Editor’s note: The following report is from The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2024, which provides insight based on survey responses from consumers. Since 1983, The Packer has sponsored 41 major consumer studies to track trends in the purchases and consumption of fresh produce, documenting the fluctuation in purchases of specific fruits and vegetables as well as changing attitudes toward industry issues.
The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2024 data shows 54% of surveyed consumers reported purchasing blueberries in the past 12 months, up from 37% in the 2023 survey and 41% in 2022.
Retail per capita availability of blueberries increased from 0.2 pounds in 2000 to 2.3 pounds in 2021.
Almost 68% of consumers surveyed in Fresh Trends 2024 said they are buying a larger variety of fresh produce today than they were 20 years ago. When asked which produce items they purchase now that they previously did not buy, 20.5% included blueberries in their response.
A greater percentage of higher-income consumers reported fresh blueberry purchases when compared to lower-income shoppers. Nearly 68.4% of consumer households making more than $100,000 annually reported fresh blueberry purchases, compared to 32% of households making less than $25,000 a year.
Families with two children at were most frequent buyers of blueberries, according to Fresh Trends 2024 data.
Those who purchase blueberries tend to skew older, with 54.7% of those aged 60 and older and 58.3% of those aged 50-59 reporting blueberry purchases, compared with 46.1% of those aged 18-29.
Fresh Trends 2024 data found more shoppers in the Northeast reported purchasing blueberries at 62.1%, while 50.5% of surveyed consumers in the South purchased blueberries.
Average shipping-point prices for blueberries during 2023 was $24.79 per carton, up from $19.85 per carton in 2022.
Fresh Trends 2024 data for blueberries
Reported purchase based on household income*
- Less than $25K — 32%
- $25K<$50K — 46%
- $50K<$100K — 57%
- $100K+ — 68%
*Annual household income
Reported purchase based on dependent children
- Have kids — 54%
- 1 kid — 53%
- 2 kids — 56%
- 3 or more kids — 55%
- No kids — 54%
Reported purchase based on region
- Midwest — 51%
- Northeast — 62%
- South — 51%
- West — 54%
Reported purchase based on age*
- 18-29 — 46%
- 30-39 — 56%
- 40-49 — 57%
- 50-59 — 58%
- 60+ — 55%
*Considering primary household buyers
Reported purchase based on ethnicity
- Asian — 53%
- Black/African American — 42%
- Hispanic — 50%
- Other — 56%
- White/Caucasian — 57%
