From Paddock to Perception: Unpacking why Consumers Undervalue Fresh Veggies

Authors

Dr. Meike Rombach

Abstract:

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a number of vegetable growers across New Zealand. One theme that kept coming up-regardless of crop, scale, or region-was value perception. Growers repeatedly voiced their concerns around how their produce is valued, especially in the context of their relationships with food retailers and the broader supply chain. These conversations offered valuable insight into the pressures faced on the production side. But to truly understand why fresh vegetables are often undervalued in our domestic market, we need to go beyond the farm gate and untangle the consumer's mind. It’s in the everyday decisions, habits, and assumptions of the consumer that the real picture of value perception begins to take shape.