July 1996 (Cost: $20.00)

Introduction

From an historical perspective, food consumption and preferences can be considered to be one of the most traditional or conservative features of society. In most societies around the world, food preferences have proven to be more stable and resistant to change than fashion, recreation, politics, and even religion. Foods are one important way by which many cultures define themselves.

This historical context notwithstanding, as the 20th century draws to a close, the consumer preferences and the food industry are changing more rapidly than perhaps at any other time in history. At a macro economic level, some of these changes are being driven by globalization and free trade (e.g. the elimination of protective trade barriers) and advances in agriculture and food technology (transgenics, food preservation). But as significant are changes in North American consumer preferences and consumption patterns, which are driven in part by demographic and value trends:

Time Pressures. Women, who have traditionally been the primary food shoppers and preparers, are increasingly joining the work force (e.g. dual earner households increased from 32% in 1967 to 60% in 1991), which has placed increasing value on quick preparation/convenience foods and on less formal meal times. This trend has also meant that men are becoming more involved in grocery shopping and meal preparation (Canadian men in dual earner households are five times as likely to be responsible for meal preparation than those in single earner households (Statistics Canada General Society Survey 1990).

Emphasis on Health and Environmental Friendliness. In part because of the aging of the Canadian population (with so-called "baby boomers" now reaching their 40s and 50s), consumers are placing increasing emphasis on foods that are "healthy", spawning the growth in products that are low in fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar, as well as food that is more "natural" (e.g. organic, environmentally friendly). And industry is responding (e.g. Proctor and Gamble's $200 million investment in development of olestra, its fat-free substitute).

Introduction of New Food Products. As a result of free trade and globalization, new types of food products are becoming available on supermarket shelves, a trend that is particularly significant in the Maritimes, where consumers now have a much greater variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other specialty products that were previously not available in the region. This trend is also partly the result of growing competition for the consumers' food dollar, and the introduction of new types of food outlets, from new grocery chains, big-box stores (e.g. Price Club) at one end of the spectrum, to local farmers' markets on the other end. The growing availability of new products has fuelled increasing expectations for quality and freshness.

These trends present significant challenges to the agri-food industry in Nova Scotia, which is relatively small in scale in comparison to other parts of North America. With the imminent reduction or elimination of protective trade barriers, the industry needs to ensure that it can be competitive and successful in the regional market. To accomplish this requires a sound understanding of consumer preferences and habits, both what they are now and where they appear to be heading over the next few years.

Research Objectives

In 1993, the Department of Agriculture and Marketing commissioned the first Nova Scotia Consumer Food Study to profile the attitudes, perceptions and purchasing practices of Nova Scotia consumers. The purpose of the current study is to update the 1993 study and expand the scope to include all three Maritime provinces, to provide current information on food consumers' knowledge, attitudes and purchasing practices, with specific focus on provincial and Maritime food products.

Specifically, the research is intended to:

Identify important trends and changes among Nova Scotia consumer attitudes and behaviours since 1993, where comparative data are available;

Measure similarities and differences between Nova Scotia consumers and those in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (information that will assist the Nova Scotia industry in marketing to these regional markets);

Expand the examination of key issues, such as perceptions of quality for specific food products; and comparison of quality between local and imported foods;

Address new issues not covered in the 1993 study (e.g. meat inspection, agri-tourism, big-box stores, transgenics);

Identify important similarities and differences across demographic and regional sub-groups, plus identify any other significant factors by which consumers can be segmented; and

Provide strategic conclusions and recommendations to the Department and industry, based on the research findings.

The study consisted of telephone interviews with a representative sample of 904 residents of the three Maritime provinces (18 years or older), conducted between March 6 and 15, 1996. A description of the methodology used to conduct the study is provided at the back of this report.

This report begins with an executive summary, key conclusions and recommendations, followed by a detailed analysis of the study findings. While this survey covers all three Maritime provinces, the results for Nova Scotia are highlighted wherever they differ noticeably from the other two provinces. Appended to this report is a copy of the survey questionnaire (Appendix A) and comprehensive tabular results (Appendix B) which present the results for all questions by province and demographic sub-groups. These tables are noted by number in the report for easy reference.