A new report from the Canadian Produce Marketing Association highlights Canadians’ perceptions, purchase intentions, consumption and shopping habits related to fresh produce in the first quarter of 2023.
CPMA’s 2023 Canadian Customer Report is the latest addition to the association’s market research portfolio which provides members with the most current data specific to the Canadian fresh produce industry, according to a news release. CPMA said the report aims to help the industry have a better understanding of the true fruit and vegetable customer.
A few highlights from the exclusive report include, according to the release:
- That 58% of consumers cite high prices as a roadblock to greater produce purchases, which increased by 17% from the first quarter of 2022.
- Local produce has the highest level of positive purchase intent, at 83%, followed by packaged produce at 65%.
- That 19% of consumers consider themselves responsible for advancing sustainable packaging, while 68% put the responsibility on producers and retailers.
- That 41% of organic produce consumers prefer to see organic produce integrated with conventional produce.
“At CPMA, we are making a concerted effort to better understand the people who give us our purpose,” CPMA President Ron Lemaire said in the release. “By continuously asking the questions that matter to produce professionals in our research, we help produce businesses get to know Canadian consumers, resolve issues, and uncover opportunities for the betterment of our industry.”
The data outlined in the report was collected by CPMA’s market research partner, Execulytics Consulting, in January, February and March 2023, the release said.
CPMA members can access the full report by logging into CPMA’s Community page.