At a weekly market somewhere in Germany, consumers have exchanged their conventional fruit and vegetables for organic varieties. In the run-up to BIOFACH 2016, the World's Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food, which next takes place from 10 to 13 February 2016, has used a guerrilla activity in an everyday consumer environment to draw attention to the need to switch to organic food. And judging by the number who took part, many consumers support the switch!

Nearly all foods produced in the conventional manner are now available in the form of organic varieties too. Consumer habits and their requirements can often be exchanged for organic equivalents in a direct swap. It’s true that organic foods sometimes appear more expensive at first glance, but that’s because conventional production offloads its real consequential costs onto the general public or future generations without stating them on the price tag. Changing all our food to organic would be the ideal scenario, and the Organic Changer supports this as well: This activity, which was announced via social media and recorded in a video (www.biofach.de/change-into-organic), saw consumers exchange goods they had with them at the weekly market for organic varieties of the same products.

Danila Brunner, the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Director, said: “BIOFACH and VIVANESS are not just the marketplace for a growing industry. Every February, the trade fair duo provides lively and inspiring proof of the fact that change is possible and already occurring. At BIOFACH, producers come together, as do retailers and economic and political representatives. Together, they all play an important role in determining the course for the future. With its long tradition and all-encompassing range of products, the organic industry provides the foundation for ecological change. The larger the number of consumers who consciously opt for organic products, the better things will be for every one of us – because resource-friendly organic farming, organic animal-specific husbandry and buying strictly monitored organic products all add up to actively taking a stand against the climate change and favouring a sustainable future.”

The Organic Changer was designed and produced by the advertising agency YOOL in Giessen, Germany, which specialises in marketing communication in the area of sustainability, ecology and social issues. Hassaan Hakim, YOOL’s founder and project manager at the agency, said: “By creating the Organic Changer, we have consciously and actively appealed to consumers who are not yet regular organic customers. The climate change is affecting us all, not just the so-called ecos!”

Organic Changer sets a recycling example

In keeping with the principle of organic recycling, YOOL didn’t want anything to be wasted during the Organic Changer activity. All the conventional fruit and vegetables collected were donated to “Die Tafel” along with the leftover organic fruit and vegetables. “Die Tafel” is a charitable organization that has supplied those in need with food since 1993.
 

Website resource: https://www.biofach.de/en/press/press-releases?focus=en&focus2=nxps%3a%2f%2fnueme%2fpressnews%2fd33f2fbb-b7d8-41ef-ad2f-19ca10bbb97b%2f%3ffair%3dbiofach%26language%3den