A new survey by OCU in Spain has examined the differences in customer satisfaction levels when it comes to fresh food sold in supermarkets.
The survey of some 7,600 consumers explored customer perceptions of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, and bread across 48 supermarket and hypermarket chains, and found that meat received the highest satisfaction score, with an average rating of 76 out of 100.
Fish followed with a score of 72, while fruit and vegetables had a score of 69. Bread ranked lowest, with an average score of 63.
Purchase location
Despite high levels of satisfaction with meat sold in supermarkets, the survey found that around half of consumers prefer to buy it outside their usual supermarket, often choosing butcher shops or local markets, OCU noted.
In contrast, fruit and vegetables are more commonly purchased in supermarkets, with two out of three consumers buying them as part of their regular shopping.
The study also assessed customer perceptions on fresh food in different supermarkets. For meat and fish, higher satisfaction scores were reported for chains including Hipercor, El Corte Inglés, Costco and Plus Fresc.
In the case of fruit and vegetables, few chains achieved scores above 80, with Ametller Origen, Costco, El Corte Inglés and Hipercor among those rated more highly by customers.
Bread remains the lowest-rated fresh product. No supermarket chain reached a score above 80, and one chain, Mi Alcampo, scored below 50.
The survey also shows that bread is the least frequently purchased fresh item in supermarkets, with only 41% of consumers buying it from supermarkets, and the majority purchasing it from bakeries.
Shopping habits
Beyond fresh food, the survey identifies the most commonly purchased supermarket items as dairy products, oil, pasta, rice, frozen foods, detergents and hygiene products.
As it notes, consumer choice of supermarket is influenced primarily by proximity, followed by price, product quality and range. Read more here.
