines municipal efforts through local zoning and design law in a particular jurisdiction. The standards to regulate big box retailers, “franchise architecture,” where all publisher is not engaged in rendering stores have a similar look to create a nationally recognized brand, and “formu- legal or other professional advice and la businesses,” national or regional enterprises with similar building styles, this publication is not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. If you re- appearances, product offerings, and/or modes of operation (think of McDon- quire legal or other expert advice, you ald’s, Starbucks, or Subway). The three categories are not mutually exclusive, should seek the services of a compe- as often the objection to a Wal-Mart or K-Mart is to its aesthetics, not its size, tent attorney or other professional. Mr. Spitzer is a partner and Ms. Yonkers is a senior associate in the firm of Hodgson Russ LLP in Buffalo, New York. Reprinted from New York Zoning Law and Practice Report, Volume 7, No. 4, with permission of Thomson West. For more information about this publication, please visit www.west.thomson.com. New York Zoning Law and Practice Report is published by Thomson/West, 50 Broad Street East, Rochester, NY 14694. © 2007 Thomson/West 40479250 2 NEW YORK ZONING LAW AND PRACTICE REPORT while other efforts to control or eliminate big box retail- Although the constitutionality of land use controls, ers are specifically aimed at the large “super centers” or particularly zoning, has been recognized for over eighty “power centers,” where discount retailers are combined years,7 and its incidental impacts on commerce recog- with supermarkets. Similarly, concern over the prolifera- nized and accepted, regulations and planning decisions tion of formula businesses is often at the neighborhood- constituting pure local economic protection will still be sized level of McDonald’s and concerns both the architec- struck down.8 Similarly, while ordinances discriminat- ture and impact on the local economy. ing against an unpopular company with no legitimate We will consider the reasons for these enactments, the rationale for them will not stand, it remains the “fun- tools available to New York municipalities for regulat- damental rule that zoning” concerns land use, “not the ing these businesses, and the types of regulations used person who owns or occupies it.”9 Accordingly, we start across the country. Finally, the legal validity of these our discussion with the recognition that all regulations laws will be examined, including the counter-attacks must have a valid legislative purpose within the police that these businesses have launched against the regu- powers granted to municipalities; our search thus starts lating communities. We offer no opinion on whether such with an exploration of the ills each of our targets alleg- regulations should be adopted; that debate would be al- edly present. most endless given that for every study alleging harm from these businesses, there seems to be another show- 1. Big Box Retailers ing the benefits. Our goal is to explain the issues and create the mechanism for educated decision-making and Generally, when people hear the term “big box,” uni- action by the community’s hand. form visions of boxy, large-square-footage, plain-faced buildings with boastful, colorful signs come to mind, but the same consistency does not necessarily follow in the Reasons for Regulation municipal codes. The result is a hodge-podge of rules Concern over competition from large retailers and their attempting to define them, to restrict them by size, to secondary impacts on the local landscape and economy is trigger a heightened level of review, or to prevent them almost as old as department-type stores and chain stores altogether. themselves. As early as 1899, the City of Chicago—in an There are a number of factors prompting municipali- effort that presages current efforts to regulate super cen- ties to enact provisions regulating these businesses, and ters—enacted two ordinances against department stores, not all impacts are considered negative. Big box propo- “the object of each is to prohibit the sale of certain kinds nents tout the benefits of competitive or reduced prices, of merchandise in any store or place of business where convenience, and variety,10 with the economic benefits certain other kinds of merchandise are sold.”4 Through- of increased employment and sales tax revenues.11 Sup- out the 1920s and 1930s, there was a strong anti-chain porters also assert that the one-stop shopping super cen- store movement in reaction to their explosive growth: ters offer can actually reduce the number of car trips and Chain stores were in the American consciousness, therefore, related traffic impacts. In at least one case, a and for good reason. Led by the Great Atlantic and village used a new big box store as the centerpiece of its Pacific Tea Company (known throughout the country revitalization efforts.12 then and since as A&P), chain groceries, drug stores, On the other hand, to some, they mar the landscape cigar shops, gas stations, and variety stores revolu- and defile the local viewshed with their large, feature- tionized retailing in the first quarter of the twen- less construction and acres of parking lots, eliminate tieth century. During the 1920s, chains increased longstanding “Mom and Pop” stores, are inaccessible to their share of overall national retail sales from 4% pedestrians, and generate increased traffic and related to 20%, and their total share of grocery sales to 40%. pollution while placing