In 2021, Hort Innovation developed a Consumer Insights Strategy which focuses on building a detailed understanding of our consumers and the potential market opportunities for the horticulture sector. The Consumer Insights Strategy is underpinned by a number of multi-industry investments that work together to provide the necessary data and insights needed by our stakeholders. 

One of these foundational investments is the continuation of our partnership with NielsenIQ, to give industry access to their Homescan panel which measures consumer purchasing behaviour and is the primary market read on retail consumer performance. A new five-year agreement is underway through the multi-industry investment Consumer purchase and retail data (MT21004) and this data source underpins the Harvest to Home platform. Through NielsenIQ’s 10,000+ consumer panel, this investment provides industry with insights into household purchasing behaviour and channel performance.

Through this investment, industry also have access to Homescan specialist servicing time to answer any further purchase-related queries they may have. Recently AUSVEG took advantage of this opportunity by reaching out to Hort Innovation for some additional data to help aid some of its advocacy on behalf of its members.

AUSVEG developed advocacy articles detailing the rapidly rising input costs that their growers are dealing with and compared these to the retail prices across key commodities which it demonstrated had remained relatively static overtime. As you can see in the above chart, the NielsenIQ data provided AUSVEG with the necessary data to back up their claims. With growers continuing to bear the brunt of global trade conditions with rising chemical, fertiliser, fuel, lumber and labour costs, AUSVEG wanted to bring attention to farmgate prices in the current economic climate.

Part of AUSVEG’s work is to help educate and inform growers to be able to use this information within their business. Many growers have referenced this work during their negotiations with their buyers and are seeing the benefits. This information was picked up by multiple media outlets and continues to be a prevalent discussion point within industry and the broader community.

Providing relevant data is a way Hort Innovation can equip horticultural industry bodies to advocate for the betterment of growers. AUSVEG was also able to use this information to help better inform other industry bodies, via the NFF Horticulture Council, to help them understand what can be done in this space and how Hort Innovation can assist them with data.

Hort Innovation is looking forward to seeing how the Consumer Insights Strategy, and the investments that underpin it, will contribute positively to the horticulture sector.