More than two-thirds of shoppers will pay a premium for fresh food: Deloitte

People who are willing to pay more for fresh products are open to spending 28% more for those types of goods than for frozen, canned or processed options.

A similar proportion (64%) of grocery industry executives polled by Deloitte said the fresh department is the most strategically important area for their sales growth plan during the next 12-36 months.

The researchers also found that consumers are willing to pay an even larger premium for sustainably produced fresh food. Participants in the survey indicated that they would be willing to spend an average of 30% more for these goods, but grocery executives said they believed shoppers would be willing to pay just 12% extra.

While people are willing to spend more for what they feel is higher-quality food, cost concerns remain paramount, with 93% of the shoppers Deloitte surveyed saying price is their top purchase driver.

Consumers also told Deloitte that they feel grocers play a central role in making sure they have access to food that is safe. Thirty-seven percent of shoppers said they feel trusting a grocery store to ensure food safety is more important than brands (30%) or government regulatory bodies (24%).

Grocery Dive