Mushroom Peat Internet Survey Results

1
Mushroom Peat Internet Survey Results

• Report prepared for
• January, 2003

2
Table of Contents

• Page
• Overview 2
• Objectives 3
• Approach 4
• Executive Summary 5
• Mushroom Peat Internet Survey Findings 6
• Respondent Profile 16

3
Overview
4
Objectives

• Research objectives for the online consumer
  research are as follows
• Gauge consumer perception of mushroom quality and
  peat via presenting photo of mushrooms with peat
  on them and requesting consumer reaction.
• Determine correlation of consumer perception of
  peat and mushroom purchase behavior.
• Measure perception of mushroom quality and peat
  encountered in consumers grocery stores.

5
Approach

• In order to deliver against the objectives, the
  Perishables Group (PG)
• Worked with Mushroom Council to develop a
  targeted Internet consumer interview
  questionnaire.
• Conducted 100 online interviews across the five
  regions of the country (20 respondents per
  region)
• West WA, OR, ID, MT, ND, CA, NV. AZ
• Midsouth SD, WY, UT, CO, NE, KS, NM, OK, TX, LA
• Southeast AR, MS, AL, TN, FL, GA, SC, NC, VA
• Midwest MN, IA, MO, WI, IL, IN, MI, KY, OH, WV
• Northeast ME, NH, VT, NY, PA, MA, CT, RI, NJ,
  DE, MD

6
Executive Summary

• When compared against previous studies showing
  nearly identical quality levels of whole white
  mushrooms without peat moss/dirt consumers
  appeared not to perceive a decrease in the level
  of mushroom quality
• Overall quality rating (mushrooms without peat)
  1.7 to 2.2
• Overall quality rating (mushrooms with peat)
  1.9
• Consumers expressed an intent to purchase
  mushrooms with peat moss/dirt consistent with
  that of mushrooms with no peat moss/dirt
• Overall purchase intent rating (mushrooms without
  peat) 1.5 to 2.0
• Overall purchase intent rating (mushrooms with
  peat) 1.8
• General appearance and color have a greater
  impact on purchase intent than the presence of
  peat moss/dirt
• 49 of consumers who report mushroom purchase
  intent upon entering the store say they have
  delayed mushroom purchases due to the presence of
  peat moss/dirt
• In previous studies 76 of consumers say that in
  the past year they have delayed purchases due to
  other quality factors
• 37.6 cited cleanliness as a reason they WOULD
  buy the peat/dirt covered mushrooms
• Unlike the previous studies a significantly
  smaller group of consumers identified cleanliness
  as a purchase trigger when shown mushrooms with
  peat moss/dirt
• However, as noted above this did not reduce or
  negatively impact purchase intent
• Compared against the results of the earlier
  studies the percentage of consumers saying
  definitely/probably would buy mushrooms with peat
  moss/dirt was nearly identical to purchase intent
  scores from the earlier study
• Consistent with earlier studies the findings
  reinforced that general appearance and color were
  cited as a leading drivers for consumers not to
  purchase fresh mushrooms
• In the earlier study approximately 4 of
  consumers said they would definitely/probably not
  buy vs. approximately 3 in this study

All ratings based on a 1 to 5 scale with 1
being the highest possible rating
7
Mushroom Peat Internet Survey Findings
8
Internet Survey Findings

• White Mushroom Purchase Reasons
• Most consumers (74) surveyed said they buy white
  mushrooms for a specific reason, while 26 said
  they buy mushrooms to have on hand as the need
  arises.

9
Internet Survey Findings

• White Mushroom Lost Sales from Peat Moss
• Forty-nine percent of respondents said that on at
  least one occasion in the past year, they have
  not purchased white mushrooms due to peat moss,
  even though they were planning to buy mushrooms
  when entering the store.
• This is less than the 76 who said they have not
  purchased white mushrooms due to poor quality in
  the past year (combined quality and purchase
  point survey results).

10
Internet Survey Findings

• Frequency of Peat Moss Presence
• Most consumers (58 of respondents) said they
  occasionally find white mushrooms with peat moss
  in their store, while 20 said they often find
  peat moss on their stores mushrooms.

11
Peat Moss Photo

• The following photo was shown to respondents
  periodically throughout the Mushroom Peat Moss
  survey

12
Internet Survey Findings

• Fresh White Mushroom (with Peat Moss) Purchase
  Likelihood
• Consumers said they would probably buy the
  mushrooms (with peat moss) in the photo, with a
  rating of 1.8. In the combined quality and
  purchase point survey results, top quality
  mushrooms (without peat moss) ranged from 1.5 to
  2.0 in average ratings.

How Likely Are You To Purchase These Fresh White
Mushrooms?
13
Internet Survey Findings

• Fresh White Mushroom (with Peat Moss) Purchase
  Likelihood
• Consumers said the mushrooms (with peat moss)
  shown in photo were of good quality. In the
  combined quality and purchase point survey
  results, top quality mushrooms (without peat
  moss) ranged from 1.7 to 2.2 in average ratings.

Fresh White Mushroom Quality
14
Internet Survey Findings

• Fresh White Mushroom (with Peat Moss) Quality
  Comparison
• Consumers said that the mushrooms (with peat
  moss) shown in photo were better than the quality
  of mushrooms they usually find in their grocery
  stores. In the combined quality and purchase
  point survey results, top quality mushrooms
  (without peat moss) ranged from 2.2 to 2.6 in
  average ratings.

How Similar is the Quality of These Fresh White
Mushrooms to the Fresh White Mushrooms You
Usually See In Your Grocery Store?
15
Internet Survey Findings

• Sliced White Mushroom Purchase Triggers
  Probably/Definitely Buy
• Of the 85 consumers who said that they would
  probably/definitely buy the mushrooms shown in
  the photo, most did so primarily because of
  general appearance. Other responses included
  only ones available and price.

Multiple Responses Allowed
16
Internet Survey Findings

• Sliced White Mushroom Purchase Triggers
  Probably/Definitely Not Buy
• Of the 3 consumers who said that they would
  probably/definitely not buy the mushrooms shown
  in the photo, most did so primarily because of
  general appearance. Other responses included
  color/blemishes and usually buy sliced.

Multiple Responses Allowed
17
Internet Survey Respondent Profile
18
Internet Respondent Profile

• PG completed 100 total consumer intercepts
• Typical Respondent Overall
• Age 45-54 Years Old
• Household Size Two adults with no children
• Household Income 25,001 - 50,000
• Ethnicity Caucasian
• Gender Female

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Internet Respondent Profile
While the majority of respondents had no
children, 39 had between 1 and 2 children in the
household.

20
Internet Respondent Profile
Respondents represented a wide range of ages with
the largest group (29) being 45-54 years old.

21
Internet Respondent Profile
Respondents represented a wide range of income
groups with the largest group (43) earning
25,001 - 50,000.

22
Internet Respondent Profile
Respondents represented a range of ethnic groups
with the largest group (79) being Caucasian.

23
Internet Respondent Profile
Respondents represented both gender groups with
the largest group (85) being female.

24
Internet Respondent Profile
Respondents represented a range of marital status
with the largest group (56) being married.