One in three shoppers are buying less fresh produce because of prices — and frozen is picking up the slack

A new Advance America survey found that 33% of U.S. shoppers have cut back on fresh fruits and vegetables due to inflation. On top of that, 20% of respondents said they've actively switched from fresh to frozen produce in the past year, with convenience cited as a key driver alongside cost.

This is a meaningful consumer behavior signal, not just sentiment data. The fresh-to-frozen shift represents a structural risk for fresh produce volume, and with grocery prices consistently ranking as consumers' top pain point, the pressure on produce departments to deliver value is intensifying.

For category managers, this underscores the importance of price-point strategy and promotional frequency. The data suggests that value messaging and accessible price points may be more important than ever in retaining shoppers in the fresh produce aisle.