unacceptable demands on exist- By 1930, A&P was the fifth largest industrial corpo- ing infrastructure.13 Significant concerns have also been ration in the United States, and was running more raised about the inability to reuse the large empty struc- stores than any other chain store company had or tures (and their parking lots) should the store close, or if 5 has since. an existing big box is abandoned as part of an upgrade While earlier regulatory measures were motivated to a super center. For the most part, residents advance almost solely by economic protectionism, opposition to- regulation (if not prohibition) of these businesses to pro- day focuses on a wider range of values. To be sure, local tect local economies, to ensure no negative impacts to economic pressures form the core values of significant home values, and to guard the community against in- opposition to Wal-Mart and other national chains. Many creased traffic, visual, air, and water pollution, and other of the cases discussed in this article, for example, arise perceived or actual impacts. Many communities also op- from Wal-Mart’s and its competitors’ expansions into pose Wal-Mart, in particular, based on its supposed em- grocery sales and the opposition from both supermarket ployment practices, lack of unions, and impact upon and chains and their unions.6 attitude toward the proposed host community. For authorization to photocopy, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, USA (978) 750-8400; fax (978) 646-8600 or West’s Copyright Services at 610 Opperman Drive, Eagan, MN 55123, fax (651) 687-7551. Please outline the specific material involved, the number of copies you wish to distribute and the purpose or format of the use. New York Zoning Law and Practice Report (USPS# pending) is issued bimonthly, six times per year; published and copyrighted by Thomson/West, 610 Opperman Drive, P.O. Box 64526, St. Paul, MN 55164-0526.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Target Corporation
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Honors Theses, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Honors Program Spring 4-7-2019 Strategic Audit: Target Corporation Andee Capell University of Nebraska - Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/honorstheses Part of the Accounting Commons, and the Strategic Management Policy Commons Capell, Andee, "Strategic Audit: Target Corporation" (2019). Honors Theses, University of Nebraska- Lincoln. 192. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/honorstheses/192 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors Program at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses, University of Nebraska-Lincoln by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Strategic Audit: Target Corporation An Undergraduate Honors Thesis Submitted in Partial fulfillment of University Honors Program Requirements University of Nebraska-Lincoln by Andee Capell, BS Accounting College of Business April 7th, 2019 Faculty Mentor: Samuel Nelson, PhD, Management Abstract Target Corporation is a notable publicly traded discount retailer in the United States. In recent years they have gone through significant changes including a new CEO Brian Cornell and the closing of their Canadian stores. With change comes a new strategy, which includes growing stores in the United States. In order to be able to continue to grow Target should consider multiple strategic options. Using internal and external analysis, while examining Target’s profitability ratios recommendations were made to proceed with their growth both in profit and capacity. After recommendations are made implementation and contingency plans can be made. Key words: Strategy, Target, Ratio(s), Plan ​ 1 Table of Contents Section Page(s) Background information …………………..…………………………………………….…..…...3 External Analysis ………………..……………………………………………………..............3-5 a.
    [Show full text]
  • Competing with the Discount Mass Merchandisers
    Competing with the Discount Mass Merchandisers A Study by Dr. Kenneth E. Stone Professor of Economics & Extension Economist Iowa State University 1995 2 IMPACT OF WAL-MART STORES AND OTHER MASS MERCHANDISERS IN IOWA, 1983-1993* INTRODUCTION The nature of retailing has changed dramatically in the last decade, compared to previous decades. In the last decade there has been a great proliferation of discount general merchandise stores as Wal-Mart, K Mart, Target and several regional chains. In addition there has been a great expansion of membership warehouse clubs, such as Sam’s, Pace, Cosco, and Price Club. There has also been rapid expansion of “category killer” stores such as Home Depot, Circuit City, Best Buy, Toys “R” Us and others. These stores are called category killer stores because they have a very large selection within a narrow category of merchandise, along with low prices, and they “ kill” smaller local stores within the same “category”. We have also seen the development of many new factory outlet malls and the spread of specialty mail order. The net result of this expansion is the saturation of many retail markets, or what is commonly referred to as the overstoring of America. Many retail markets have more retail stores than can possibly be supported, and it would appear that a major shakeout is coming in the not-too-distant future. Why the Study? This study is an annual update of my original study of the impact of Wal- Mart stores completed in 1988. The 1988 study was conducted at the request of several Iowa merchants and chamber of commerce executives.
    [Show full text]
  • What Is a Warehouse Club?
