Understanding Drivers and Barriers to Consumption of South East Queensland Local and Regional Foods 1 Prepared for: Queensland Government Regional Services Level 1, 60 Wises Road PO Box 5395 Maroochydore BC Q 4558 Prepared by: Dr Dawn Birch Senior Lecturer in Marketing Faculty of Arts and Business University of the Sunshine Coast Phone: 07 5430 1223 August 2012
2 Table of Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................1
Profile of Respondents ............................................................................................................................ 1
Key Findings............................................................................................................................................. 2
Key Recommendations.................................................................................................9
Embrace the opportunity ........................................................................................................................ 9
Focus on the most attractive target markets.......................................................................................... 9
Improve marketing of local SEQ food and beverage .............................................................................. 9
Develop a tiered branding strategy ...................................................................................................... 10
Provide valued labelling information .................................................................................................... 10
Use effective media channels ............................................................................................................... 11
Make the product more affordable ...................................................................................................... 11
Strategic product development ............................................................................................................ 12
Make local SEQ food and beverage more available in retail outlets .................................................... 12
Cater to a range of purchasing occasions ............................................................................................. 12
Monitor consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability............................................................................ 13
Focus on ethical production and practices ........................................................................................... 13
Improve customer service..................................................................................................................... 13
Explore opportunities for growing culinary tourism............................................................................. 13
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................14
2.0 Background to the Study....................................................................................14
3.0 Method...............................................................................................................15
4.0 Profile of Respondents .......................................................................................15
Residential Location of Respondents .................................................................................................... 15
Food and Beverage Shopping Status of Respondents .......................................................................... 16
Gender of Respondents ........................................................................................................................ 17
Age of Respondents .............................................................................................................................. 17
Education Level of Respondents ........................................................................................................... 18
Income of Respondents ........................................................................................................................ 18
Household Set‐up of Respondents........................................................................................................ 19
5.0 Findings and Implications...................................................................................20
Consumers’ Top of Mind Associations of Local and Regional Names................................................... 20
Understanding of the Term ‘Local Food and Beverage’........................................................................ 21
Purchase Frequency of Local Food and Beverage................................................................................. 24
General Attitudes and Beliefs Related to ‘Local Food and Beverage’................................................... 31
Beliefs about Purchasing Local Food and Beverage.............................................................................. 35
Drivers of Local Food and Beverage Consumption ............................................................................... 37
Barriers to Local Food and Beverage Consumption.............................................................................. 49
Factors Encouraging Purchase of SEQ Local food and Beverage .......................................................... 53
Purchase of SEQ Local Food and Beverage across Product Category ................................................... 54
Outlets for SEQ Local Food and Beverage............................................................................................. 59
The Role of Environmental Consciousness and Ethical Identity in Local Food and Beverage Consumption............................................................................................................................... 67
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The Role of Food Safety Concerns and Health Consciousness on Local Food and Beverage Consumption............................................................................................................................... 70
The Role of Location Identity on Local Food and Beverage Consumption ........................................... 73
The Role of Food Involvement, Food Related Lifestyle and Symbolic Image on Local Food and Beverage Consumption............................................................................................................... 74
Influences on Consumption of Local Food and Beverage ..................................................................... 80
Labelling and Point of Sale Information for SEQ Local Food and Beverage.......................................... 84
Important Attributes when Purchasing Fresh Fish ............................................................................... 86
Culinary Tourism ‐ Local SEQ Food and Beverage Events and Cooking Schools ................................... 87
Local Food and Beverage Outlets.......................................................................................................... 92
Satisfaction with Customer Service at SEQ Local Food and Beverage Outlets and Producers ............. 94
Eating out in SEQ ................................................................................................................................... 95
Information Sources for SEQ Local Food and Beverage and Events ..................................................... 98
6.0 Conclusions ......................................................................................................101
What does the term ‘local’ food and beverage mean? ...................................................................... 101
Consumption frequency and purchase intentions.............................................................................. 101
Attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage .................................................................................. 102
Drivers of local food and beverage consumption ............................................................................... 102
Barriers to SEQ local food and beverage consumption ...................................................................... 103
What would encourage increased consumption of SEQ local food and beverage? ........................... 104
Purchase of SEQ local food and beverage product categories ........................................................... 104
Outlets used for purchasing SEQ local food and beverage................................................................. 104
Purchase occasions for SEQ local food and beverage......................................................................... 105
Consumer psychographics .................................................................................................................. 105
What and who influences consumption of SEQ local food and beverage? ........................................ 106
What labelling elements for SEQ local food and beverage do consumers consider to be important?
