Despite the recession, sales of organic and sustainable products are experiencing continued growth, Reuters reported.

Experts say that scandals revolving around tainted food, the effective marketing of sustainable products and a commitment by President Barack Obama to tackle climate change are causing Americans to think more about purchases, both financially and environmentally.

There is also more consumer realization of the value in purchasing quality products that are less harmful to the environment, said Shelly Balanko of the Hartman Group, a marketing consulting firm that specializes in sustainable goods.

She said some buyers now think, “If I buy this, it will be less wasteful and I’m going to get good value for my dollar.”

According to a recent study by Packaged Facts, a market research provider, U.S. supermarket sales of environmentally sustainable or “ethical” products, such as

energy-efficient light bulbs and organic produce, are expected to increase about 8.7 percent in 2009 to nearly $38 billion.

“The financial crisis reminded people of the unintended consequences of collective behavior,” said Scott Bearse of Deloitte Consulting, adding that once people go green, they generally stay green.

In 2008, Americans spent a total of $511.9 billion on groceries at drugstores, supermarkets and mass retailers. According to the Organic Trade Association, sales of goods labeled as organic increased 17 percent to $24.6 billion in 2008.