News
The French and fruit and vegetables
OpinionWay x Smartway survey
Smartway, which has been supporting retailers in the fight against food waste for the past 12 years, wanted to focus on a source of food waste that had so far received little attention: fruit and vegetables, which account for up to 40% of discarded produce.
To help retailers better understand the behavior and expectations of the French, they commissioned OpinionWay to carry out an exclusive survey of their consumer habits. Where do they buy most, and what criteria do they prioritize when making their purchases? Has the rise in prices affected their consumption, and how much do they spend each month?
With rising prices, more than half of French people admit to eating less fruit and vegetables, with budgets doubling between younger and older people, while the famous "5 fruits & vegetables a day" incentive is clearly being shunned. And even if the majority of French people buy their fruit and vegetables in supermarkets, they all share the same demand for quality and freshness, which determines the brand they choose and encourages them to make a purchase.
THE STUDY IN BRIEF
Inflation weighs on consumption, supermarkets dominate, but budgets double between young and old
- Because of inflation, more than 1 in 2 French people (53%) admit to consuming less fruit & vegetables in at least one form (bulk, canned, frozen, packaged).
- Encouragement to consume 5 fruits & vegetables a day is poorly followed by the French: 53% experience it as a difficult goal to reach or a luxury that is difficult to afford (especially 1/3 of 25-34 year olds), while 19% deliberately ignore this goal.
- The average monthly budget spent by the French on fruit & vegetables is €79. This rises to €108 for those aged 65 and over, but is only €46 for the youngest.
- Most French people buy their fruit and vegetables in hypermarkets (44%) and supermarkets (41% ), far ahead of producers and markets (25%) and greengrocers (20%).
Find the full study here.
