Ontarians Interested in Ontario Produced Meat

Guelph – ON – A pair of new Ipsos Reid surveys have found that Ontarians are interested in purchasing meat produced in their province. The next time they purchase meat, consumers indicated they are either very likely (58%) or somewhat likely (16%) to select meat produced in Ontario – assuming the package identifies it as Ontario-produced and the price is comparable to other meat products available. Although 45% of Ontario consumers indicated that Ontario produced meats are products they would look for in the grocery store, only 27% agreed that Ontario produced meats can be easily identified in the grocery store.

Perceptions of Ontario Produced Meats are Positive

Some of the reasons for strong purchase intent include the positive perceptions Ontarians have towards meat produced in Ontario:

• They conform to the highest production standards (59%)
• They are delicious (56%)
• They are produced with the highest quality standards (55%)
• They are products consumers trust (54%)

Consumers also acknowledge the economic link to producers by purchasing Ontario produced meat:

• It is an important part of the local economy (69%)
• It makes them feel like they are helping local farmers (55%)

Benefits of buying locally grown meat vs. “other” fresh meat

For consumers, the biggest benefits for buying locally produced meat are the economic benefits derived from supporting the community and the farmers themselves. Respondents stated that the benefits for “buying local” included helping the local economy (72%) and supporting family farmers (69%). In the past six months, consumers have relayed a pre-disposition towards purchasing locally grown food when it was available. When asked how often they bought a locally grown version when available, respondents stated: Always (8%), Usually (37%), Sometimes (38%), Rarely (9%) and Never (7%).

Farmers’ Markets Maintain Strong Levels of Purchasing Frequency

As a further sign of their desire for Ontario produced meat, slightly more than one-quarter of respondents indicated they always (2%) or sometimes (25%) purchase meat from farmers’ markets.

About Ipsos-Reid
Ipsos-Reid is Canada’s leading marketing research and public affairs company in Canada, both in terms of size and reputation. It operates in seven cities and employs more than 300 researchers and support staff in Canada. It has the biggest network of telephone call centres, as well as the largest prerecruited household and online panels in Canada. Its Canadian marketing research and public affairs practices are staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds offering the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, including the Ipsos Trend Report, the leading source of public opinion in the country. Ipsos-Reid is a member of the Ipsos Group, the second largest survey-based marketing research company in the world.