.................................................................................................................................................. 107
Culinary Tourism in SEQ ...................................................................................................................... 107
What information sources could be used to promote local SEQ food and beverage and events? .... 108
7.0 Recommendations ...........................................................................................108
Embrace the opportunity .................................................................................................................... 108
Focus on the most attractive target markets...................................................................................... 108
Improve marketing of local SEQ food and beverage .......................................................................... 109
Develop a tiered branding strategy .................................................................................................... 109
Provide valued labelling information .................................................................................................. 110
Use effective media channels ............................................................................................................. 110
Make the product more affordable .................................................................................................... 111
Strategic product development .......................................................................................................... 111
Make local SEQ food and beverage more available in retail outlets .................................................. 112
Cater to a range of purchasing occasions ........................................................................................... 112
Monitor consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability.......................................................................... 112
Focus on ethical production and practices ......................................................................................... 112
Improve customer service................................................................................................................... 112
Explore opportunities for growing culinary tourism........................................................................... 113
Bibliography .............................................................................................................115
Appendix 1: Online Consumer Survey ......................................................................117
Local and Regional Food and Beverage............................................................................................... 117
Appendix 2: Focus Group Protocol...........................................................................154
Consumer Focus Group Discussion: South East Queensland Local Food and Beverage .................... 154
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Executive Summary This executive summary presents the key findings and recommendations of a study that investigated Australian consumers’ attitudes toward South East Queensland (SEQ) local food and beverage. The study involved an online survey of 853 Australian consumers conducted in May 2012. The main aims of the study were to: 
investigate perceptions of current consumption of SEQ local food and beverage 
explore consumers’ attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage 
uncover key drivers and barriers to the consumption of SEQ local food and beverage 
identify key market segments for SEQ local food and beverage. The report has been prepared on behalf of the Queensland Government Regional Services. Profile of Respondents The study involved a national online survey and three focus groups. The online survey was administered to: 
307 local consumers from the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast and the Bayside/Redland regions 
546 visitors to SEQ (either in the past or next 12 months). The three focus groups (1.5 hours duration) included 21 females and 4 males from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland regions. Screening revealed that 62% of respondents for the online survey were the main shopper, 33% were the joint shopper, and 5% were an occasional shopper of food and beverage for their household. Females represented 59% of the survey population and males represented 41%. The majority of the respondents were in the 55 years and older age bracket (32%), followed by the 45 ‐ 54 year age bracket (22%) and 35 ‐ 44 years (22%). Younger people, aged 25‐34 years (19%) and 18‐24 years (6%) were under‐represented in the study. Less than one‐quarter of respondents (23%) reported an annual household income (before tax) of $100,000 or above. Respondents reporting an income between $60,000 and $100,000 comprised 25% of the survey population and those reporting an income between $20,000 and $60,000 accounted for another 31% of respondents. Respondents with an income below $20,000 comprised 4% of the survey population. The majority of respondents in the study were tertiary educated (44%), with the next largest group being technically trained (28%), followed by people educated to secondary school level (26%), and then primary school level (1%). The majority of respondents were couples with no children or with children who had left home (34%), followed by couples or single parents with children under 12 years of age (18%), and then single people living alone (17%). Page 1
Key Findings Top of mind associations for SEQ and SEQ local food and beverage For SEQ local residents the term ‘local food and beverage’ is primarily associated with being locally grown, caught, produced or support for local farmers, producers, businesses, the local community and economy. Seafood is the primary food group associated with the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland regions, while dairy is the primary food group associated with the Sunshine Coast. Markets (in particular, farmer’s markets) are associated with the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, but less so the Bayside/Redland region. For Bayside/Redland and Gold Coast residents, ‘local food and beverage’ is also associated with being fresh, and in particular, fresh fruit and vegetables. Restaurants and coffee shops are associated with all three areas, wine or wineries with the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland, beer and breweries with Bayside Redland, and to a lesser extent, the Gold Coast. Ginger and pineapples are associated with the Sunshine Coast, while strawberries are associated with Bayside/Redland. What does the term ‘local’ food and beverage mean? There was lack of agreement on what the term ‘local food and beverage’ meant. Just under half of the respondents agreed that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular local area (e.g. Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast), while about one‐third considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular region (e.g. South East Queensland). Very few respondents considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular state or in a particular country. In terms of distance, about 40% of the respondents agreed that local food or beverage is grown and produced within 80 kilometres of where they live, 30% within 45 kilometres, 20% within 15 kilometres of where they live, and only 10% within 5 kilometres of where they live. Consumption frequency and purchase intentions The study revealed low levels of consumption of local food and beverage for both use at home and when eating out across the three local SEQ regions, with about one‐third of respondents purchasing local food and beverage less than monthly for use at home and two‐thirds purchasing less than monthly when eating out. The most common frequency (about half of the respondents) for purchasing of local food and beverage for both use at home and eating out over the past three months was 1‐5 times. Very few respondents reported purchasing local food and beverage more than 10 times over the past three months either for use at home or when eating out. Respondents most commonly reported that they are ‘slightly likely’ or ‘moderately likely’ to purchase local food and beverage for use at home and ‘slightly likely’ to purchase local food and beverage when eating out in the next fortnight. This low level of likelihood of purchasing local food and beverage when eating out is more likely to be a reflection of low intention to eat out at all in the next fortnight, rather than not selecting local food and beverage when eating out. While the vast majority of future visitors to SEQ indicated that it is at least ‘moderately likely’ that they will purchase local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ, less than half of past visitors reported actually having done so at least ‘frequently’ during their visit. Page 2
Attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage Local SEQ Residents Local SEQ residents and older females in particular, hold very favourable attitudes toward local food and beverage. More than two‐thirds of the respondents are interested in learning about where the local food and beverage they eat comes from. The majority (over 80%) agreed that the origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in their local area, and about two‐thirds of local SEQ respondents agreed that if local food or beverage from their local area was promoted at local restaurants that would positively influence them to choose those restaurants. However, just over one‐third of the respondents agreed that when selecting from a menu at a local restaurant they specifically look for local food and beverage from their local area to order. This may be partially explained by the finding that only just over one‐third of local SEQ respondents agreed that local food and beverage is frequently included on menus at eating out places. Just over one‐third of local SEQ residents agreed that when purchasing food and beverage for use at home they specifically look for local food and beverage to try. Only one‐third agreed that local food and beverage is being clearly marketed, and less than one‐quarter of local SEQ respondents agreed that local food was branded and easily recognisable or readily available where they shop. Visitors to SEQ Past and future visitors to SEQ share similar and positive attitudes in terms of being interested in where the local food and beverage they eat comes from, agreeing that the origin of food should be included on menus, and agreeing that if local food or beverage from SEQ was/is promoted at local SEQ restaurants that would positively influence them to choose those restaurants. However, less than half of the past visitors agreed they had specifically looked for SEQ local food and beverage to order or try during their visit to SEQ. More than three‐quarters of future visitors agreed that local SEQ food and beverage should be frequently included on menus at eating out places in SEQ, while less than half of past visitors agreed this had been the case. Over three quarters of future visitors to SEQ agreed that local food and beverage should be clearly marketed as coming from SEQ and branded and easily recognisable; however, less than half of the past visitors agreed that SEQ local food had been clearly marketed and only one‐third agreed that it had been branded or was easily recognisable. Likewise over three‐quarters of future visitors agreed that local SEQ food and beverage should be readily available where they shop in SEQ, while less than half of past visitors agreed that it had been readily available. Drivers of local food and beverage consumption When asked for reasons that are ‘top of mind’ (i.e. without prompting), freshness was overwhelmingly the primary reason cited by local SEQ residents for purchasing local food and beverage. Other key reasons were associated with local support including supporting local community/business, local farmers/growers/producers, and the local economy/jobs. Local SEQ Residents When asked to select from a list of potential drivers, the primary drivers of consumption of local food and beverage by local SEQ residents are support for local producers and retailers, the local community and the regional economy; intrinsic qualities including freshness, reduced food miles, taste, being in season, quality and good appearance; traceability including connection with local producers and knowing where local food and beverage comes from; healthiness including nutrition, healthy, wholesome and natural; as well as trust, reputation, being the best available Page 3
and good value for money. The next most important drivers for local SEQ residents concerned sustainable and ethical practice including reduced packaging, sustainable, environmentally friendly, reduced pollution and being ethical. Most of the local SEQ residents agreed that they purchase local food and beverage because it is authentic and original, and traditional to the region. Safety including being safe and meeting Australian food safety standards was also an important driver. Visitors to SEQ In general, past SEQ visitors hold less favourable perceptions of SEQ local food and beverage than either local SEQ residents or future visitors. The most important key drivers for past visitors to SEQ concerned the intrinsic qualities of the product itself including freshness, taste, being in season, high quality, and good appearance. In keeping with local SEQ residents, support for local producers and retailers, the local community, and the regional economy was an important driver for past visitors. The next most important driver for past visitors concerned the healthiness of the product including healthy, nutritious, wholesome and natural. The most important drivers for future visitors to SEQ are the intrinsic qualities of the product including high quality, freshness, taste and good appearance and the healthy aspects of the product being free from preservatives, healthy, natural, and organic. Barriers to SEQ local food and beverage consumption ‘Top of mind’ reasons for not purchasing local food and beverage primarily concern being too expensive and lack of availability. Other reasons include products not being clearly labelled as being local and not eating out as often as previously. Local SEQ Residents Key barriers to the purchase of local food and beverage by local SEQ residents are primarily associated with inadequate marketing and distribution including local food and beverage not being well promoted, information on where to find local food and beverage not being readily available, not clearly branded as local, not well labelled, not readily available, and the range of product being limited. There is also a perception that local food and beverage is expensive. Perceived inconvenience is associated with purchasing local food and beverage including the need to travel too far to do so, extra effort required, being too time‐consuming, and inconvenient. Just over one‐third of the local SEQ respondents agreed that they cannot trust that the product is actually local or that all of the ingredients are local. Visitors to SEQ In keeping with local SEQ residents, the key barriers to purchase of SEQ food and beverage by past visitors to SEQ are primarily associated with inadequate marketing and distribution, followed by being expensive and perceived inconvenience. For the very few future visitors who indicated they were not willing to purchase SEQ food and beverage during their visit, the main barriers concerned issues related to perceived inconvenience, lack of information on where to find local food and beverage, lack of availability, and expense. What would encourage increased consumption of SEQ local food and beverage? Increased consumption of SEQ local food and beverage will rely upon greater perceived affordability and greater availability and variety of local food and beverage in SEQ outlets, and in particular, in supermarkets. Clear labelling of local food and beverage, and being promoted, advertised and branded so that consumers know where to find local products would encourage Page 4
