While consumers seek convenience, they are not willing to give up health concerns, especially in the fruit and vegetable category. In the US, two-thirds of consumers are concerned about the safety of imported produce. In the UK, a third of consumers want greater traceability for their fruit and vegetables, with most believing that retailers should provide provenance information. Food safety issues are also affecting the way European consumers prepare fruit and vegetables, with nearly half (47%) of Italian and 44% of French and Spanish consumers claiming to take greater care to wash fruit/vegetables due to food scares. For brands and retailers, offering consumer reassurance in 2014 and beyond will include placing greater emphasis on farms and farmers through ‘artisan’ positioning, promoting handmade and hand-picked qualities while adding a human element to the manufacturing process. In China, retailers such as Auchan and Carrefour have invested in supplier certification and safety programmes, reportedly establishing direct partnerships with farmers and farmers’ co-operatives in order to ensure strict requirements throughout the entire production process. Carrefour is also testing a ‘one farm one store’ programme that utilizes traceable product codes which allow consumers access to production, harvest, process and delivery information. (source: Mintel Global Market Research)
