The first in-depth study of consumer attitudes towards organic food in Ireland found that while consumers are positive, they are less likely to purchase it when the costs are very high.
The study found that the higher the price being sought for organically produced food, the less likely Irish consumers were to buy it.
Commissioned by An Bord Bia, it found that 28 per cent of Irish consumers buy organic food at least once a month, the majority of them from urban areas.
It found that the Irish consumers are more likely to be in the ABC1 socio-economic group, female, married with a small to medium-sized household and are most likely to be urban dwellers.
About three-quarters of the Irish consumers were found to spend less than £20 a month on organic produce.
Some 37 per cent spent less than £10 a month while 14 per cent spent more than £50 a month.
It found that supermarkets were the main outlet for organic food, with 62 per cent of organic food consumers listing them as a source of purchase.
The research found that 57 per cent of Irish consumers spontaneously associated organic food as being produced without the use of chemicals, additives or pesticides and 31 per cent associated it with being healthy and natural.
However, almost 85 per cent of those questioned did not recognise any of the main organic symbols which certified the product as being organically produced and only 6 per cent recognised any of the Irish organic logos.
It found that organic food was likely to start losing many potential customers once it became more than 20 per cent more expensive than the equivalent conventional product.
"When organic food is 10 per cent more expensive, 20 per cent of consumers will not buy it and this proportion rises to 48 per cent when it is 20 per cent more expensive and 73 per cent when it is 30 per cent above conventional food prices," said the survey.
It added that of the consumers who said they did not purchase organic food 45 per cent spontaneously listed that it was because it was more expensive and this rose to 68 per cent when the question was prompted.
The report concluded that a decrease in prices and greater availability and range were the factors most likely to encourage increased purchases of organic food.