Fruit and Vegetable Purchases in Farmer’s Market Stands: Analysing Survey and Sales Data

Pauline Rebouillat, Sarah Bonin, Yan Kestens, Sarah Chaput, Louis Drouin and Geneviève Mercille
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Pauline Rebouillat: Institut de Santé Publique d’Épidémiologie et de Développement (ISPED), Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France
Sarah Bonin: Département de médecine sociale et préventive, École de Santé Publique de l’Université de Montréal, 7101 Avenue du Parc, Montréal, QC H3N 1X9, Canada
Yan Kestens: Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, 850 St-Denis, Montréal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Sarah Chaput: Centre de recherche du Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal, 850 St-Denis, Montréal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Louis Drouin: Direction régionale de santé publique, Centre intégré universitaire de santé et services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Ile-de-Montréal, Montréal, QC H2L 1M3, Canada
Geneviève Mercille: Département de nutrition, Université de Montréal, 2450 Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, QC H3T 1A8, Canada

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 17, issue 1, 1-22

Abstract: Farmers’ market implementation holds promise for increasing access to healthy foods. Although rarely measured, purchase data constitute an intermediate outcome between food environment and actual consumption. In a study conducted with two seasonal Fruits and Vegetables (FV) stands in a disadvantaged area of Montréal (Canada), we analysed how accessibility, perception, and mobility-related factors were associated with FV purchase. This analysis uses a novel measure of FV purchasing practices based on sales data obtained from a mobile application. A 2016 survey collected information on markets’ physical access, perceived access to FV in the neighbourhood, usual FV consumption and purchases. Multivariate models were used to analyse three purchasing practice indicators: number of FV portions, FV variety and expenditures. Average shoppers purchased 12 FV portions of three distinct varieties and spent 5$. Shoppers stopping at the market on their usual travel route spent less ( p = 0.11), bought fewer portions ( p = 0.03) and a lesser FV variety ( p < 0.01). FV stands may complement FV dietary intake. Individuals for whom the market is on their usual travel route might make more frequent visits and, therefore, smaller purchases. The novel data collection method allowed analysis of multiple purchase variables, is precise and easy to apply at unconventional points of sales and could be transposed elsewhere.

Keywords: fruits and vegetables; food access; food environment; farmers’ market; health inequalities; sales data; food purchases; disadvantaged neighbourhoods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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