Farmers’ Market Consumer Preferences for Fresh Produce Attributes: Marketing and Policy Implications

This study assesses farmers’ market consumer preferences for fresh produce appearance, experience, credence, and pricing attributes through in-person survey data collected at farmers’ markets. Results indicate experience attributes are most important to consumers, illustrating the extreme importance of product quality. Experience attributes were preferred by consumers with food safety and diet/health concerns, while credence attributes were preferred by those with strong environmental and food origin concerns. Appearance attributes were favored by older individuals with no environmental or product origin concerns. Target consumers for fresh produce include non-price sensitive, highly educated consumers, who frequent farmers’ markets often, and with food safety concerns. Increasing the variety of products available through public assistance programs may improve participant fresh produce consumption.