both locals and visitors to purchase more SEQ local food and beverage. Future visitors clearly identified that if fresh product is available that will encourage them to purchase more SEQ local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ. Other reasons that would encourage future visitors to purchase local SEQ food and beverage include taste, quality, supporting local producers, retailers and the local community, and the availability of pure and natural products. Purchase of SEQ local food and beverage product categories The most frequently purchased product categories for local food and beverage by local SEQ residents are fruit, vegetables, and bread/baked goods/cereals. Local dairy products, eggs and meat and/or meat products are also purchased relatively frequently. Despite an abundance of local fish and seafood, it is not purchased very frequently and neither is local poultry. Overwhelmingly, the major reason why local SEQ residents do not purchase a particular food or beverage is due to the product not being available where they shop. Being expensive was another major reason for non‐purchase of local food and beverage, in particular for seafood, eggs and oils. Despite the good intentions of the future visitors to SEQ to purchase SEQ local food and beverage during their visit, a lesser proportion of the past visitors actually purchased each of the product categories measured. Much of the discrepancy between purchase intention and actual consumption may be explained by the fact that about one‐third of visitors did not know if the food and beverage they purchased in SEQ was local or not, reinforcing the need for clear labelling and branding of local SEQ food and beverage. Outlets used for purchasing SEQ local food and beverage Local SEQ Residents The main outlets used by local SEQ residents to purchase local food and beverage are large supermarkets, followed by local specialty stores, farmer’s or weekend markets, and small supermarkets. When eating out, local SEQ residents purchase local food from restaurants, cafes, take‐away shops/fast food outlets, hotels/bistros, and clubs. For local SEQ residents, there is demand for greater availability of local food and beverage in large supermarkets, local specialty stores, farmer’s markets, local cooperatives, roadside stalls, farm gates, and small supermarkets. There is also demand by local SEQ residents for greater availability of local food and beverage at eating out outlets including restaurants and cafes. Over one‐third of local SEQ respondents indicated a desire to be able to purchase local food and beverage online. Visitors to SEQ The main outlets used by past SEQ visitors to purchase local food and beverage when eating out were restaurants and cafes. Just under half of the past visitors to SEQ patronised hotels/bistros, and take‐away shops/fast food outlets. The most frequently used food retail outlets for purchasing local food and beverage by past SEQ visitors were local specialty stores, followed by large supermarkets, small supermarkets, and local cooperatives. Farmer’s or weekend markets were also popular with about half of the past visitors to SEQ, as were, to a slightly lesser extent, roadside stalls and farm gates/farm shops. The most preferred outlets for purchasing local food and beverage by future visitors are local specialty stores, followed by restaurants, cafes, farmer’s markets or weekend markets, local cooperatives, hotels/bistros, large supermarkets, small supermarkets, farm gates or farm shops, roadside stalls, and take‐away shop/fast‐food outlets. Page 5
Purchase occasions for SEQ local food and beverage Local SEQ Residents Local SEQ residents are most likely to purchase local food and beverage as part of their regular grocery shop, followed by a special occasion, when attending local food festivals and food events, a treat, when eating out, when visiting relatives or friends, when on holiday or leave, a gift, and when attending a local cooking school. Visitors to SEQ The most common purchasing occasion for past and future visitors is when eating out. The high levels of intention by future visitors to purchase SEQ local food and beverage for a treat, when attending food festivals and events, as part of their holiday grocery shop, when visiting friends or relatives, for a special occasion, and for a gift, may not translate in actual purchases with past visitors reporting much lower levels of actual purchase for those occasions. Consumer psychographics Concern for the environment The majority of respondents in the study are concerned about the environment. More than three‐
quarters of respondents agreed that despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature. More than two‐thirds of the respondents agreed that the balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset and humans are severely abusing the environment. Conversely, only about one‐quarter of respondents agreed that the balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations and that humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs. About one‐third of respondents agreed that the so‐called ‘ecological crisis’ facing human kind has been greatly exaggerated. However, in line with other studies of food consumption, concern for the environment was not found to moderate the actual purchase and consumption of local food and beverage by the respondents in this study. Ethical identity About two‐thirds of the respondents agreed that they think of themself as someone who is concerned about ethical issues, that ethics are important to them when making buying decisions, and that they think of themselves as an ethical consumer. People who reported consuming or intending to consumer SEQ local food and beverage more frequently were found to have higher levels of ethical identity. Location identity Local SEQ residents and younger people in particular identify with and are attached to Australia, and to a lesser extent identify with, are attached and committed to the SEQ region and their local area. Local SEQ residents who purchase local food and beverage more frequently agreed more strongly that they identify with and are attached to their local area or the SEQ region. Concern for food safety About three quarters of the respondents agreed that they are concerned about the safety of food nowadays, as well as the amount of artificial additives and preservatives in food, and that nowadays most foods contain residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers. Respondents who purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently are more likely to be concerned about food safety. Page 6
Health consciousness The majority of respondents agreed that they take responsibility for the state of their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household, that they are conscious about their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household, and, to a slightly lesser extent, that they are very involved with their health and the health of others for whom they shop in their household. Local SEQ residents, past visitors and future visitors who purchased or intend to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently were found to be more health conscious. Food involvement and food related lifestyles Respondents who purchase local food and beverage on a more regular basis more strongly agreed that they compare product information labels to decide which brand to try, like buying food products in speciality food stores where they can get expert advice, prefer to buy natural products, are interested in where their food comes from, like to try new food they have never tasted before, like to try out new recipes, look for authentic Australian food and beverages, always buy organically grown food products if they have the opportunity, buy sustainably produced food products if they have the choice, don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products, don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh, and prefer to purchase unpacked meat and vegetables rather than pre‐packed. What and who influences consumption of SEQ local food and beverage? Experiential and personal influences have greater influence over purchase of local food or beverage than commercial sources. With respect to experiential influences, sampling local food and beverage would have the greatest influence on consumption, followed by demonstration on how to use the local food and beverage at the store/market/festival. Personal influences were the second most influential factor including word of mouth communication with a friend, family member or colleague, having a particular recipe they wished to cook, and if they picked up a recipe card using local food and beverage at the store, market or festival. Commercial sources were slightly less influential including a special price promotion at the store, a recommendation by a local food and beverage producer (e.g. farmer, winemaker, and baker), recommendation from a staff member at a local restaurant, recommendation from staff at a speciality store, and recommendation from staff at the supermarket. In terms of media influences, television would appear to be the most effective media. The next most effective media vehicle was seeing a recipe in a magazine, followed by seeing a recipe in the local newspaper, and then finding a recipe on the Internet. What labelling elements for SEQ local food and beverage do consumers consider to be important? Use by date and country of origin are considered to be the most important labelling elements for SEQ local food and beverage. Respondents also considered farmed/caught by date to be important information. Traceability information including local area of origin, region of origin and brand marks that identify the producer was considered to be important by most respondents. Reflecting the consumer’s interest in healthy products, a very important labelling element was nutritional information. Information on price per serving was also considered to be important by more than three‐quarters of the respondents. Educational information on how to store and how to prepare the product was considered to be important. Information related to the method of production and the use of genetically modified ingredients were the next most important Page 7
