STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT
• Sample- 300 Consumers and 100 purchasing agents
• Consumers stated in rank order; once a week, more than once a week and every other week as how often they grocery shop.
• Purchasing agents stated in rank order; once a week, twice a week and every day
as often they purchase food for their facilities.
• Consumers stated in rank order; taste, nutritional value, healthy and cost as most important items to them when making food purchases.
• Consumers stated in rank order; advertising, organic foods, packaging and name brand as the least important items to them when making food purchases.
• Purchasing agents stated in rank order; taste, availability, cost and healthy as most important items to them when making food purchases.
• Purchasing agents stated in rank order; organic foods, advertising, natural foods and name brand as the least important items to them when making food purchases.
Consumers also mentioned freshness, appearance, store location and cost (tied) as other important items when making food purchases.
Purchasing agents also mentioned quality of product, timely delivery and freshness as other important items when making food purchases.
• Over three-fourths of the consumers stated they consider themselves a health conscious person.
As the age of the respondent increased, so did the likelihood they considered themselves a health conscious person.
• Over three-fourths of consumers and over half of purchasing agents stated they purchase certain foods because of health benefits.
School/universities were most likely and restaurants were least likely to purchase foods because of health benefits.
Women were more likely than men to purchase foods because of health benefits.
• Of those consumers stating they purchase foods because of health benefits, stated in rank order; fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and lean meats/fish as the foods they purchase because of health benefits.
• Of those purchasing agents stating they purchase foods because of health benefits, stated in rank order; fresh vegetables and fruits, low fat foods and lean meats/fish as the foods they purchase because of health benefits.
• Consumers stated in rank order; magazines, news, food labels and website as where they obtain health information about foods.
• Purchasing agents stated in rank order; website, vendor/distribution and health nutrition stores as where they obtain health information about foods.
All the business types (hospitals, military, nursing homes, restaurants and schools/universities) except correctional facilities stated they obtain their health information about foods from websites.
• Over three-fourths of the consumers and less than half of the purchasing agents stated they read the food label before purchasing.
Hospitals were most likely and military were least likely to read the food label before purchasing.
Women were more likely than men to read the food label before purchasing.
• Of those consumers stating they read food labels, stated in rank order; nutritional value, ingredients and fat content/calories as what items they are looking for on the label.
• Of those purchasing agents stating they read food labels, stated in rank order; nutritional value and fat content/calories (tied) and ingredients as what items they are looking for on the label.
• Consumers stated in rank order; heated to kill bacteria, process for dairy products and it has been cooked as what the word “pasteurized” means.
• Purchasing agents stated in rank order; heated to kill bacteria, process for dairy products and safe as what the word “pasteurized” means.
One fifth of the total respondents stated “don’t know” as what the word “pasteurized” means.
• Over half of the purchasing agents and consumers stated they would be more likely to purchase a food if it says “pasteurized” on the label.
As the age of the consumer increased, so did their likelihood to buy a food if it says “pasteurized” on the label.
Over three-fourths of the school/university purchasing agents stated they would be more likely to purchase a food if it says “pasteurized” on the label.
• Total respondents stated “highest quality” as what the phrase “Grade A” means.
• Over half of the total respondents stated they would be more likely to purchase a food with “Grade A” on the label.
• Over half of the total respondents stated they would pay more for a food product that has perceived health benefits.
• Over half of the total respondents stated they do not purchase certain foods because of possible health risks.
Nursing homes were the most likely to not purchase certain foods because of possible health risks.
• Of those consumers stating they do not purchase certain foods because of possible health risks, stated in rank order; sugars/candy, high fat foods, and processed foods as the foods they do not purchase.
• Of those purchasing agents stating they do not purchase certain foods because of possible health risks, stated in rank order; spinach, high fat foods and sugars/candy as the foods they do not purchase.
• Over three-fourths of the total respondents stated they have heard news stories about certain foods making consumers ill.
• Of those total respondents stating they have heard news stories about certain foods making consumers ill, over two-thirds stated they stopped eating that food when they heard the stories.
• Over half of the total respondents stated they went back to eating those foods once the FDA gave approval to eat it again.
Men were more likely than women to go back to eating food once the FDA gave approval to eat it again.
• Two-thirds of the total respondents stated they stopped purchasing that food when they heard the news stories.
• Over half of the total respondents stated they went back to purchasing those foods one the FDA gave approval to eat it again.
As the age of the consumer increased, the likelihood to purchase those foods after the FDA gave approval to eat it again, decreased.
• Two thirds of purchasing agents and over three-fourths of consumers stated they purchase fresh eggs.
Of the business types, restaurants were least likely to purchase fresh eggs.
• Of those total respondents stating they do not purchase fresh eggs, stated in rank order; do not use, availability in store, not healthy as why they do not purchase fresh eggs.
Consumers stated, “not healthy”, while purchasing agents stated, “do not need/use” as why they do not purchase fresh eggs.
• Consumers stating they purchase fresh eggs, stated in rank order; every other week, once a month and once a week as how often they purchase fresh eggs.
• Purchasing agents stating they purchase fresh eggs, stated in rank order; once a week, more than once a week and every other week as how often they purchase fresh eggs.
• Over three-fourths of purchasing agents stated they purchase the same brand of eggs every time they shop.
• Over half of the consumers stated they do NOT purchase the same brand of eggs every time they shop.
• Total respondents stated in rank order; cost, availability and freshness as the most important reason they choose the brand of eggs to purchase.
• Of those purchasing agents stating they purchase fresh eggs, stated in rank order; more than 30 dozen, 1-2 dozen, 3-4 dozen and 11-20 dozen (tied) as the number of dozen eggs they purchase each week.
