“There’s No Place Like Home”: Inquiry into Preferences for Local Foods

Should I Pay or Should I Grow? Factors Which Influenced the Preferences of US Consumers for Fruit, Vegetables, Wine and Beer during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In a similar manner, these values are also reflected in the reasons why consumers buy organic, sustainable and local food. This is echoed through their food choices which serve as a form of engagement with horticulture [ 46 , 47 ]. While some studies have used these values as predictors of buying behavior, other researchers have used this same set of values to identify consumer segments [ 38 , 48 ].…”

COVID-19 and the Locavores: Investigating the Drivers of US Consumer Preferences for Apples

“…In the US, local food is commonly associated with community-supported agriculture, farmers markets, and buying directly from the farm gate of local growers [11][12][13]. Local food is also available via local food retailers, which is advantageous because it allows local growers to have lower unit costs of production and fewer marketing transactions [14].…”

“…Since COVID-19, the online outlets offering local food directly to consumers have become more prominent, largely because online shopping is able to offer contactless delivery, click and collect options, or shopping experiences that maintain physical distancing requirements [6,15]. Buying local is not a new trend in the US market; it has been promoted by the US Government for over 70 years, often under the banner of maintaining healthy diets, food safety/security, and support for local growers [13]. Buying local has also gained support because consumers believe that it is more sustainable and has reduced adverse environmental impacts [16].…”

“…Whilst extant research shows that there is an agreement on consumer motivations towards buying local food [17][18][19], there is a lack of consensus regarding the definition of local food within the literature. Existing definitions commonly refer to a radius of between 300 and 400 miles as being the definition of local [13,18], while other definitions refer to a 10-50 mile radius, driving hours or state borders [18]. The shorter distance and the connection with the state where the food is produced allows consumers to know how and where their food is produced [13,18].…”

“…Existing definitions commonly refer to a radius of between 300 and 400 miles as being the definition of local [13,18], while other definitions refer to a 10-50 mile radius, driving hours or state borders [18]. The shorter distance and the connection with the state where the food is produced allows consumers to know how and where their food is produced [13,18]. In the US, local fruits such as apples are grown in 32 states, with Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania and California being recognized as the five leading production states [17,21] The products from these states often indicate their origin through State labels, such as Washington grown apples, or are certified by USDA labels.…”