    What is a Warehouse Club? The principle operators in the warehouse club industry are BJ’s Wholesale, Cost-U-Less, Costco Wholesale, PriceSmart and Sam’s Club. These five companies follow the basic warehouse club principles developed by Sol and Robert Price, who founded the warehouse club industry when they opened the first Price Club in San Diego, California in 1976. However, the five warehouse club operators have adapted those basic concepts to today’s retail environment. This chapter provides an explanation of the key characteristics of a warehouse club in 2010. Overall Description A warehouse club offers its paid members low prices on a limited selection of nationally branded and private label merchandise within a wide range of product categories (see picture on the right of Mott’s sliced apples at BJ’s). Rapid inventory turnover, high sales volume and reduced operating costs enable warehouse clubs to operate at lower gross margins (8% to 14%) than discount chains, supermarkets and supercenters, which operate on gross margins of 20% to 40%. BJ’s – Mott’s Sliced Apples Overall Operating Philosophy When it comes to buying and merchandising, the warehouse clubs follow the same simple and straightforward six-point philosophy that was originated by Sol Price: 1. Purchase quality merchandise. 2. Purchase the right merchandise at the right time. 3. Sell products at the lowest possible retail price. 4. Merchandise items in a clean, undamaged condition. 5. Merchandise products in the right location. 6. Stock items with the correct amount of inventory, making sure that supply is not excessive. In 1983, Joseph Ellis, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, summarized the warehouse club operating philosophy in a meaningful and relevant way.
    [Show full text]
  • The Future of Abandoned Big Box Stores: Legal Solutions to the Legacies of Poor Planning Decisions
    THE FUTURE OF ABANDONED BIG BOX STORES: LEGAL SOLUTIONS TO THE LEGACIES OF POOR PLANNING DECISIONS SARAH SCHINDLER Big box stores, the defining retail shopping location for the majority of American suburbs, are being abandoned at alarming rates, due in part to the economic downturn. These empty stores impose numerous negative externalities on the communities in which they are located, including blight, reduced property values, loss of tax revenue, environmental problems, and a decrease in social capital. While scholars have generated and critiqued prospective solutions to prevent abandonment of big box stores, this Article asserts that local zoning ordinances can alleviate the harms imposed by the thousands of existing, vacant big boxes. Because local governments control land use decisions and thus made deliberate determinations allowing big box development, this Article argues that those same local governments now have both an economic incentive and a civic responsibility to find alternative uses for these “ghostboxes.” With an eye toward sustainable development, the Article proposes and evaluates four possible alternative uses: retail reuse, adaptive reuse, demolition and redevelopment, and demolition and regreening. It then devises a framework and a series of metrics that local governments can use in deciding which of the possible solutions would be best suited for their communities. The Article concludes by considering issues of property acquisition and management. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Hypermarket Lessons for New Zealand a Report to the Commerce Commission of New Zealand
    Hypermarket lessons for New Zealand A report to the Commerce Commission of New Zealand September 2007 Coriolis Research Ltd. is a strategic market research firm founded in 1997 and based in Auckland, New Zealand. Coriolis primarily works with clients in the food and fast moving consumer goods supply chain, from primary producers to retailers. In addition to working with clients, Coriolis regularly produces reports on current industry topics. The coriolis force, named for French physicist Gaspard Coriolis (1792-1843), may be seen on a large scale in the movement of winds and ocean currents on the rotating earth. It dominates weather patterns, producing the counterclockwise flow observed around low-pressure zones in the Northern Hemisphere and the clockwise flow around such zones in the Southern Hemisphere. It is the result of a centripetal force on a mass moving with a velocity radially outward in a rotating plane. In market research it means understanding the big picture before you get into the details. PO BOX 10 202, Mt. Eden, Auckland 1030, New Zealand Tel: +64 9 623 1848; Fax: +64 9 353 1515; email: [email protected] www.coriolisresearch.com PROJECT BACKGROUND This project has the following background − In June of 2006, Coriolis research published a company newsletter (Chart Watch Q2 2006): − see http://www.coriolisresearch.com/newsletter/coriolis_chartwatch_2006Q2.html − This discussed the planned opening of the first The Warehouse Extra hypermarket in New Zealand; a follow up Part 2 was published following the opening of the store. This newsletter was targeted at our client base (FMCG manufacturers and retailers in New Zealand).
