Bananas still rated most-consumed produce item

The banana is still the top ... well, banana.

The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2021 consumer survey shows that more people indicated they have purchased bananas in the past year than any other produce item.
 

Fresh Trends 2021 data, collected in October 2020, found that 65% of consumers said they purchased bananas in the past year, compared with 63% who said they purchased fresh potatoes and apples.

In terms of consumer demographics, higher income shoppers did consume moderately more bananas, according to the survey. Sixty-eight percent shoppers who earn over $100,000 annually said they purchased bananas, compared with 62% who earned under $25,000.

One demographic variable that did seem to offer a bigger variance in consumption was age. According to the data, a whopping 81% of consumers over the age of 60 said they purchased fresh bananas in the past year, compared with 76% of those 50-59, 62% of those 40-49, 53% for those 30-39 and only 47% for those 18-29.

Sixty-five percent of Caucasian/white consumers said they purchased bananas, compared with 51% for African American/black shoppers, 75% of Hispanic customers, 68% of Asian consumers and 62% for those of other ethnic or racial backgrounds.

Fresh Trends 2021 found that 58% of shoppers with kids said they purchased bananas in the past year, compared with 69% of shoppers without kids at home.