Bananas top consumer preference among fruits

Behind only potatoes in frequency of consumer purchases, bananas are tied with apples as the most popular fruit commodity in The Packer’s Fresh Trends 2019 survey.

According to the survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, bananas are purchased by 69% of shoppers, tied with apples and only 2% behind potatoes.

Fresh Trends reports bananas are popular among both lower and higher income shoppers, with 64% of shippers under $25,000 reporting purchases in the past 12 months, compared with 71% of shoppers making over $100,000 per year.

Women purchase bananas more frequently than men, according to the survey. Nearly three out of four women (74%) report purchasing bananas in the past year, compared with 64% of men.

There are also differences in banana purchases among age groups, with older consumers the most active consumers of bananas and young consumers at the other end of the spectrum.

Only 58% of consumers age 18-39 reported purchasing bananas in the past year, compared with 73% of those age 40-49, 71% of those 50-58, and 83% of those 59 and older.

White consumers are the most frequent buyers of bananas. Fresh Trends reports 77% of white consumers purchased bananas in the past year, compared with 61% of blacks, 70% of Hispanics and 60% of Asian consumers.