Farmers Markets: An Analysis of the Determinants of Consumers Attitudes and Behavior

Abstract

This research explores indicators of the attitudes, preferences, and features of customers who buy at farmers’ markets in India, using an intercept survey design. Single-stage purposive sampling was carried out in which consumers were targeted at weekend farmers’ markets at nine different locations within the state of Maharashtra, India. Over a 2-month period of data collection (eight weekend visits) a total of 255 consumers were interviewed on site at the time of purchase, from whom we collected 235 completed questionnaires. Consumers in the sample were divided into three clusters and were rated positively on all seven factors considered. The findings of the study are that in cluster 1, about 80% of consumers were willing to pay more at the farmers’ market rather than to go to a nearby retail outlet or supermarket. Cluster 2 comprised those consumers who prefer value for money while cluster 3 includes those consumers who gave a high rating to the hygiene and service conditions at the market. This research concludes that consumers are positive about the operation of farmers’ markets held near their home.

Profiling the consumers of farmers' markets: a systematic review of survey-based empirical evidence

“…Previous studies have typically identified the proportion of female buyers at FMs as between 50 and 75% (Abelló et al, 2013; Aguirre, 2007; Anderson et al, 1996; Azavedo and Walsh, 2019; Berg and Preston, 2017; A6). Less female participation is found in only a few cases (Foti and Timpanaro, 2021; Schneider and Francis, 2005; Shakeel Ul and Selvaraj, 2013; Solanki and Inumula, 2021), in proportions of 43.7% (Foti and Timpanaro, 2021) and 44.8% (Ashtab and Campbell, 2021). Generally, Asian FMs are associated with fewer female shoppers, ca.…”

“…Young consumers are not typical FM buyers (Ashtab and Campbell, 2021;Mack and Tong, 2015;Renko and Petljak, 2018;Shakeel Ul and Selvaraj, 2013;Singleton et al, 2017;Solanki and Inumula, 2021;Spilkova, 2018;Spilková et al, 2013) A9 Typical FM buyer in the USA is Caucasian (Abelló et al, 2013;Anderson et al, 1996;Bottcher et al, 2017;Chang et al, 2013;Chen, Yu and Fu, 2021;Crandall et al, 2010;Elepu and Mazzocco, 2010;Farmer et al, 2019;Farmer, Minard and Edens, 2016;Ayala, 2018, 2019…”

“…Typical FM buyer in developed countries spends 20-30 USD per occasion (Abelló et al, 2013;Chen, Yu and Fu, 2021;Conner et al, 2009;Elepu and Mazzocco, 2010;Farmer et al, 2019;Garner and Ayala, 2019;Hu, Clarke and Zendehdel, 2021;Mack and Tong, 2015;Pascucci et al, 2011;Youngs, 2003a) A18 Typical FM buyer is willing to pay more at FMs rather than shop at a nearby retail outlet or supermarket (Aguirre, 2007;Brown, 2003;Chang et al, 2013;Conner et al, 2010;Curtis et al, 2020;Garner and Ayala, 2019;González, 2009;Gwin and Lev, 2011;Martínez Michel, Anders and Wismer, 2011;Pisarn, Kim and Yang, 2020;Schneider and Francis, 2005;Solanki and Inumula, 2021;Witzling, Shaw and Trechter, 2019;Youngs, 2003b) A19 Typical FM buyer travels between 1 and 5 miles (Abelló et al, 2013;Åsebø et al, 2007;Chen, Yu and Fu, 2021;Conner et al, 2009;Eastwood, 2001;Farmer, Minard and Edens, 2016;Foti and Timpanaro, 2021;Garner and Ayala, 2019;Ruelas et al, 2012;Sadler, 2016;Schneider and Francis, 2005;Selfa and Qazi, 2005;Shakeel Ul and Selvaraj, 2013;Vargo et al, 2022;…”

“…and Walsh, 2019; Blanck et al, 2011;Bottcher et al, 2017;Chang et al, 2013;Chen, Yu and Fu, 2021;Crandall et al, 2010;Curtis et al, 2020;Dodds and Holmes, 2017;Elepu and Mazzocco, 2010;Farmer et al, 2019;Foti and Timpanaro, 2021;Garner and Ayala, 2018;Gary-Webb et al, 2018;González, 2009;Hunt, 2007;Karpyn et al, 2014;Kushwah, Dhir and Sagar, 2019;Ma and Chang, 2022;Mack and Tong, 2015;Obach and Tobin, 2014;Pascucci et al, 2011;Rainey et al, 2011;Rice, 2015;Rossi, Woods and Davis, 2018;Schneider and Francis, 2005;Shi and Hodges, 2016;Singleton et al, 2017;Solanki and Inumula, 2021;Spilkova, 2018;Spilková et al, 2013;Telligman, Worosz and Bratcher, 2017;Vargo et al, 2022;Vasco et al, 2018;Waldman and Kerr, 2018)…”

Consumers’ Perception of Food and Agriculture Education in Farmers’ Markets in Taiwan

“…In the past, many related studies in the farmers’ market, and the majority of the relevant literature, conducted analyses from the perspective of consumers or producers, such as research on the determinants of consumer attitudes and behavior—with the farmers’ market as an example [ 18 ], knowledge of food safety and sociodemographic factors of farmers’ market consumers [ 19 ], hidden benefits of the short-term food supply chain—taking Italian farmers’ markets as an example [ 20 ], consumers’ purchase intention of agricultural products from the farmers’ market [ 21 ], the purchase intentions of farmers’ markets using mobile payment [ 22 ], and even the willingness of consumers to purchase and loyalty to farmers’ market products [ 23 ]. However, Taiwan’s farmers’ markets that promote food and agricultural education are now emerging gradually, but there are few relevant studies to discuss them from the perspective of food and agricultural education.…”