The Most Important Food Labels among Online Shoppers when Shopping for Fresh Produce

Online shopping is increasingly becoming a common shopping venue for young generations of consumers. However, preferences for fresh produce among those who frequently shop online are still unclear. This study explains food labels that online shoppers consider most important when shopping for fresh produce. This study uses data collected from a stratified randomly selected sample of 1,205 online shoppers within the South region of the U.S. who made at least two online purchases within six months prior to participating in this study. We collected data in 2016 through the Qualtrics actively managed market research panels and those using social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Results show that 81 percent of online shoppers actually believe that food labels are very important to them. The most important label for the majority (49 percent) of those who believe so is “grown locally”. Those whose “organic” label is the most important constitute 15 percent. We found that 30 percent consider a combination of locally and organically grown fresh produce to be the most important to them. Only six percent of online shoppers have other labels they consider the most important. The most common important labels among this group include nutrition contents, price, and country of origin. This study is significant to fresh produce growers and agricultural marketers because it provides an explanation of food labels those online shoppers consider to be the most important when shopping for fresh produce. It is significant to food products regulators who are interested in enforcing regulations related to food labels. Future researchers will find this analysis useful when furthering knowledge about this increasingly popular market. online shoppers

Multinomial Logistic Analysis of the Most Frequent Market Venues for Locally Grown Fresh Produce among Online Shoppers

Online market is fast expending as more consumers are increasingly shopping online and businesses solidifying their presence online. This paper examines the most preferred (primary or most frequent) market venues that online shoppers use when purchasing locally/regionally grown fresh produce. The target population consists of consumers who made at least two any online purchases within six months prior to participating in this study; hereby referred to as “online shoppers”. The sample consists of 1,205 randomly selected online shoppers residing within the South region of the U.S. Data collection was done using Qualtrics actively managed market research panels and social media such as Facebook, and Twitter. Results indicate that grocery stores are the most preferred market venue online shoppers use to purchase locally/regionally grown fresh produce. The relative probability associated with this situation is 44 percent. Farmers’ markets are the second most frequent market venues with a relative likelihood of 33 percent. The third market venue is on-farm (road stands, you-pick-your own, and agritourism) and the CSA program with relative probability of 7 percent. Online market is currently the fourth most frequent with a relative likelihood of 5 percent. 11 percent of the online shoppers have no particular market venue they consider as primary. This analysis is significant to fresh produce growers and marketers within local food movement because it provides analysis of the most preferred market venues among the increasingly common type of consumers. Results suggest new marketing strategies to conveniently make fresh produce accessible among online shoppers. Furthermore, this study sets a basis for future analyses that will be interested in trucking changes in the preferred market venues for local/regional fresh produce among online shoppers