Farmers' Markets: Consumer Trends, Preferences, and Characteristics

The study reported here provides an overview of attitudes, preferences, and characteristics of consumers who shop at farmers' markets. The results, based on a consumer survey of 336 patrons of New Jersey farmers' markets, revealed that absence of a market in customers' vicinity, lack of knowledge, and inconvenience in terms of time and location were the main reasons for not patronizing these markets. On average, consumers spent $16 per visit, and the majority had attended between two to four different farmers' markets. The majority visited these facilities once a week, once every 2 weeks, or once a month.