Supermarket Perimeter - May 2022 - 52

Produce: The road ahead
pre-washed options to grab-and-go and ready-to-serve solutions,
convenience remains the top value-add for produce shoppers.
The report found that nearly half of shoppers frequently purchase
convenient vegetable and fruit solutions.
Fifty-six percent of consumers say they want their produce
department to carry more fruits and vegetables that are locally grown,
followed by grown in the USA (54%).
Such distinctions are most effective
when paired with specific locally
sourced definitions, like a certain
mile radius or state lines.
However, the definition of the
Shopping
shifted back
to fewer
trips and
more online
purchases. "
FMI
term differs depending on the area
of the country in which the shopper
lives and the generation to which
they belong.
In the first half of 2021, produce
shopping and consumption patterns
slowly but surely trended back
to their pre-pandemic normal,
according to the report. However,
the upswing in COVID-19 cases in
the fall along with high inflation and supply chain challenges reversed
many of those normalization trends.
" Shopping shifted back to fewer trips and more online purchases, "
according to FMI. " Meals became home-centric once more. "
The 2022 Power of Produce offers insights into sales trends
combined with shopper wants and needs in produce shopping, health
and wellbeing, home cooking, convenience and more.
Category performance
Fresh produce sales reached $71 billion in 2021, reflecting a 3.3%
increase in dollars, according to IRI data. However, gains were inflation
driven and volume sales were down 2%. Fresh produce engagement
was down in household penetration and trips, which hurt volume sales.
Fruit had a better year than vegetables, but also saw higher inflation.
The year-over-year decline in fresh produce consumption continued.
In 2017, 66% of consumers ate fresh produce at least four days a week.
Today, that is down to 54% of consumers.
Trip frequency is highly related to fresh produce consumption and
the drop in trips amid the pandemic is hurting sales, according to the
report. Shoppers point to better prices and promotions as the dominant
way to grow consumption, followed by a more frequent rotation of new
and seasonal items. Fruit consumption aspirations are high across all
eating occasions. Vegetable consumption aspirations are highest for
dinner and lunch.
Half of Americans are concerned
about the fresh fruits and
vegetables they waste at home.
In response, 51% buy in smaller quantities and
42% buy items with longer shelf-life.
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52 - MAY 2022
supermarketperimeter.com
44%
are concerned about fresh produce
packaging waste, but package
functionality remains more
important than environmentallyfriendly
solutions alone.
37%
are willing to pay
for environmentally
friendly packaging
TRANSPARENCY
AND SUSTAINABILITY
Knowing where, how and by whom
fresh produce is grown influences
purchase decisions of about
50% of Americans.
Third-party certifications/labels are much less
influential, influencing about 30% of shoppers.
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Supermarket Perimeter - May 2022

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