Potato sales at retail continue to surpass typical levels
Potatoes continue to see elevated sales at retail during the COVID-19 pandemic, even as some restrictions have been relaxed over the summer.
From March 16 to Sept. 6, sales have been up every week, and volume of potatoes sold at retail is 22% higher than during the same period in 2019, according to a news release from Potatoes USA.
All categories, from frozen and dehydrated to canned, have performed better, and table stock potato sales are up 33% in dollar sales and 24% in volume.
“The greater increases in the dollar sales over volume reflects significant increases in the price per pound through the summer,” according to the release. “The largest increases in price per pound were refrigerated and fresh potatoes, up 7.6% and 7% compared to the same timeframe in 2019.”
Potatoes USA recently released its Fresh Potato Consumer Profile, a look at retail purchases for the year ending June 30. In that timeframe, 88% of households bought potatoes an average of 10 times, compared to 83% buying them an average of seven times the previous year.
According to IRI, a Chicago research firm, retail carts with potatoes averaged $85.58, and almost half of that when potatoes weren’t purchased.
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