Supermarket Perimeter - October 2024 - 49

PEOPLE ARE EATING MORE FRESH PRODUCE MORE OFTEN, and
the proof is in not only higher dollar sales but also higher volume
numbers at US supermarkets.
Those were among the highlights shared at the Southeast Produce
Health matters
Council's annual Innovations conference in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 12-14.
In the association's fourth annual edition of its What's New?
consumer research, Anne-Marie Roerink, principal of 210 Analytics,
talked trends with a packed house on Fresh Innovation's second day.
Consumers are prioritizing their consumption of fresh fruits and
vegetables, Roerink told attendees.
In 2022, 53% of consumers ate fresh produce four or more times a
week. By 2023, that had risen to 57%. This year, it's up to 61%.
For retailers, that's meant " robust gains in dollars, units and volume, "
Roerink said.
In the 12 months ending June 30, fresh produce sales totaled $91
billion. That's a 3.2% increase in dollar sales, second only to floral; a
1.9% unit increase in units, second only to deli; and a 2.6% increase
in pounds.
The performance of both fruits and vegetables is up, though fruit has
been the big winner.
Fruit sales totaled $46.3 billion. Dollar sales were up 5.3%, unit sales
2.6% and volumes 3.5%.
Vegetable sales totaled $43.3 billion. Dollar sales rose 1.2%, units 1.4%
and volumes 1.7%.
" The produce industry is delivering and delivering big, " said David
Sherrod, President and CEO of SEPC. " The fourth edition of our
research found that more consumers eat fresh produce daily and this
growth corresponds to a 2.6% increase in fresh produce pounds in the
latest Circana data. Fresh produce is the strongest of the perimeter
departments and the study identified many more opportunities for
produce growth in years to come. "
The produce industry's biggest opportunity, now that units per
trip have stabilized, Roerink told attendees, lies in capitalizing on the
increase in trips to stores consumers are making.
The average American shopper makes 84.9 trips to the store annually.
That's up 2% from a year ago and 7% from three years ago.
Units purchased per trip, however, are flat from a year ago and down
6.9% from three years ago.
Cost concerns
At the top of consumers' minds when it comes to buying fresh fruits
and vegetables and just about everything else, Roerink said, is cost.
" Life has gotten expensive, and consumers are concerned over
inflation, credit card debt and unemployment.
Seventy-six percent of consumers believe fresh produce costs
more, up from 71% in 2023. A similar number believe restaurant prices
are higher.
Fifty-five percent of shoppers frequently focus only on what and how
much they need; another 32% do so occasionally.
Retailers are responding with loyalty, trying to optimize the spending
among primary and secondary shoppers.
Seven in ten shoppers belong to one or more grocery store loyalty
programs, and 87% would be interested in a fruit or vegetable brand
offering a loyalty program.
supermarketperimeter.com
OCTOBER 2024 - 49
General wellness/energy are huge opportunities for
retailers looking to boost their fresh produce sales,
especially since consumers already make that link.
Shoppers look to fresh produce for:
52% General wellness
48% Energy
45% Gut/digestive health
43% Immunity building
42% Weight
management
41%
Cardiovascular health
39% Supplement
deficiencies
38% Bone/joint health
38% Inflammation
37% Cognitive
function/brain health
35% Sleep/rest support
34% Stress relief
34% Skin/hair/
beauty support
31% Cleansing/detox
27% Rapid hydration
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Supermarket Perimeter - October 2024

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