Consumer values are at center of latest PMA research
Consumers report social responsibility & produce quality as vital purchase drivers

Recent research conducted by the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) indicates consumers consider the social responsibility of companies that grow and sell produce a highly important factor in their purchase decisions, while location, price and quality drive their choice of supermarkets.

Of 1,000 key consumers surveyed earlier this summer, a solid majority of 55 percent place the highest degree of importance on the social responsibility, also known as sustainability, of their produce suppliers. When choosing the three most important social responsibility issues from a series related to growing and selling fresh fruits and vegetables, consumers place organics (13 percent), distance from farm to store (11 percent) and fair living wages (11 percent) at the top of the list. Packaging issues were also rated highly, with recycled and recyclable packaging receiving top ratings from 8 and 7 percent, respectively – in fact, when combined at 15 percent, packaging issues are the most highly rated sustainability issue for consumers.

“The survey’s insight on social responsibility offers more evidence that it is time to get back to the basics, by restoring our personal relationships with consumers and focusing on providing great tasting fruits and vegetables,” said PMA President Bryan Silbermann. “We should not only strive to build a better supply chain, but also build a better value chain for our customers.”

Interestingly, about one-third (33 percent) of consumers consider themselves highly socially responsible, while only 11 percent assign the same tag to businesses overall and 13 percent so rate the produce industry.

“Sustainability is at the very core of our farming traditions,” said Silbermann. “Fortunately, we have the opportunity to communicate that to consumers.”

Social responsibility is the focus of a workshop during PMA’s upcoming Fresh Summit International Convention and Exposition. The workshop “What Do Consumers Really Think about Corporate Social Responsibility?” will be held Friday, October 12, from 2:45 to 4 p.m. This year’s convention runs October 12-15 in Houston, Texas.

In addition to social responsibility, the recent survey also touched on key factors driving patronage at supermarkets. Out of a list of six factors, 25 percent of consumers choose location as having the most influence over their supermarket choice. Price proves to be a key factor for 23 percent, while 19 percent cite quality of the produce department. Also noteworthy, nearly six in ten consumers (57 percent) say they have changed supermarkets because they liked the produce department in one store better than another.

“These results underscore the importance of the produce department in supermarket customer retention, and emphasizes the need for produce clerks to focus on customers and the impression their departments leave in the mind of each shopper,” said Silbermann.

This survey was conducted by Opinion Dynamics Corporation on behalf of PMA via telephone on July 31 and August 1. This and other consumer survey reports are available by subscription from PMA’s research center; call 302-738-7100 for more information.

Publication date: 9/27/2007

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