The potato tracker consumer research project was run by Colmar Brunton across a 12-month period, with a new wave of research released every month. In late 2015, Potatoes Australia looked back on the highlights of each wave, giving growers the perfect chance to identify market opportunities for their businesses.

Wave 1: September 2014

The initial Potato Tracker report provided a range of useful insights about consumer perceptions of potatoes. The findings showed that 66 per cent of consumers purchased potatoes because they were easy to prepare and cook with.

Awareness of potato varieties was high, with Desiree, Dutch Delight, Pink Eye and Pontiac being the varieties of which consumers were most aware. While consumers intended to keep purchasing potatoes in future, the main barrier to buying more was that they ‘consume enough for their needs’.

One of the most encouraging findings was that potatoes were considered to represent good value for money, particularly washed and brushed potatoes.

Wave 2: October 2014

Findings from the October report showed that the future for potatoes was strong, with younger age groups having a particularly high propensity to purchase more potatoes. Given the large proportion of respondents purchasing both washed and brushed potatoes, the report identified the opportunity to differentiate between the two and promote the benefits of each.

Diet concerns and weight management were a key barrier to purchase, opening up the possibility of educating consumers on the health benefits of potatoes. It was also reported that consumers want information on the suitability of different varieties for different cooking styles, as well as country of origin and best before dates. The report recommended that growers work with manufacturers, packers and retailers to communicate this information to consumers.

Wave 3: November 2014

During November, findings indicated that 55 per cent of consumers believed that they already consumed enough potatoes for their needs. They also lacked confidence in cooking with multiple varieties of potato. The report suggested that these barriers to purchase could be reduced by providing recipe ideas and cooking instructions, as well as new occasions for eating potatoes.

Another interesting finding was that purchase and consumption was more popular in older age groups and ‘empty nesters’. However, there was also an opportunity to increase appeal to younger, busier consumers by offering more pre-prepared formats and mixed vegetable bundle packs.

Wave 4: December 2014

This wave of research found that 63 per cent of consumers purchased potatoes because they enjoyed the taste. Potatoes were consistently served with carrots, peas and broccoli, providing an opportunity to explore packaging options and bundle these vegetables together, perhaps pre-cut.

Perceptions that some foods were more suitable for families were shown to be on the rise. Given this, potatoes could be marketed to families by clearly labelling the number of serving sizes on packaged potatoes.

Meanwhile, the report found that gluten free and other health trends were continually on the rise and recommended an investigation into new processing opportunities for potatoes, as there may be higher demand for potatoes as a substitute for wheat and gluten.

Wave 5: January 2015

Potato purchases fell this month, while consumer complaints doubled. An exploration into quality issues and checks across the supply chain was advised to minimise this problem. It was also found that consumers prefer an all-purpose variety of potato, rather than specific varieties that are suited to certain cooking methods.

The report recommended investigating which potatoes were most versatile and promoting these accordingly. The report indicated that triggers to purchasing potatoes differed across various consumer segments and therefore a multi-layered approach should be used. For example, brands and retailers could capture attention in-store and on packaging using multiple messages.

Wave 6: February 2015

The main barriers to purchasing potatoes this month revolved around quality issues and expense.

The report recommended reassurance instore that despite aesthetic and superficial defects, the quality of the potato was not affected. The barrier of expense was shown to be primarily driven by consumer perceptions rather than an increase in retail price. In response, retailers could highlight best value options, such as loose and brushed potatoes.

This month also showed a decrease in potato freshness perceptions. As well as ensuring that regular quality checks were in place and enforced, the report signalled an opportunity to educate consumers on correct storage methods to extend shelf life.

Wave 7: March 2015

This month showed a decrease in consumer satisfaction and a rise in the belief that they consumed enough potatoes for their needs. The report suggested that consumers might be running out of ideas for potatoes, sparking an opportunity to promote a ‘potato of the month’ that is particularly good for seasonal dishes.

Also noted was a sizable increase in the importance of provenance to consumers. Packaging and signage in-store could emphasise that potatoes were grown in Australia, along with further information on the state or region.

