New consumer research from the Produce Marketing Association has found that, while consumers purchase loose fruits and vegetables because they believe these items are fresher and of better quality, they also feel that pre-packaged produce is safer and more sanitary.
Thirty-five per cent of consumers said loose produce items make up between 76 and 100 per cent of their fresh produce purchases, while 42 per cent said pre-packaged items make up less than 15 per cent of their purchases. Pre-packaged salads were excluded from this report, entitled Produce Packaging: Preferences and Buying Behaviour. It is PMA’s first in-depth consumer study as part of the association’s ongoing market research programmes. The study was sponsored by Hays Container Services.
“As consumers include more fruits and vegetables as part of meals and healthy diets, it’s important to monitor their needs and expectations,” said PMA President Bryan Silbermann. “This report explores key trends that will help suppliers and their supply chain partners better understand packaging preferences and consumer perceptions of freshness, quality, and safety as they relate to loose and packaged produce.
“PMA members have told us that keeping abreast of consumer needs are a critical part of their organisation’s success, profitability, and strategic planning. This report is just one piece of the informational and educational resources PMA offers. We are committed to giving our members the tools they need to increase consumption.”
The survey also found that:
• While 72 per cent of primary shoppers surveyed said loose produce “delivers consistently better quality and taste,” 51 per cent of these same shoppers described packaged produce as “more sanitary,” while 41 per cent described packaged produce as being “safer.” The reason for this is that consumers feel loose produce is “handled” more often at the store.
• Smaller, flexible packaging is preferred to larger, more rigid packaging. The reasons given for flexibility were being able to “see” and “feel” the produce, as well as ease of storage. Reasons given for smaller packages related to household size, with 52 per cent saying they purchase produce for a smaller family, and 28 per cent saying that larger packaging may spoil too quickly.
• Packaging design plays a key influencing role in produce purchase decisions. Eighty-four per cent of consumers said a transparent design allows them to see what they are purchasing.
The report, unveiled at PMA’s Retail Produce Solutions Conference in La Quinta, California, this week, was conducted for PMA by Opinion Dynamics Corporation.
The results are statistically valid within a four per cent margin of error and carry a 95 per cent confidence level.
It is available electronically as a PDF document to PMA members for $199. The non-member price is $799. In addition, as a value-added bonus, the retail labeling research PMA conducted earlier this year is included in the study.
To order the report, contact the PMA Solution Centre at +1 (302) 738-7100.
• The PMA also published research in the last month revealing that despite the growing presence of low-carbohydrate options in today’s marketplace, nearly half of consumers consider fruits and vegetables to be very important and take the availability of produce items on the menu into consideration when selecting a restaurant.
Forty-nine per cent consider the presence of fruits and vegetables on the menu to be extremely important, while only 13 per cent feel the same way about low-carb items.
The survey also asked consumers to name the fresh fruits and vegetables they consider to be low in carbohydrates. Common responses given were broccoli (10 per cent), apples (eight per cent), green/string beans (six per cent), and green vegetables (five per cent).
Interestingly, a key finding was that 57 per cent of consumers could not name a low-carb fresh fruit or vegetable.
No comments yet