    [Show full text]
  • Retail Format Competition: the Case of Grocery Discount Stores and Why They Haven’T Conquered the Chinese Market (Yet)
    MORAVIAN GEOGRAPHICAL REPORTS 2018, 26(3):2018, 220–227 26(3) Vol. 23/2015 No. 4 MORAVIAN MORAVIAN GEOGRAPHICAL REPORTS GEOGRAPHICAL REPORTS Institute of Geonics, The Czech Academy of Sciences journal homepage: http://www.geonika.cz/mgr.html Figures 8, 9: New small terrace houses in Wieliczka town, the Kraków metropolitan area (Photo: S. Kurek) doi: 10.2478/mgr-2018-0018 Illustrations to the paper by S. Kurek et al. Retail format competition: The case of grocery discount stores and why they haven’t conquered the Chinese market (yet) Sina HARDAKER a * Abstract The international expansion of the German discounters Aldi and Lidl in recent years has been a large success in grocery retailing. In China, the world’s largest grocery retail market, however, grocery discounters have not (yet) established a physical store presence. In 2017 Aldi Süd and Lidl for the first time entered a new market without the help of a physical store, implementing an online shop in China. As to the format’s future, significant disagreement amongst retail experts exists. This paper, which is based on qualitative interviews with high-ranking senior executives of international retailers, argues for three major reasons as to why the discount format has not hitherto gained a foothold in the Chinese market. Firstly, due to the characteristics and challenges of China’s market, such as high fragmentation as well as the need for strong localisation, a high standardisation of the format is not possible. Secondly, the extremely low-margin operation of discounters faces a price level in China that is already very low, limiting one of the discounter’s major competitive advantages.
    [Show full text]
  • Small Box Retail Diversity Study
    Small Box Retail Diversity Study City of New Orleans City Planning Commission Robert D. Rivers, Executive Director Leslie T. Alley, Deputy Director Prepared on: November 27, 2018 Revised on: December 18, 2018 Prepared By: Emily Ramírez Hernández Travis Martin Sabine Lebailleux Paul Cramer Aspen Nero James Gillie Amos Wright Table of Contents A. Executive Summary....................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................ 3 Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Recommendations ................................................................................................................................... 6 Next Steps ................................................................................................................................................. 12 B. Scope of Study ............................................................................................................. 14 Motion (As Corrected) No. M-18-256 ............................................................................................. 14 Study Goals ............................................................................................................................................... 16 C. Small Box Discount Retail Overview ........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Wal-Mart and the Geography of Grocery Retailing$
    Wal-Mart and the Geography of Grocery RetailingI Paul B. Ellickson University of Rochester Paul L.E. Grieco The Pennsylvania State University Abstract This paper empirically examines the impact of entry by Wal-Mart on competition in the supermarket industry. Using a detailed panel dataset spanning 1994 to 2006, we estimate the impact of Wal-Mart on firm outcomes and market structure, controlling for persistent local trends and systematic differences across markets by exploiting the detailed spatial structure of our store-level census. We find that Wal-Mart's impact is highly localized, affecting firms only within a tight, two-mile radius of its location. Within this radius, the bulk of the impact falls on declining firms and mostly on the intensive margin. Entry of new firms is essentially unaffected. Moreover, the stores most damaged by Wal-Mart's entry are the outlets of larger chains. This suggests that Wal-Mart's expansion into groceries is quite distinct from its earlier experience in the discount industry, where the primary casualties were small chains and sole proprietorships that were forced to exit the market. This contrast sheds light on the role density economies play in shaping both equilibrium market structure and economic geography. In the case of grocery competition, high travel costs and the perishable nature of groceries appear to impart horizontal differentiation between firms. This differentiation in demand appears to reduce impact of scale economies advantages that Wal-Mart exploited to the detriment of far-flung competitors in the discount store industry. Keywords: Economic Geography, Spatial Competition, Retail Trade, Supermarkets JEL: R12, C23, L11, L50, M31, L81 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Target Corporation: Planting the Seed of Social Media an Analysis of Target Corporation and the Use of Corporate Blogging As a Vital Tool in Corporate Strategy
    Target Corporation: Planting the Seed of Social Media An Analysis of Target Corporation and the Use of Corporate Blogging as a Vital Tool in Corporate Strategy Prepared by Lola Adeyemo For Prof. Richard Linowes Business, Policy and Strategy May 1, 2008 Spring 2008 Executive Summary The Target Brand has had a longstanding history with being an industry leader and a top performer. With one of the most recognized logos in the world, beating out both Apple and McDonalds for the coveted position with brand recognition at 96%1, the company has enjoyed a history of innovation and financial success. Its humble beginnings started in 1902, when George Drayton opened the first store in Minneapolis, Minnesota under the name, Drayton Dry Goods, Co. Today, the company among the top five largest retailers in North America, among the likes of Wal-Mart, Costco, Home Depot and Kroger. It is ranked number 31 on the list of Fortune 500 companies and continually ranks as one of the best places to work in America. Target’s corporate strategy is one that has changed little over the years: to provide high-quality, stylishly designed items plus all the essentials for life, displayed in a clean, organized and welcoming environment; The one-of-a-kind experience comes that comes from our department store roots and ongoing commitment to great prices and stylish innovations.” The timelessness of that strategy has allowed the company to continually strive for excellence, both internally and externally, and to become a favored retailer among a range of demographics- from the chic teen to college aged student, to the hard-working CEO and mother of two.
