The Ontario Produce Marketing Association (OPMA), is partnering  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 third quarter Ontario Produce Shopper Snapshot:

·       Consumer financial concern remains high and 60% of consumers rate their level of concern for the economy as 8/10 or higher.

·       69% of Canadian shoppers feel as though the country is in an economic recession right now and 49% of Canadian shoppers are not comfortable with spending money at restaurants, bars, or food delivery service.

·       In Q3 2023, the average Ontario household made 26.1 trips for produce and spent $280.3 on produce.

·       The number of Ontario households buying produce in the discount grocery channel increased by 2.3 PT. However, spending per trip decreased by 6.6%.

·       The number of Ontario households buying produce in the club channel increased by 0.1 PT and spend per trip increased by 1.6%

·       3.7% fewer Ontario households purchased fresh celery. However, those who purchased spent 12.6% more on fresh celery per trip.

·       7.5% more Ontario households purchased fresh lemon. However, those who purchased spent 14.9% less on fresh lemons.

·       67% of Canadian consumers expect the economy will worsen in the next few months and 75% of Canadian consumers think inflation will increase in the next few months.

For more research findings and the complete fruit and veg scorecard, view the full report here.

For more information on OPMA’s partnership with Numerator and how you can access Numerator’s services at a discounted rate, contact Emilia,emilia@theopma.ca. 

Source:  Ontario Produce Marketing Association October 26, 2023 news release