elements. While nutritional information was considered to be very important, the healthy heart tick was rated as of lesser importance, perhaps reflecting some level of mistrust in the accreditation process for that logo. Serving suggestions were of moderate importance. Information on sustainable and ethical practice including sustainability accreditation, humane production, an environmentally friendly logo or organic certification were of lesser importance, as were awards for excellence. Culinary Tourism in SEQ The study found relatively low attendances at local food and beverage events by local SEQ residents in the past 12 months. Of those who did attend a local food and beverage event, satisfaction was reasonably high. Less than one‐quarter of local SEQ residents reported they are likely to attend a local food and beverage event in the next 12 months. The findings reveal that there is a difference between intentions of future visitors and actual eating out behaviours of past visitors to SEQ. Under half of the past visitors to SEQ reported that they ate out at least daily during their visit, while over half of future visitors reported that they intend to eat out at least daily. The most popular venue for eating out by visitors is the cafe or casual restaurant, with the majority of past visitors reporting that they had eaten at this type of outlet, and the vast majority of future visitors indicating that they intend to eat out at cafes or casual restaurants during their visit to SEQ. The next most popular eating out venue for visitors is the hotel or bistro, followed by the take‐away shop or fast food store. While just less than half of future visitors indicated that they intend to eat at a fine‐dining restaurant, only about one‐third of past visitors reported having done so during their visit to SEQ. The most popular food and beverage outlet for local SEQ residents is the farmer’s market, followed by the farm shop or road‐side stall. Over two‐thirds of local SEQ residents indicated that they are likely to visit a farmer’s market in the next 12 months, while about half intend to visit a farm shop or road‐side stall. Future visitors to SEQ indicated that they are more likely than local SEQ residents to visit SEQ food and beverage outlets. The findings reveal that farmer’s markets are most likely to be visited by future visitors to SEQ, followed by farm shops or road‐side stalls, and then outlets selling direct from the manufacturer, cheese factories, pick your own farms, cellar doors and breweries. Levels of satisfaction with the customer service provided by local food and beverage outlets in the SEQ are only satisfactory with just less than two‐thirds of local SEQ residents and almost three‐
quarters of past visitors being at least ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the customer service they received. What information sources could be used to promote local SEQ food and beverage and events? Past visitors to SEQ reported that their primary source of information on SEQ local food and beverage and events was through word of mouth, followed by visitor information centres, the Queensland tourism website, newspaper advertisements or editorials, and regional tourism websites. Word of mouth or information provided by family friends was considered by the majority of respondents to be the most useful source of information on local food and beverage and food and beverage events, followed by visitor information centres, television and newspaper, and information provided on regional tourism websites. Just under half of the respondents considered the Queensland tourism website to be a useful source of information, followed by food‐related magazines, and local company websites. Page 8
Key Recommendations Based on the findings a number of recommendations are made to assist local producers and processor to grow the market for SEQ local food and beverage. Embrace the opportunity There is ample opportunity to increase consumption of SEQ local food and beverage both for at‐
home consumption and when eating out. However, greater price sensitivity due to the current economic climate and people eating out less frequently may mean that the best opportunity for short‐term growth in consumption of local food and beverage will be associated with at‐home consumption rather than out‐of‐home consumption. Focus on the most attractive target markets People aged 55 years and older and people with higher levels of education (tertiary level or technically trained) appear to be the most attractive target markets as reflected by past consumption and future purchasing intentions. While all demographic groups hold favourable attitudes toward local SEQ food and beverage, potentially the most attractive target market among both local SEQ residents and future visitors to SEQ is older females. More regular purchasers of local food and beverage are more likely consider themselves to ethical consumers, are more likely to identify with, be attached to and committed to their local area, are more health conscious, are more concerned about food safety, and have higher levels of food involvement (‘foodies’) with food comprising a relatively important part of their lifestyle. Improve marketing of local SEQ food and beverage A lack of clear marketing and branding of local food and beverage in South East Queensland is evident. Developing stronger marketing and branding strategies for SEQ local food and beverage is a key priority for increasing awareness and consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. Building awareness and demand for SEQ local food and beverage will require a concerted marketing and communications effort. Strategies for doing so include: 
Create strong, favourable and unique secondary associations between SEQ local food and beverage and more mainstream SEQ associations such as the beach and the sun. Imagery portraying local residents and visitors enjoying local food and beverage while enjoying the sun and sea will serve to build stronger associations between SEQ and local food and beverage. 
Develop clear branding and labelling indicating that the product is local. Ensure branding is easily recognisable and labels can be read by older consumers at the point of sale. 
Clearly identify the origin of SEQ local food and beverage on menus at eating out places in South East Queensland. 
Provide information on where, when and how local residents and visitors can find local SEQ food and beverage. 
Provide provenance information (‘stories’) on where and how the product has been grown or produced. Page 9

Provide opportunities for consumers to interact and connect with local producers. This may be achieved through farmer’s markets, farm‐shops and road‐side stalls, food and beverage festivals or tours, and local cooking schools. 
Take the product to the consumer. Provide opportunities for sampling, as well as demonstration on how to use the product in retail outlets, and at food and beverage events 
Explore the possibility of establishing dedicated retail outlets for SEQ local food and beverage (i.e. Icons of South Australia) in areas that will reach the target market such as major shopping malls, the Eumundi market, close to major local farmer’s markets, popular tourist destinations (e.g. the Big Pineapple), visitor information centres, and airports. 
Explore the possibility of developing a mobile unit for showcasing SEQ local food and beverage at major food and beverage events (e.g. Noosa Food and Wine Festival, The Maleny Real Food Festival) and/or rotating among popular retail centres. Different product categories could be showcased on a rotating basis to generate and maintain interest. 
