Consumer Preferences Trends Christine M. Bruhn Director, Retired Center for Consumer Research Dept Food Science and Technology UC Davis Factors Influencing Food Purchase International Food Information Council 2014 1
Ways People Say They Changed Their Diet Chart Title Cut back on full fat dairy 15 40 Eat smaller portions 30 36 Eat more whole grains 23 53 Eat more fruits and vegs 31 51 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Began this year Doing for > Year International Food Information Council Foundation 2014 Healthy Eating 2
Familiarity with My Plate Graphic 40 35 30 25 28 32 38 36 20 15 21 21 10 5 0 9 8 Seen, know a lot Seen, know fair amt Seen, know little Never seen it 3 3 Not sure 2014 2013 Top Sellers Consumers report buying the item in past year Bananas 88% Tomatoes 79% Apples 83% Potatoes 78% Grapes 75% Onions 75% Strawberries 72% Carrots 74% Watermelon 67% Bell Peppers 67% Oranges 64% Lettuce 63% Cantaloupe 57% Broccoli 63% Peaches 56% Celery 61% Lemons 52% Corn 61% Blueberries 52% Salad Mix 61% Cherries 48% Cucumbers 60% Avocados 45% Garlic 52% Pears 44% Cabbage 51% Pineapple 43% Sweet Potatoes 49% The Packer Fresh Trends 2012 3
How easy is it to get your kids to eat fruits? According to Moms with kids <10 yrs Produce for Better Health Foundation 2014 Belief that the family eats enough fruit Moms/Dads with kids <10 yrs. Produce for Better Health Foundation, 2014 4
Primary obstacles to including fruit in meals and snacks 57% Family has different preferences 52% Need new ideas/ways to prepare fruit 50% Fruit is too expensive 48% Fruit goes bad before I can eat it Moms with kids <10 yrs. Produce for Better Health Foundation 2014 Consumer Attitude Research Qualitative research: Focus Groups completed in Florida (5) & California (6) Quantitative Research: internet-based survey in Florida and California 5
Demographic Characteristics of Respondents 66% Female Ethnicity Asian 4% Latino 4% Black 8% White non Hispanic 83% What we found: Overall If not satisfied with current quality Will go to farmers markets, or roadside stands or chose a different product Will switch supermarkets for better quality 6
Consumer Selection Criteria Characteristic odor Color Firm fruit (but not hard), depending on item No clue for melons, try different approaches Consumer Storage Some store correctly by habit Some storage practices will reduce quality Awareness of nutritional benefits Highest for tomatoes, strawberries, and blueberries Few are knowledgeable about other fruit Know that fruit is good adds color to your plate Few know how many servings a person should eat Want high quality fruit so children will eat it A high quality fruit is like a rare gem 7
Key Findings Disconnect between appearance & flavor Looks good, poor taste Produce goes from under-ripe at purchase to rotting too quickly Consumers want to control when product is ripe People are seeking trustworthy advice Consumers Who Purchase Fruit at Least Few Times a Year 100 90 90.4 91.6 92.7 89.3 80 77.9 70 70.5 64.1 68.6 60 Percent (%) 50 40 30 20 18.4 10 0 Tomatoes Strawberries Blueberries Cantaloupe Honeydew Watermelon Other melons Peaches Pears 8
Frequency of Purchase Tomatoes 3.8% 5.8% 13.2% 41.9% Weekly 2-3 times per month A few times a year I do not buy tomatoes at the supermarket I do not buy tomatoes at all 35.3% 30.0 Why Consumers Buy Tomatoes 25.0 24.2 21.2 Combined rankings (%) 20.0 15.0 10.0 18.8 16.2 19.6 5.0 0.0 I like the taste I buy them for another household member Nutritional value/health benefits To meet my daily requirements For a specific use or recipe Series1 24.2 21.2 18.8 16.2 19.6 9
30.0 Most Preferred Tomato Attributes 27.0 25.0 21.0 Combined rankings (%) 20.0 15.0 10.0 11.9 13.1 19.7 5.0 4.7 2.7 0.0 The right aroma Tangy Juicy Sweet Firm Soft The right color Most Important Selection Factors: Tomatoes Smell Size Price Color Firmness Free from defects 0 5 10 15 20 Simonne Bruhn Daniels, Jensen 2012 10
