Australian consumers still in love with potatoes

Potatoes continue to be seen as an important staple for Australians according to the latest wave of the Potato Tracker project, with survey respondents indicating that they consume the commodity an average of 14 times per month.

Additionally, potatoes are also a consistent feature in the top 5 most purchased vegetables among those surveyed, and still regarded as good value for money.

“Wave five of the industry funded, consumer research project has revealed that Australian shoppers across different age groups are drawn to potatoes for a range of reasons,” said AUSVEG spokesperson Alexander Miller.

AUSVEG is the leading horticultural body representing more than 2,000 Australian potato growers.

“The report suggests that consumers purchase potatoes for a variety of reasons, including their ease of preparation, ability to be incorporated into a number of different meals and great taste,” said Mr Miller.

“The research conducted as part of Potato Tracker is designed to enable Australian potato growers to better orient their growing operations in terms of what consumers want and to maximise market opportunities.”

“The latest research shows that Australians are drawn to the all-rounder vegetable that is quick and easy to prepare and is good for the whole family. The potato’s versatility is also a draw card, with its ability to complement a variety of meals a trigger for purchase.”

“Aussie consumers are also still showing signs that they are happy with the high-quality Australian potatoes available to them for purchase, which is wonderful news for the industry,” said Mr Miller.

“Potatoes are a great tasting addition to any meal. The fact that there are such a large number of triggers to purchase for potatoes is an encouraging sign for growers.”

The report also showed that consumers enjoy pairing their potatoes with cauliflower, pumpkin, carrots, broccoli and green peas.

Consumer research agency, Colmar Brunton, is conducting the on-line tracking for the fresh potato industry, examining and analysing consumer attitudes and market trends in relation to potatoes.

January's report is the fifth wave of the consumer research project. A wave of research is conducted each month, with consumers from around Australia surveyed on their potato purchasing habits. Each wave of research is distributed to the industry by AUSVEG.
 This project has been funded by Horticulture Innovation Australia Ltd using the National Fresh Potato Levy and funds from the Australian Government.