Use effective promotional strategies to clearly communicate valued benefits and features of local SEQ food and beverage and build strong, favourable and unique associations as indicated by key drivers to develop a strong and clear position within the market. Key drivers are local support, freshness, good taste, in season, quality and good appearance, connection with local producers, knowing where local food and beverage comes from, nutrition, healthy, wholesome and natural, as well as trust, reputation, being the best available and good value for money. Develop a tiered branding strategy Above all, local SEQ residents identify with, and are attached and committed to Australia. Residents’ level of identification, attachment and commitment to their local area is no stronger than for the wider SEQ region, with the exception of Sunshine Coast residents who reported a higher level of identity with their local area. Therefore, if local food and beverage is clearly marketed, branded and labelled as being of Australian origin, the food will gain acceptance and market share across a broad market. Hence, a cost‐effective strategy for stimulating consumption of SEQ local food and beverage may be to invest in the highly recognised and trusted Australian Grown logo. However, local residents who purchase SEQ local food and beverage on a more frequent basis identify with and are more attached to their local area or region. Attachment to a local area is particularly the case for residents of the Sunshine Coast, although less so for residents of the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland regions who indicate equal attachment to the SEQ region. Hence, given the high cost of localised branding strategies, it may be more cost‐effective to investigate the efficacy of a regional SEQ branding strategy rather than local area branding strategies (with the exception of the Sunshine Coast which would also benefit from local branding). A regional branding strategy would allow differentiation and build brand equity for local food and beverage from the SEQ region. Provide valued labelling information Provide clear labelling in line with customer demand. The findings reveal that the most important labelling elements on packaging for local food and beverage are, in order of relative importance: 
use by date Page 10

country of origin 
local area of origin (local residents) 
farmed/caught by date 
region of origin 
brand marks that identify the producer 
nutritional information 
price per serving 
how to store 
how to prepare 
method of production 
genetically modified ingredients. Use effective media channels The perceived usefulness of media channels for providing information on local food and beverage differs across target markets. However, media strategies that would be most effective include channels which are more credible and trusted including: 
word of mouth ‐ stimulate positive word of mouth communication (e.g. referrals, recommendations and generally create conversation around local food and beverage – generate the ‘buzz’) 
information at visitor information centres and/or dedicated food information centres which showcase and promote local food and beverage and events 
information on regional SEQ and Queensland tourism websites ‐ ensure information on local food and beverage outlets, tours, festivals and cooking schools is highlighted on these websites. In terms of media vehicles, television is considered to be the most useful and effective, followed by newspaper advertisements. Make the product more affordable Encouraging greater consumption of SEQ local food and beverage will rely upon consumers perceiving it to be affordable. Making products affordable does not necessarily mean cheaper products or price reductions but rather delivering greater perceived value for money. Strategies for making products more acceptable to price‐sensitive consumers include smaller portion sizes and price per portion labelling. Reducing production and distribution costs will make local food and beverage more affordable. This will require a careful analysis of production and distribution costs and reduction of costs without sacrificing quality, freshness or appearance. One way to reduce costs in line with customer demand would be to reduce unnecessary packaging. Reducing unnecessary packaging, while still delivering important product information, will assist in gaining consumer acceptance, driving down distribution costs, and making local food and beverage more affordable. Page 11
Strategic product development Leverage key drivers to consumption of SEQ local food and beverage through strategic product development by focussing on what consumers’ value and reflecting the needs, preferences and characteristics of regular purchasers of local food and beverage. Based on key drivers, product strategies that will increase consumption of SEQ local food and beverage include producing and delivering: 
high quality, fresh, great‐tasting, seasonal products that both look good and are good value for money 
products with a strong reputation for quality that consumers can trust 
healthy, nutritious, wholesome and natural products 
safe, pure and organic products that are free from artificial additives, preservatives and residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers 
authentic and original products as well as products that are traditional to the region 
interesting and novel products as well as products that are nostalgic or remind consumers of the past 
products that enhance hedonic and experiential consumption benefits including delivering satisfying and fun shopping experiences, and allowing consumers to enjoy a treat. However, it is not enough to simply develop such product offerings, it is essential that these benefits and attributes and the value proposition be clearly communicated and delivered to local SEQ residents and SEQ visitors to create awareness, generate a competitive advantage, and build brand equity. Make local SEQ food and beverage more available in retail outlets Increasing opportunities for local SEQ residents and visitors to purchase local product through more strategic and intensive distribution will positively influence consumption. Strategies include making local food and beverage more readily available for both local residents and visitors, as well as making it easier and more convenient for both local residents and SEQ visitors to access local food and beverage. To meet latent demand, availability of SEQ local food and beverage should be increased in large supermarkets, local specialty stores, farmer’s markets, local cooperatives, roadside stalls, farm gates, small supermarkets, restaurants and cafes. Cater to a range of purchasing occasions Develop and deliver SEQ local food and beverage for a range of purchasing occasions, and in particular, for when eating out, as part of their regular grocery shop, for a treat, and when visiting relatives. Intentions by visitors to purchase SEQ local food and beverage for less typical occasions such as for a gift, when attending cooking schools, for special occasions, or at food festivals or food events are not translating into actual purchase. This indicates latent demand for SEQ local food and beverage for these types of purchase occasions and the need for greater focus by the SEQ local food and beverage industry to develop and promote local food and beverage in ways that provide greater opportunities for visitors to SEQ to purchase across a broader range of purchase occasions. Page 12