Another point of interest was the finding that consumers throw out 15 per cent of what they buy on average. This could be minimised by communicating storage information and best before dates, as well as ideas about how consumers can use the whole potato when cooking.

Wave 8: April 2015

This wave of research showed that there has been an increase in ‘quick meals’ that incorporate potatoes, which is reflected in their popularity as an accompaniment to a meal rather than a key ingredient.

The report also indicated that the continued growth of Asian culture within Australia was likely to be contributing to the substantial decrease in tradition and habit as drivers to purchasing potatoes. The report recommended that potato versatility in multicultural cuisines should be highlighted.

The topical issue of sugar was raised in the report as likely to be having a positive impact on earlier barriers to purchase, such as weight/diet and health concerns. Packaging and signage should clearly call out ‘no sugar’, along with ‘low fat’ and other health claims.

Wave 9: May 2015

The May report signalled an opportunity to promote larger formats of pre-packaged potatoes. It was found that 2kg pre-packaged bags are the ideal size and format, followed by 1kg and 5kg+ bags. This could be done by highlighting the value for money and the bag’s perfect size for the whole family.

Although consumers like the value of larger pre-packaged bags, a barrier to purchase was the difficulty of carrying such bags. The report recommended investigating alternative packaging options, such as boxes with handles or sturdy hessian bags with handles.

Another barrier to purchasing larger bags of potatoes was perceived shelf life. To encourage consumers to buy larger bags, the length of freshness could be clearly communicated on the packaging, including best before dates.

Wave 10: June 2015

The June report focused on four distinct segments of consumers in the marketplace. Particularly relevant to the industry is a segment of consumers called ‘Wholesome Habits’ who eat potatoes routinely and are not looking for anything new, and another called ‘Eager Explorers’ who are interested in the taste, colour and texture of potatoes and are open to experimentation.

The industry could increasingly target ‘Wholesome Habits’ consumers by providing alternative meal occasions outside of dinner time, to make potatoes more relevant throughout the day. Formats could convey value for money and minimise wastage.

‘Eager Explorer’ consumers could be attracted with in-store displays that promote freshness and quality. These consumers are perfect targets for promoting multiple types of potatoes with different skins and flesh colours. The report recommended clear communication of the flavour profiles of different varieties and providing new and different recipe ideas outside of Australian cuisine.

Wave 11: July 2015

In the July report, it was found that the winter months corresponded with an increase in potato purchasing frequency and consumption. This momentum could be maintained by highlighting potatoes as a regular part of the family meal, as well as introducing consumers to its versatility with alternative winter cooking styles.

Results also showed that consumers were most willing to pay more for washed, loose potatoes or organic, loose potatoes. This preference can be supported by highlighting the convenience and reduced preparation times of washed potatoes and the perceived health and sustainability benefits of organic potatoes.

Wave 12: August 2015

Results from this wave showed that 90 per cent of consumers purchased potatoes in the last month. Consumers were found to choose specific potato varieties primarily based on price, which was likely due to a lack of awareness of the flavour, freshness and cooking attributes of different varieties. To develop and expand this area, it was recommended that consumers should be educated on the differences and benefits of potato varieties.

Through other research, Colmar Brunton found that the consumer’s dominant barrier to purchasing potatoes – consuming enough for their needs – was intrinsically linked to wastage and a desire to limit this waste. To combat this, recipe ideas could be provided that use the whole potato.

Consumers could also be informed about the additional flavour and nutritional benefits of eating the skin. Another recommendation to reassure consumers who are concerned about wastage was to ensure that best before dates and estimated freshness are clearly provided on packaging or in-store.

Find out more

The Potato Tracker project took place over a 12-month period and concluded in 2015.

Full copies of all reports can be found on the AUSVEG website.

A final report for the project, providing a detailed look at the methodology of the study and highlighting key insights that emerged over the life of the project, is also available here.

Potato Tracker – consumer and market research for the fresh potato industry was a strategic levy under the Hort Innovation Potato – Fresh Fund.

This project was funded by Hort Innovation using the fresh potato research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.

Project Number: PT13015