French consumers are committed to short distribution channels

This article was originally published by Dalila Bouaziz.

In 2020, 64% of French consumers consumed products from short circuits (at least once a month).

Pourdebon.com, an online marketplace that offers fresh produce and groceries directly from producers, reveals the results of a study conducted with the Kantar polling institute on the consumption habits of French consumers in short circuits. In 2020 with the pandemic, short circuits have never been so popular with consumers. As proof of this, 30% of respondents said they had bought products from short distribution channels from time to time (at least once or twice a month) during the past year.

24% bought often (between 3 and 5 times a month) and 11% very often (more than 5 times a month). The score is highest among 18-24 year olds, 15% of whom say they have bought very often from a short distribution channel.

For 82% of respondents, purchases of short-distance products are made at a physical point of sale (at the farm, in a producer's shop, at craftsmen's shops, at markets), the second most common method being online ordering with home delivery (16% of respondents). This figure rises to 26% for respondents from the Ile-de-France region. In fact, 26% of Ile-de-France residents who buy products through short circuits use an application or website and then have them delivered to their home.

The top 3 most consumed foods in the short circuit

The barometer also reveals that men and women do not have quite the same types of purchases in short circuits. While men prefer meat (52% vs. 46% for women), cheese (53% vs. 46%) and charcuterie (37% vs. 30% for women) in their top 3. Women, on the other hand, buy more fruit and vegetables (85% vs 80% for men).

The barometer also reveals a few small regional disparities in the purchase of short distribution channels. The North East buys more charcuterie (40%) than the other regions. The Paris region buys more savoury (26%) and sweet (29%) groceries than any other region. The South-West is the most frequent consumer of meat (57%) but the region that orders the least sweet groceries (only 9%). Respondents from the North West order the least fruit and vegetables (79%). Finally, the inhabitants of the South-East order cheese the most (55%).