Monitor consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability Being more concerned about the environment does not influence purchase frequency of local food and beverage. However, the majority of respondents indicated concern for the environment, and this concern is expected to grow over time. Therefore, while sustainability and environmentally friendly claims may not impact on purchase frequency at this point of time, as people become more concerned with these issues they may have some impact on future consumption, and thus ongoing monitoring of consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability is important. Focus on ethical production and practices People who purchase local food and beverage more frequently are more likely to identify as someone who is more concerned about ethical issues and ethical consumption. Hence, local food and beverage producers and processors should use ethical practices in the production, distribution and marketing of local food and beverage, and include information on their ethical approach in promotional messages and on labelling. Improve customer service There is room for improvement in the delivery of customer service across SEQ food and beverage outlets. About one‐quarter of past visitors, and in particular those under 35 years of age, as well as, more than one‐third of local SEQ residents are less than satisfied with the customer service they have received at SEQ local food and beverage outlets. Explore opportunities for growing culinary tourism The findings reveal relatively low levels of attendances at food and beverage festivals, food and beverage tours, and local cooking schools. Moreover there is a relatively low level of interest in local food and beverage events among local SEQ residents. However, for visitors to SEQ there is a reasonable level of interest in local food and beverage festivals, and food and beverage tours, with a lesser level of interest in attending cooking schools. In line with consumer demand, there is a need to provide greater availability of SEQ local food and beverage on menus at local cafes and casual restaurants, followed by take‐away shop/fast food shops, hotels and bistros, and to a lesser extent, fine‐dining restaurants and clubs. Moreover, greater availability and a wider range of SEQ local food and beverage at popular food and beverage outlets and in particular farmer’s markets, farm shops and road‐side stalls will encourage consumption. Page 13
1.0 Introduction This report presents the findings of an online survey of 853 Australian consumers including 307 local consumers from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Bayside Brisbane/Redland regions, and 546 visitors to South East Queensland (SEQ) in the past/next 12 months. The survey was conducted in May 2012 on behalf of the Queensland Government Regional Services. The main aims of the survey were to: 
investigate consumers’ perceptions of their current consumption of SEQ local food and beverage 
explore consumers’ attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage 
uncover key drivers and barriers to the consumption of SEQ local food and beverage 
identify key market segments for SEQ local food and beverage. 2.0 Background to the Study The Queensland Government’s ‘Food for a Growing Economy Policy’ has identified strategic actions around four key themes: 
Reputation and the Consumer 
Innovation, Productivity and Skills 
Resources, Sustainability and the Environment 
Health, Safety and Food Information. Budget allocated to the implementation of this policy in the 2011/2012 financial year was used to fund the SEQ Short Supply Chain Initiative. This initiative was a coordinated set of regional and sub‐regional projects with the following aims: 
to increase the economic value of the contribution from local food producers, processors and retailers to the region 
to analyse and develop strategies to support the increase of local distribution networks and increase food based tourism. The initiative was progressed through a continuous improvement and innovation framework involving five phases: (1) situation analysis; (2) value chain engagement; (3) action design; (4) value chain improvement; and (5) implementation. This consumer research focused on the first theme of the Queensland Government’s ‘Food for a Growing Economy Policy’ ‐ ‘Reputation and the Consumer’ and provided input to the situation analysis phase of the continuous improvement and innovation framework. The research was undertaken to provide a rich understanding of consumer needs, preferences and characteristics across local and visitor segments with respect to SEQ local food and beverage, as means of stimulating consumption. Page 14
The consumer research for this study focused on local South East Queensland residents (from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland regions), as well as, past and future visitors to South East Queensland. An understanding of consumers’ attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage has provided a strong platform for growers, producers and processors to strategically develop, market and distribute local food and beverage in ways that closely matches consumer demand and will provide a competitive advantage. Moreover, the study has provided insight into consumers’ attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage events and attractive opportunities for culinary tourism in the SEQ region. 3.0 Method An online survey of 853 people was administered in May 2012 via an online consumer panel ‐The Online Research Unit (ORU). Respondents were screened on the following criteria: 
resident of the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast or Bayside Brisbane/Redland OR a visitor to SEQ in the past or next 12 months (for a period of 2 days or longer) 
18 years or older 
main, joint or occasional food and beverage shopper for their household. To avoid respondent bias, respondents were screened for industry affiliation (Market Research, Advertising, Public Relations, Local Food or Produce Manufacturing) and recent participation in market research related to local food and beverage (within the past 6 months). The questions and statements included in the survey were based on a review of the literature on local and regional beverage, and informed by the findings of previous studies of local food and beverage (e.g. Parker 2010; SERIO, Research & Innovation 2008). A variety of closed and open‐
ended questions were used to uncover and measure attitudes. A copy of the online questionnaire is provided in Appendix 1. Once the respondent had identified whether they were a resident of the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast, Bayside/Redland or whether they were a past or future visitor to SEQ, the name of the area or region was changed in statements as relevant. The findings of the study and recommendations are enhanced and informed by three 1.5 hour focus group discussions with 25 residents from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Bayside/Redlands regions. A copy of the focus group protocol is provided in Appendix 2. 4.0 Profile of Respondents In this section, a profile of respondents for the online survey is provided including residential location and food and beverage shopping status. To determine representativeness of the sample, respondents were asked questions about their gender, age, educational level, income, and household set‐up. Residential Location of Respondents Respondents were screened for either residing on the Sunshine Coast, the Gold Coast or in Bayside/Redland or for having visited or intending to visit South East Queensland in the past or next 12 months (for a period of two days or longer). Page 15
