Canadian grocery shoppers equate freshness with local

New Egg Farmers of Canada survey also shows the majority of households say imported foods cannot be fresh

OTTAWA, April 19, 2013 – Canadians overwhelmingly demand that the farm products they buy be fresh, with 90 per cent saying that farms within their province deliver that freshness, says a new survey conducted for the Egg Farmers of Canada. Distance from farm to grocery store is seen as the key to freshness. Eighty per cent are confident products from within Canada are at peak quality when purchased. Conversely, 53 per cent believe imported foods cannot be considered fresh.

“In an age where grocery aisles are filled with foods from around the world, it is clear that Canadians place the highest value on locally produced food, exactly what the system of supply management allows for,” says Bonnie Cohen, Manager of Marketing and Nutrition for Egg Farmers of Canada. “The results are identical regardless of socio-economic status, telling us that all households want the food they feed their families produced by local farmers.”

Eighty-two per cent of Canadians polled say they are confident the eggs they buy are fresh. This was the highest scoring category in the question that also asked about poultry, beef, vegetables and fruits.

Egg farmers in Canada operate under a supply management system that ensures local family farms receive the fair and stable prices they need to be among the world’s most efficient producers of top quality eggs.

“The unique system of supply management is the reason our farmers can deliver the freshness and quality that Canadian consumers expect and demand,” says Cohen.

The survey, conducted by Vision Critical, polled 3,015 Canadians 18 or older in the second week of April. The results have a margin of error of +/- 1.8 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

About Egg Farmers of Canada

Now in its fourth decade as one of Canada’s leading agriculture organizations, Egg Farmers of Canada manages the national egg supply and promotes egg consumption while representing the interests of regulated egg producers from coast to coast.