COMPARISON SHOPPING AT FARMERS MARKETS AND RETAIL STORES

Prices for local food products are about the same at farmers markets – within a 10% price range – as at retail stores, and, for some foods, they are even less.  Local, certified organic products at farmers markets are almost always competitively priced with those at retail stores. These are just some of the findings from a recent project conducted in Vermont. Researchers compared the average prices of 55 products – such as produce, meat, poultry, and eggs – at 12 Vermont farmers markets and five retail stores.  They found that many items sold at farmers markets are similarly priced to those sold at traditional retail outlets.   For example:

• Prices for organic produce at farmers markets is competitive with retail establishments 92% of the time, including: apples, broccoli, carrots, chard, kale, lettuce, raspberries, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini.
• Produce identified as “local” at farmers markets is competitively priced with retail establishments 89% of the time, including: carrots, chard, garlic, lettuce, summer squash, tomatoes, and zucchini.
• “Local” meat at farmers markets is competitively priced with retail establishments 57% of the time, including: eggs, sirloin, and ham.

Source: USDA, 5/19/126, Comparison Shopping