Information Acquisition Behaviour of Fair-Trade Coffee Consumers – a Survey by Means of an Information Display Matrix

Fair-trade has grown into a noteworthy market segment. As a result, an increasing number of market players have emerged, each trying to communicate their own focal point in criteria and standards. However, the relative relevance of different criteria for the consumer remains unclear. This study explores the assessment of criteria in the choice of the most important fair-trade product, coffee, by tracing the information acquisition behaviour using an Information Display Matrix method. Special focus is given to organic production. Results serve as recommendations for those involved in the development of the organic fair-trade market