High prices deter produce shoppers: Report

High prices remain a sticking point for produce shoppers, a new report from the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) says.  

CPMA’s 2023 Canadian Customer Report shares new findings on Canadians’ perceptions, purchase intentions, consumption and shopping habits with regard to fresh produce in the first quarter of the year 2023. 

Fifty eight per cent of consumers cite high prices as a roadblock to greater produce purchases, up 17% from Q1 2022. 

Local produce has the highest level of positive purchase intent, at 83%, followed by packaged produce at 65%.  

CPMA found 19% of consumers consider themselves responsible for advancing sustainable packaging while 68% put the responsibility on producers and retailers.  

Forty one per cent 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,” said CPMA president Ron Lemaire in a statement. “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.”