US: Advertising generates more fresh food consumption
"Marketing seems to play a role in guiding people to eat better," said study co-author Michel Faupel, of the University of Arkansas. "It's not huge, but it's a measurable impact."
Researchers were interested in the different levels of fresh food consumption between states where there were agricultural marketing programs and those without.
The study examined the results of surveys held in 2000 and 2005 of 237,320 people in the US, asking participants about their eating habits. In states that adopted marketing campaigns during this time-frame, the percentage of those who reported they ate at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day—the recommended amount—grew from 24 percent to 26.5 percent. The most notable difference was in women: In states without marketing campaigns, the percentage who met the five-a-day guideline fell from 27 percent to 26.1 over the five years, but grew from 27.6 percent to 30.1 percent among those with the programs.
"During a period of time when fresh produce consumption was decreasing nationally, the states that had these programs did not follow the national trend," Faupel said.
Harry Kaiser, Ph.D., a professor of applied economics and management at Cornell University, said the study findings are similar to those of his own research into the value of produce marketing programs. "When we look at any sort of advertising of general commodities, they generally have a positive impact. But they're pretty minor," he said. So are these programs cost-effective? Kaiser thinks so, based on his studies. "From an industry standpoint," he said, "you don't have to have a humongous impact for it to be profitable."
Source: medicalxpress.com
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