The Ontario Produce Marketing Association partners with Numerator, a data and tech company reinventing the market research industry with first-party, consumer-sourced data to provide quarterly consumer insights and trends in Ontario shopper behaviour by retail channel and category. Here are some key research findings from the 2023 fourth quarter:

-  Consumer financial concern remains high and 70% of consumers say rising gas prices are impacting their ability to afford other goods & services.

-  67% of Canadian shoppers feel as though the country is in an economic recession right now and 46% of Canadian shoppers are not comfortable with spending money at restaurants, bars, or food delivery service.

-  In Q4 2023, the average Ontario household made 24.9 trips for produce and spent $280.2 on produce.

-  The number of Ontario households buying produce in the discount grocery channel increased by 0.7 PT. However, spending per trip decreased by 3.8%.

-  The number of Ontario households buying produce in the club channel increased by 1.9 PT and spend per trip increased by 12.6%

-  11.8% fewer Ontario households purchased fresh grapes. However, those who purchased spent 28.9% more on fresh grapes per trip.

-  22.6% more Ontario households purchased fresh lettuce. However, those who purchased spent 15.7% less on fresh lettuce.

-  65% of Canadian consumers expect the economy will worsen in the next few months and 71% of Canadian consumers think inflation will increase in the next few months.

View the full report here and the complete fruit and vegetable score card here.

Source:  Ontario Produce Marketing Association February 6, 2024 news release