Shoppers Willing To Pay More For Locally Produced Food

According to research by Ohio State University, the average shopper is willing to pay a premium for locally produced foods, largely because of guaranteed freshness and a preference for buying food produced by small farms over large, corporate operations.

Presented with two product options which varied in combinations of price, farm location and farm type, researchers asked shoppers which basket of strawberries they would buy. Shoppers at farm markets are willing to pay almost twice as much extra as retail grocery shoppers for the same locally produced foods. Both kinds of shoppers also will pay more for guaranteed fresh produce and tend to favor buying food produced by small farms over what they perceive as corporate operations.