Bellvue, WA — U.S. consumers are still likely to purchase organic foods despite a recent Stanford University study that found them to be nutritionally equal to their conventionally produced counterparts, according to a report by The Hartman Group.

The survey found that what attracts consumers to organic and natural foods the most is the absence of pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics. More than 33 percent of U.S. consumers reported buying organic food at least once a month, an increase of three percent since 2010.

“The report underscored a number of different drivers that have less to do with nutrition and more about lifestyle, and that’s an important part of why consumers are buying organics,” says David Wright, senior associate at The Hartman Group, explaining the addition of children in the household, illness, and increased presence in the media are the primary drivers.

The report indicates that as organics become more available, consumers’ desires for healthier foods increases, referencing the abundance of organic products now available in most grocery stores.

The biggest deterrent is price. Many subjects of the study expressed a desire to eat more organic foods, but said they were unable to afford certain products.

The full report will be available October 1.