Provoke Insights’ Carly Fink and Jordin DeSenzo co-authored an article in Produce Business diving into research on produce purchases. Interestingly, the article discusses how behaviors are shaping how consumers shop for produce. It sheds light on how inflation and economic pressure are influencing the delicate balance between planned produce purchases and spontaneous impulse buys.

Based on Provoke Insights’ eighth wave of its biannual national study, the research explores how shoppers approach buying produce. While 85% of grocery shoppers have noticed price hikes, only 15% say they purchase produce impulsively. This highlights a key challenge and opportunity for brands and retailers.

Also, the study found that 75% of Americans make produce purchases weekly. Higher-income households and older individuals tend to buy produce more frequently, with supermarkets being the top destination. Meanwhile, Gen Z and Asian shoppers are more likely to shop at wholesale stores.

Most produce purchases are pre-planned—either as regular go-to items or for specific meals. However, impulse buys tend to include items like salad dressing, nuts, or guacamole.

To increase impulse produce purchases, Provoke Insights recommends:

• Improving in-store visibility through signage and tastings

• Placing pre-cut produce near store entrances and checkouts

• Using cross-merchandising to promote snack pairings

• Highlighting nutritional value through educational labels

In addition, frequent produce buyers view TV and social media platforms—especially TikTok—as highly effective channels for brand promotions.

This research on produce purchases helps retailers develop more targeted strategies to engage both planners and impulse buyers, even in an inflation-conscious market.

What to know more about research on produce purchases? Check out our latest grocery and produce deck here. The Summer 2025 Trend research include 15 topical industry reports,

Business Insider explores the frustration caused by dynamic pricing in light of inflation, leaving consumers uneasy about fluctuating costs across different sectors. Provoke Insight’s Carly Fink points out the challenge of introducing new pricing strategies during periods of heightened price sensitivity and other insights. 

• Rising inflation and tech-enabled dynamic pricing make consumers increasingly uneasy about fluctuating costs.
• There is a challenge to introducing new pricing strategies during periods of heightened price sensitivity.
• Americans feel prince fatigue as they navigate unpredictable prices across various sectors like groceries and travel.
• Despite efforts by businesses to optimize pricing, consumers are longing for stability in their purchasing decisions amidst economic uncertainty.

Check out our restaurant trends report that discussing more about dynamic pricing and how consumers feel about it. Click here.

Despite higher menu costs, the Radio Advertising Bureau recently reported a rise in dining out and takeout nationwide. The article cited Provoke Insight’s seventh wave of research, which states that radio listeners are identified as key patrons who contribute significantly to dining expenditures and tend to tip generously across various dining settings. This phenomenon is titled ‘tipflation’.The research evaluates research on restaurant tipping and how radio listeners differ.

• Sales at drinking and dining establishments have surged despite rising menu costs, indicating a strong preference for dining out or taking out food.
• A new trend, ‘tipflation,’ has emerged, where consumers feel increasingly pressured to tip more, influenced by the growing number of tipping prompts at the point of purchase. 
• Radio listeners, a significant portion of dining patrons, tend to spend more on meals, even amidst rising menu prices. They also tip more frequently across various dining establishments compared to non-listeners.
• Radio advertising effectively reaches patrons of all types of dining establishments, from quick-serve to fine dining, driving both foot traffic and online engagement for restaurants.

Check out our latest restaurant research deck for more information.

Fast Company’s interview with President Carly Fink was cited in MSN’s article about digital shelf price labels (DSLs). Walmart plans to introduce digital shelf price labels (DSLs) in 2,300 US stores by 2026 to streamline pricing updates and improve efficiency. Implementing dynamic pricing during the rollout of DSLs has been a controversial topic among marketers. 

• Walmart’s rollout of digital shelf price labels (DSLs) aims to streamline operations and improve customer service. According to a press release, the DSLs will allow price updates with “a few clicks” instead of days of work.
• DSLs introduce features like “Stock to Light” and “Pick to Light,” which enhance efficiency by aiding in accurately restocking and fulfilling online orders.
• Carly Fink from Provoke Insights highlighted the potential benefits of dynamic pricing with DSLs, suggesting it could optimize pricing strategies based on market demand, as reported by Fast Company.
• Despite concerns, Walmart clarified that its DSL system currently does not support dynamic pricing and has no plans to introduce such functionality.

Interested in learning more about digital price labels and dynamic pricing? Check out our restaurant deck in the Summer 2024 consumer trends page. Learn more here.