Public Health Perspective on Organic Food Systems: From Market Development to Consumer Behaviour

The development of the organic food sector is increasingly recognized as a critical component of sustainable food systems and a determinant of population health, particularly in the context of dietary quality and exposure to environmental contaminants. However, previous studies have rarely integrated macro-level structural analysis with regional dynamics and micro-level consumer behavior, leaving a gap in understanding how these dimensions jointly shape the accessibility of organic food and its public health implications. The aim of this study is to provide a multi-level assessment of the organic sector in Poland, combining structural, regional, and behavioral perspectives. The empirical analysis is based on official statistical data for Poland covering the period 2020–2024 (IJHARS, EEA, national policy reports), including indicators such as the number of organic operators, total organic land, and land under conversion, as well as on a survey conducted in May 2024 among 91 respondents in the Podkarpackie Province, characterized by a predominance of young (60.4% aged 19–25), highly educated (57.1% with higher education) individuals. The study applies descriptive statistics, log-linear regression models, k-means clustering, Gini coefficients, β-convergence tests, and scenario forecasting for statistical data, alongside structured questionnaire analysis using Likert-scale evaluation and statistical processing in Python (Pandas, NumPy, statsmodels, scikit-learn, Matplotlib). The results show that the number of organic operators in Poland increased by 22.3% and organic land by 35.8% between 2020 and 2024, indicating structural concentration, with land expanding faster than the operator base. Regional analysis reveals strong spatial inequality (Gini = 0.525 for land) and divergence processes, alongside a long-term decline in Podkarpackie, where the number of producers fell by 60.6% from its peak and organic land decreased to 31.2% of its maximum level. At the consumer level, awareness of organic food reached 96.7%, while 75.6% of respondents declared consumption; however, high prices were identified as the main barrier by 75.6% of respondents, and health motivations dominated purchasing decisions (83.1%), with environmental factors playing a secondary role. The findings provide important implications for public health policy, highlighting the need to improve affordability, accessibility, and trust in organic food systems and open new directions for interdisciplinary research linking food systems with measurable health outcomes.