    [Show full text]
  • Competing with Costco and Sam's Club
    Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University UWRG Working Papers Usery Workplace Research Group 1-5-2012 Competing with Costco and Sam’s Club: Warehouse Club Entry and Grocery Prices Charles Courtemanche University of Louisville, [email protected] Art Carden Rhodes College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/uwrg_workingpapers Recommended Citation Courtemanche, Charles and Carden, Art, "Competing with Costco and Sam’s Club: Warehouse Club Entry and Grocery Prices" (2012). UWRG Working Papers. 56. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/uwrg_workingpapers/56 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Usery Workplace Research Group at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in UWRG Working Papers by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. W.J. Usery Workplace Research Group Paper Series ANDREW YOUNG SCHOOL OF POLICY STUDIES Competing with Costco and Sam’s Club: Warehouse Club Entry and Grocery Prices January 23, 2012 Charles Courtemanche* Department of Economics, College of Business University of Louisville Louisville, KY 40292 and National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA [email protected] Office: 502-852-4854; Fax: 502-852-7672 Art Carden Department of Economics and Business Rhodes College 2000 N. Parkway Memphis TN 38112 [email protected] Office: 901-843-3829; Fax: 901-843-3736 Abstract Prior research shows grocery stores reduce prices to compete with Walmart Supercenters. This study finds evidence that the competitive effects of two other big box retailers – Costco and Walmart-owned Sam's Club – are quite different.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Powers of Retailing 2021 Contents
    Global Powers of Retailing 2021 Contents Top 250 quick statistics 4 Global economic outlook 5 Top 10 highlights 8 Impact of COVID-19 on leading global retailers 13 Global Powers of Retailing Top 250 17 Geographic analysis 25 Product sector analysis 32 New entrants 36 Fastest 50 38 Study methodology and data sources 43 Endnotes 47 Contacts 49 Acknowledgments 49 Welcome to the 24th edition of Global Powers of Retailing. The report identifies the 250 largest retailers around the world based on publicly available data for FY2019 (fiscal years ended through 30 June 2020), and analyzes their performance across geographies and product sectors. It also provides a global economic outlook, looks at the 50 fastest-growing retailers, and highlights new entrants to the Top 250. Top 250 quick statistics, FY2019 Minimum retail US$4.85 US$19.4 revenue required to be trillion billion among Top 250 Aggregate Average size US$4.0 retail revenue of Top 250 of Top 250 (retail revenue) billion 5-year retail Composite 4.4% revenue growth net profit margin 4.3% Composite (CAGR Composite year-over-year retail FY2014-2019) 3.1% return on assets revenue growth 5.0% Top 250 retailers with foreign 22.2% 11.1 operations Share of Top 250 Average number aggregate retail revenue of countries where 64.8% from foreign companies have operations retail operations Source: Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. Global Powers of Retailing 2021. Analysis of financial performance and operations for fiscal years ended through 30 June 2020 using company annual reports, press releases, Supermarket News, Forbes America’s largest private companies and other sources.
    [Show full text]
  • Differences Between Occasional Organic and Regular Organic Food Consumers in Germany
    Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2014, 5, 1914-1925 Published Online October 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/fns http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2014.519203 Differences between Occasional Organic and Regular Organic Food Consumers in Germany Dörthe Krömker1, Ellen Matthies2 1Clinical and Health Informatics Research Group, McGill University, Montreal, Canada 2Institut für Psychologie, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität, Magdeburg, Germany Email: [email protected], [email protected] Received 19 August 2014; revised 5 September 2014; accepted 15 September 2014 Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Abstract It was the aim of this study to understand the differences between occasional organic consumers (OOC) and regular organic food consumers (ROC). A total of 571 consumers, interviewed directly after grocery shopping, were classified as conventional, occasional organic or regular organic consumers depending on the number of organically produced items bought. In order to gain en- compassing insights on the differences between the ROC and OOC consumer groups, a large set of psychological and socio-demographic factors was studied. They differ with respect to general food choice motives with OOC placing significantly less importance on animal welfare, food security, environmental protection and more importance on caloric content, convenience and price com- pared to ROC; with respect to beliefs about the consequences of organic food consumption OOC expect greater expense, less choice, no increase in vitamins and no improvement in taste com- pared to ROC, and finally OOC show a less positive attitude, weaker social norms and lower inten- tions of buying organic food regularly in the future and give a lower importance in their lives to protection of the environment.
    [Show full text]