In the research conducted by Penn State, participants were surveyed on what types of food products they purchased, where they purchased these products, and what variables may have affected their purchasing behaviors. Two questions specifically asked participants to provide an approximate percentage of how much (quantity) of their average weekly food purchases consisted of “fresh” products versus “processed” products, and what percentage of these weekly food purchases could be categorized as
“meat,” “vegetables,” “grains,” “fruit,” “dairy,” “snacks,” and “sweets.”
Survey participants reported that approximately half of their food purchases could be categorized as “fresh”. Approximately 36% of their purchases could also be categorized as “fruit” and “vegetable” products, while “meat” products were reported as the majority of food purchases (20.2%).
Notable trends include differences between:
1) age groups – A greater percentage of the older age groups purchased meat and vegetables than younger age groups
2) education level – A greater percentage of the more educated groups purchased vegetables and fruits and a smaller percentage of the same groups purchased snacks than less educated groups
3) gender - A greater percentage of males purchased meat but fewer purchased vegetables and fruit than females
To read more about this research, please see the press release.
As an ag entrepreneur, how does this research affect your marketing? Have you seen these trends in your own sales?