The Most Common Reasons for Dissatisfaction with Tomatoes 25.0 22.5 20.0 19.4 Combined rankings (%) 15.0 10.0 6.4 7.3 11.9 13.6 7.1 5.0 4.4 4.1 1.0 2.2 0.0 Flavorless Too soft Too hard Too sour Too sweet Internal tomato color too pale Not ripe enough Not juicy enough Bruised Mealy I am not dissatisfied 30.0 Most Important Attributes to Improve in Tomatoes 25.0 25.4 20.0 Combined rankings (%) 15.0 10.0 5.0 0.0 6.1 2.7 1.4 0.7 2.8 12.1 2.3 8.2 3.2 2.5 5.0 11
Most Important Selection Factors: Peaches Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 Most Important Attribute: Peaches Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 12
Reason for Dissatisfaction: Peaches Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 Most Important Selection Factors: Pears Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 13
Reasons for Dissatisfaction: Pears Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 Most Important Selection Factors: Honeydew Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 14
Reasons for Dissatisfaction: Honeydew Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 Most Important Selection Factors: Cantaloupe Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 15
Reasons for Dissatisfaction: Cantaloupe Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 Most Important Selection Factors: Watermelon Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 16
Reasons for Dissatisfaction:Watermelon Simonne, Bruhn, Daniels, Jensen, 2012 How Often Consumers are Satisfied with Ripened Fruit Simonne, Bruhn Daniels, Jensen 2012 17
Attitudes Toward Fruit Quality I feel that getting a good tasting fruit is just by chance Simonne, Bruhn Daniels, Jensen 2012 When consumers find fruit they like I go out of my way to buy more fruit from that same store Simonne, Bruhn Daniels, Jensen 2012 18
When dissatisfied with fruit -- I wait a couple of weeks before purchasing that fruit again Simonne, Bruhn Daniels, Jensen 2012 When dissatisfied with fruit -- Next time I go shopping, I purchase fruit from a different store Simonne, Bruhn Daniels, Jensen 2012 19
Selection and Storage I think so far the only one that I ve not been lucky with is the melon, because you can t see the fruit itself, you only see the outside. To me it s a 50:50, you either got it or you don t luck of the draw. FL I don t know a lot about selecting honeydew so I don t usually do it myself I get the produce person to pick it because I apparently don t know what I am looking for with honeydews, they are always rock hard when I get them. CA Will it ripen on me if I leave it out once I buy it? Or is it too late? FL When I buy really unripe fruit I will leave it in my car because it gets hotter than my house and I usually leave it there 24 hours and the next day bring it in. CA Foodborne Outbreak Attribution 42% Land Animals 7%Beef, 10% Poultry 46% Produce 12% Fruits and Nuts 22% Leafy Vegetables 8% Vine-stalk Vegetables Painter JA, et al. Attribution of foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths to food commodities by using outbreak data, United States, 1998 2008. Emerg Infect Dis [Internet]. 2013 Mar. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1903.111866 20
Food Safety Concerns Although 80% of consumers believe the brands they buy are safe, food safety is an area of uncertainty I don'w know what sources to trust on food safety Food companies take appropriate steps to ensure food is safe 7 15 54 44 Food recalls affect the products I buy Uncertainty about how food is produced makes me concerned about safety Conflicting info on food safety makes it hard to know what is safe 23 30 28 36 49 49 Strongly Agree 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 Agree somewhat IFIC 2014 Consumer Perceptions of the Safety of Imported Foods International Food Information Council, 2014 21
Challenges Deliver flavorful produce Tell people how to select Describe which fruit can be ripened and HOW to do it Describe how to store produce for best quality and safety 22