Posts Tagged “shopping”
A global survey of consumers shows that shoppers across consider fresh foods a very important component in shopping decision.
A survey of shoppers in 58 countries across the globe revealed that fresh food continues to play an increasingly important role in the shopping decisions of most consumers.
The Nielsen Shopper Trends Survey was conducted in 58 countries around the world covering 54 markets including 87,000 respondents. The survey was conducted online or with face-to-face follow-up in home interviews.
“Fresh foods continue to maintain healthy sales contributions at retail. In fact, fresh foods can comprise between 30-60 percent of total food, grocery and personal care expenses on average, depending on country and type of fresh product,” the report states
Asian shoppers head consumption while USA. shoppers were at the bottom as fresh foods constitute about 30 percent of grocery sales in America.
Shoppers around the world generally listed “good value” as one of their top three reasons for shopping a specific store for their fresh foods. Over half (52 percent) of respondents to the 2012 survey said that rising food prices affect their purchasing of fresh foods.
Consumers listed a variety of reasons why they shop at a specific retailer, with the top 10 drivers being enjoyable shopper experience; one-stop shopping; well-stocked inventory; good value for the money; pleasant store environment; excellent customer service; wide variety of products; high-quality fresh food; wide range of fruit and vegetables; and high-quality premium brands.
Globally, fresh food is a high-traffic builder as the average shopper heads to a market 2.5 times per week to buy fresh foods. Shopping trips are most frequent for the sub-category fruits and vegetables sector at an average of 3.2 times per week.
The survey found that convenience is the number one reason for shopping at a certain place in the United States. Americans shop for fresh foods less frequently than other respondents, but fresh foods are continuing to gain greater traction.
Fresh produce represents about one-third of all fresh food sales in the United States, surpassed only by meat, but besting bakery, deli and seafood categories.
Nielsen researchers project by 2016, the traditional grocery store will have a 64 percent market share of fresh food retail sales. That will represent a 2 percent drop from 2012. During that four-year period, market share of fresh food sales for supercenters will rise 1 percent to a total of 15 percent, while warehouse and club stores will see a 2 percent increase in their market share of the category to 12 percent.
Tthe Nielsen report states that “fresh is increasingly growing in non-grocery channels as a greater availability and assortment of fresh products across retail channels respond to consumer demands. Savvy retailers understand that consumers want the option to choose fresh foods anywhere, and they are fighting for the fresh share of wallet.”
Published research from Stanford University reafirms what I have believed to 
be true for years. While organic fresh fruits and vegetables are touted by many to be more safe and more nutritious than conventional fresh produce, findings do not support that popular notion.
What you often can count on is organic produce costing more than regularly grown produce. While the research affirms the fact that certified organic produce has less pesticide residues than conventional food, it is no big deal. The pesticide residues on conventional produce are well within Federal requirements. These residues are so low they are not harmful.
I have met and got to know many large, commerical growers of produce over the years. They are for the most part, good, honest, decent people. They have families and would never intentionally risk the lives of consumers or their families or friends by excessively using pesticides and other chemicals.
The research was published September 4 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Does organic produce taste better than convention produce? Sometimes, sometimes not. It is similar to buying a branded fruit or vegetable versus a generic brand in your supermarket. The branded item may cost more, but by no means is it assured of tasting better than a similar non-branded product.
Over the decades less and less pesticides have been used on conventional fresh fruits and vegetables, as technology and advances in agriculture have progressed. A noble goal is that someday it will be economically viable to grow fresh produce without the use of any chemicals.
Meanwhile, I will continue to base my produce shopping decisions on quality and price. — Bill Martin