Why Consumers Reject Climate-Affected Produce (and How We Can Change That)

 🌍 Climate change is altering the way our food looks and tastes, yet most consumers still prefer "perfect" produce—leading to unnecessary food waste and financial losses for farmers. This blog explores why people reject climate-affected food and how smart pricing, marketing, and education can shift consumer perceptions. Discover more below.

 

Source: World Economic Forum

 🌍 Climate change is reshaping our food supply, leading to more frequent droughts, heatwaves, and storms. These extreme weather events affect crops, altering their size, taste, and texture. But here’s the problem: most consumers still prefer "perfect-looking" produce, leaving climate-affected food to go unsold—resulting in more food waste and financial losses for farmers.

A recent study explored why consumers hesitate to buy climate-affected produce and what strategies can change their minds. The findings provide valuable insights for retailers, policymakers, and sustainability advocates looking to reduce food waste and encourage more sustainable shopping habits.

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What Matters Most to Consumers?

When faced with climate-affected fruit and vegetables, shoppers make choices based on two key factors:

1. Intrinsic Attributes (What the Produce Looks and Tastes Like)

Consumers rely on sensory and visual cues to judge food quality. The study found that these factors are the biggest deal-breakers when choosing climate-affected produce:

🍎 Firmness & Texture – Softer or more granular fruit (a common drought effect) is seen as lower quality.
🍎 Size – Smaller fruit is often perceived as less valuable.
🍎 Aesthetic Look – "Ugly" or irregularly shaped produce is usually avoided.
🍎 Taste (Sweetness) – Changes in sweetness levels can affect consumer preferences.

Even if people empathize with farmers affected by climate change, most still prioritize these attributes over supporting struggling agricultural communities.

2. Extrinsic Attributes (What Can Be Changed by Retailers & Marketers)

Unlike size or texture, some factors can be controlled to make climate-affected produce more appealing:

🛒 Price Sensitivity – Consumers are much more willing to buy climate-affected produce if it’s discounted. If it’s priced the same as "normal" food, most people avoid it.
🛒 Retail Setting – Farmers’ markets are more successful in selling climate-affected produce because customers expect "imperfect" food there. Supermarkets, however, have trained shoppers to demand flawless fruits and vegetables.
🛒 Resilience Messaging – Labelling climate-affected produce as "resilient" (e.g., “Survived the Drought!”) increases consumer interest, even among those who don’t feel empathy for farmers

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Source: The Conversation 2023

How Can We Get Consumers to Buy Climate-Affected Produce?

The study suggests several actionable strategies that retailers and policymakers can use to encourage more sustainable food choices:

✅ 1. Emphasize the Story of Resilience

Consumers may reject fruit that looks slightly different—but they love a good story. Marketing climate-affected produce as "survivors of extreme weather" makes them more appealing.

🔹 Example: Instead of just selling "drought-affected apples," label them as “Resilient Apples – Survived the Drought”. This shifts consumer perception from "defective" to "strong and unique."

✅ 2. Offer Discounts to Price-Sensitive Shoppers

Many consumers are more concerned about price than perfection. Offering climate-affected produce at a lower price increases purchases, even among those who initially hesitate.

🔹 Example: Run a "Support Farmers & Save!" campaign, promoting discounted climate-affected produce as a win-win for shoppers and farmers.

✅ 3. Educate with QR Codes & In-Store Promotions

Many consumers avoid climate-affected produce simply because they don’t know what to do with it. Educating them can make a big difference.

🔹 Example: Use QR codes on packaging that lead to:
✔️ Recipes that highlight the natural sweetness of climate-affected fruit in smoothies, jams, or desserts.
✔️ Information on how extreme weather naturally alters food (softer texture, deeper flavour, etc.).
✔️ Comparisons to unaffected produce, using scientific measurements (e.g., Brix scale for sweetness).

✅ 4. Let Consumers Taste It!

Many people assume that climate-affected food tastes worse—but what if they could try it first?

🔹 Example: Set up free tasting stations in supermarkets to showcase climate-affected produce. This helps overcome biases and proves that these foods are still delicious.

✅ 5. Shift Retail Strategies

Supermarkets have conditioned consumers to expect perfect produce, while farmers’ markets have more flexibility. Retailers can change consumer expectations by normalizing imperfect food.

🔹 Example: Instead of hiding climate-affected produce in a discount bin, display it proudly with educational signage explaining why it looks different but tastes great.

Final Thoughts: The Future of Climate-Affected Produce

Climate change is making extreme weather more frequent, meaning more of our food supply will be affected. If we don’t change consumer attitudes, more food will be wasted, and farmers will face even bigger losses.

The good news? Small shifts in marketing, pricing, and education can change the way people shop. By focusing on resilience, affordability, and storytelling, we can help consumers see climate-affected produce not as a defect, but as a symbol of sustainability.

💡 Would you buy climate-affected produce? What would convince you to make the switch? Let us know in the comments! 👇