• Of those consumers stating they purchase fresh eggs, stated in rank order; 1-2 dozen, less than a dozen and 3-4 dozen as the number of dozen eggs they purchase each week.
• Over half of the consumers stated they eat eggs twice a week or more.
• Total respondents stated in rank order; baking/cooking, breakfast foods, and hard boiled as how they use eggs.
• Over three-fourths of the total respondents stated they do NOT use fresh eggs for recipes such as Caesar salad or Hollandaise Sauce.
• Total respondents stated in rank order; size of egg, cost and taste as the most important items when making egg purchases.
• Consumers stated in rank order; advertising, organic and brand name as the least important items when making egg purchases.
• Purchasing agents stated in rank order; advertising, organic and eggs laid locally as the least important items when making egg purchases.
• Consumers stated, not broken/cracked, freshness and color as other important factors when making egg purchases.
• Purchasing agents stated, freshness, color and quality (tied) as other important factors when making egg purchases.
• Over three-fourths of the total respondents stated they do NOT purchase organic eggs.
• Of those consumers stating they do purchase organic eggs, nearly half stated they use organic eggs because they are healthier.
• Over three-fourths of the total respondents stated they do NOT purchase egg substitute products.
Purchasing agents (36%) were more likely than consumers (16%) to purchase egg substitute products.
94% of hospital purchasing agents stated they purchase egg substitute products.
• Of those total respondents stating they use egg substitute products, Egg Beaters was mentioned most often as the egg substitute purchased.
• Of those total respondents stating they use egg substitute products, stated “health benefits” as why they purchase egg substitute products.
• Over three-fourths of the total respondents stated they believe eggs are healthy.
• Over half of the total respondents stated “high in protein” as a health benefit of eggs.
• Over half of the total respondents stated “high cholesterol” as some of the health concerns of eggs.
• 91% of the total respondents stated they do NOT have concerns about using fresh eggs.
• Over one-quarter of the purchasing agents stated they use other products to replace fresh eggs.
Hospitals were the most likely of the business types to purchase other products to replace fresh eggs.
• Of those total respondents stating they use other products to replace fresh eggs stated Egg Beaters most often.
• 90% of the total respondents using other products to replace fresh eggs, stated they were somewhat to very satisfied with the egg substitution product they are using.
• Over half of the total respondents stated they have heard about people becoming ill from salmonella by consuming eggs.
• 94% of the total respondents stated they have NOT decreased their consumption of eggs because of concerns of salmonella.
• 96% of the total respondents stated they have heard of the Avian Flu.
• Less than half of the total respondents stated they know how people contract the bird flu.
• Over half of the total respondents stated people CANNOT contract the bird flu by eating eggs.
• 98% of the total respondents have NOT decreased their consumption of eggs because of concerns of bird flu.
• Over three-fourths of total respondents stated they have NOT heard of salmonella free eggs.
• Over half of the total respondents stated they would be somewhat to very likely to purchase salmonella free eggs.
Hospitals and schools were the most likely of the business types to purchase salmonella free eggs.
• Of the consumers stating they were somewhat to very likely to purchase salmonella free eggs, 28% stated they would be willing to pay $2.69 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $2.69 a dozen, 8% stated they would be willing to pay $2.49 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $2.49 a dozen or higher, 11% stated they would be willing to pay $2.29 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $2.29 a dozen or higher, 32% stated they would be willing to pay $1.99 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $1.99 a dozen or higher, 21% stated they would be willing to pay $1.69 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $1.69 a dozen or higher, 60% stated they would be willing to pay $1.29 a dozen.
• Of the purchasing agents stating they were somewhat to very likely to purchase salmonella free eggs, 36% stated they would be willing to pay $2.69 a dozen.
• Of those purchasing agents stating they wouldn’t pay $2.69 a dozen, 3% stated they would be willing to pay $2.49 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $2.49 a dozen or higher, 7% stated they would be willing to pay $2.29 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $2.29 a dozen or higher, 26% stated they would be willing to pay $1.99 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $1.99 a dozen or higher, 30% stated they would be willing to pay $1.69 a dozen.
• Of those consumers stating they wouldn’t pay $1.69 a dozen or higher, 50% stated they would be willing to pay $1.29 a dozen.
• Of those total respondents stating they use egg substitute products, over half stated they would use egg substitute products even if they had the availability to use salmonella free eggs.
• Of those respondents stating they would use egg substitute products even with the availability of salmonella free eggs, stated in rank order; good price, health benefits and better taste would encourage them to switch from egg substitute product to salmonella free eggs.
• Total respondents stated in rank order; safe to eat, bacteria free and health benefits as the biggest advantage of salmonella free eggs.
• Half of the total respondents stated “cost” as the biggest disadvantage of salmonella free eggs.
• Over half of the total respondents stated “cost” as the biggest barrier keeping them from using salmonella free eggs.
• Over half of the total respondents stated the words “salmonella free” should be on the label.
• Total respondents stated, “healthy, safe, and FDA approved” should also be on the label to encourage consumers to purchase salmonella free eggs.
• Over half of the total respondents stated the salmonella free designation has “no effect” on their likelihood to purchase this food product.
37% total respondents were more likely while only 6% were less likely to purchase this food product with the salmonella free designation.
• Consumers stated in rank order; news/television, advertising claims and grocery store as where they would expect to hear about a salmonella free egg product.
• Purchasing agents stated in rank order; news/television, grocery store and advertising claims as where they would expect to hear about a salmonella free egg product.
• Total respondents stated “process to make salmonella free eggs” as the additional information producers should give to consumers to encourage them to purchase their eggs.