Table 1: Residential Location of Respondents Location Frequency Percentage Sunshine Coast 105 12.3 Gold Coast 104 12.2 Bayside/Redland 98 11.5 Other Queensland 134 15.7 Australia (not Queensland) 412 48.3 Total 853 100.0 The survey included 307 local consumers from the Sunshine Coast (n=105), the Gold Coast (n=104), and Bayside/Redland (n= 98) regions, as well as 546 visitors to South East Queensland including 134 from other areas of Queensland and 412 from interstate (Table 1). Past visitors to SEQ included 90 visitors from other areas of Queensland (24.3%) and 280 visitors from interstate (75.7%). Future visitors included 44 visitors from other areas of Queensland (25.0%) and 132 visitors from interstate (75.0%) (Table 2). Table 2: Residential Location of Visitors Location Other Queensland Australia TOTAL Past Visitors n % 90 280 370 24.3 75.7 100.0 Future Visitors n % 44 132 176 25.0 75.0 100.0 Food and Beverage Shopping Status of Respondents Respondents were screened for being the main, joint or occasional food and beverage shopper for their household. For visitors to SEQ, the question was framed in terms of their shopping role for food and beverage while on holidays. The screening revealed 4.7%
that the majority of respondents (62.3%) of were the main Main Shopper
33.1%
Joint Shopper
shopper, 33.1% were the joint Occasional Shopper
62.3%
shopper, and 4.7% were an occasional shopper of food and beverage for their household (Figure 1). There were no differences with respect to food and beverage shopping status across the five groups of respondents. Figure 1: Food and Beverage Shopping Status of Respondents Page 16
Gender of Respondents As might be expected when screening for food and beverage shopping status, females represented a larger proportion (59%) of the total survey population (n=503) and males comprised 41% (n=350). A breakdown of gender by SEQ location, past and future visitor is provided in Table 3. Table 3: Gender of Respondents Location Male Female n % n % Sunshine Coast 31 29.5 74 70.5 Gold Coast 37 35.6 67 64.4 Bayside/Redland 35 35.7 63 64.3 Past Visitor 182 49.2 188 50.8 Future Visitor 65 36.9 111 63.1 Total 350 41.0 503 59.0 There were significant differences across the five groups in the study with respect to gender, with a relatively higher proportion of females (70.5%) in the Sunshine Coast local resident group, and a relatively higher proportion of males (49.2%) in the past SEQ visitor group. Age of Respondents The majority of the respondents were in the 55 years and older age bracket (32.0%), and thus over represented in the sample with 18.5% of the entire population of Australian being in this age bracket (Table 4). The next largest age bracket in the survey were those in the 45 ‐ 54 year age bracket (22.2%) as compared with 13.7% of the entire Australian population being in this age bracket. People aged 35 ‐ 44 years were the next largest group accounting for 21.7% of total respondents, followed by people aged 25‐34 years (18.5%). Respondents in the 18‐24 year age group were under‐represented in the sample at 5.6%. Of interest is the larger number of people under 35 years of age in the future visitor segment (52.3%), and this needs to be taken into consideration when interpreting the results. Nevertheless, a reasonable spread across age brackets was achieved for respondents aged 25 years and older. Table 4: Age of Respondents Location 55 plus n % 45‐54 n % 35‐44 n % 25‐34 n % 18‐24 n % Sunshine Coast 34 32.4 37 35.2 22 21.0 8 5.1 4 3.8 Gold Coast 31 29.8 15 14.4 33 31.7 16 15.4 9 8.7 Bayside/Redland 34 34.7 30 30.6 21 21.4 12 12.2 1 1.0 Past Visitor 149 40.3 78 21.1 79 21.4 46 12.4 18 4.9 Future Visitor 25 14.2 29 16.5 30 17.0 76 43.2 16 9.1 Total 273 32.0 189 22.2 185 21.7 158 18.5 48 5.6 Page 17
There were significant differences across the five groups in the study with respect to age with future visitors being the youngest group on average. Differences across age groups were explored for items measured in the survey to check for sampling bias. Education Level of Respondents The majority of respondents in the study were tertiary educated (44.4%), with the next largest group being technically trained (28.4%), followed by people educated to secondary school level (25.9%) (Figure 2). Only 1.3% of respondents finished school at primary school level. The sample for this survey is proportionately well educated when compared with the entire Australian population. Australian Bureau of Statistics data indicates that, in 2009, 55% of the Australian population had a post‐school qualification (as compared with 72.8% in this sample), with only 23% of the Australian population holding a tertiary qualification (as compared with 44.4% in this sample). Differences based on educational status were explored for items measured in the survey to test for sampling bias. There were no significant differences across the five groups in the study with respect to education level. 50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
44.4
25.9
28.4
1.3
Primary School
Secondary School
Technical training
TAFE
Tertiary Education
Figure 2: Education Level of Respondents Income of Respondents The respondents were represented across a broad range of household income categories (Table 5), with 22.5% reporting an annual household income (before tax) of $100,000 or above. Respondents reporting an income between $60,000 and $100,000 comprised 25.4% of the survey population, and those reporting an income between $20,000 and $60,000 accounted for another 30.5% of respondents. Respondents with an income below $20,000 comprised 4.2% of the survey population. There were no significant differences with respect to income across the five groups of respondents. Page 18
Table 5: Household Annual Income Level (before tax) of Respondents Household Annual Income Level Frequency Percentage $160,000 or more 63 7.4 $140,000 ‐ 159,999 30 3.5 $120,000 ‐ 139,999 36 4.3 $100,000 ‐ 119,999 62 7.3 $80,000 ‐ 99,999 95 11.1 $60,000 ‐ 79,999 122 14.3 $40,000 ‐ 59,999 138 16.2 $20,000 ‐ 39,999 122 14.3 Less than $20,000 36 4.2 Don’t know 12 1.4 Prefer not to answer 137 16.1 TOTAL 853 100.0 Household Set‐up of Respondents Respondents were asked to provide information on their household set up (Table 6). As may be expected with a slightly older demographic, the majority of respondents were couples with no children or children have left home (34.1%), followed by couples or single parents with children under 12 years of age (18.4%), and then single people living alone (17.0%). There were no significant differences across the five groups in the study with respect to household set up. Table 6: Household Set‐up of Respondents Household Set‐up Frequency Percentage Couple with no children or children left home 291 34.1 Couple/single parent with only younger children (12 years and under) at home 157 18.4 Single, living alone 145 17.0 Couple/single parent with teenage children at home 58 6.8 Shared household with friends 52 6.1 Couple/single parent with only adult children (20 years and older) at home 43 5.0 Couple/single with both younger children (12 years and under) and teenagers at home 45 5.3 Couple/single parent with both teenage and adult children at home 32 3.8 Other 30 3.5 TOTAL 853 100.0 Page 19
5.0 Findings and Implications Consumers’ Top of Mind Associations of Local and Regional Names The effective marketing and branding of local and regional food and beverage relies upon a clear understanding of the associations that come to mind when consumers hear the name of that region. An understanding of these associations allows local and regional producers and marketers to design and develop product offerings and marketing messages that build on consumers’ strong, favourable and unique associations with the local region. Consumers were asked what three main things come to mind when they hear the term [name of local area or region, e.g. the Sunshine Coast]. Responses were post‐coded into main themes (Table 7). Table 7: ‘Top of Mind’ Associations of Local Areas/SEQ Regions Sunshine Coast (%) Gold Coast (%) Bayside/Redland (%) Past Visitor (%) Future Visitor (%) Beaches 33 Beaches 36 Water 19 Brisbane Gold Coast 19 Sun 17 Sun 30 Sea/Coast/ Beach 14 Gold Coast Sun 18 Home 13 Tourism 14 Moreton Island 7 Beaches Beaches 14 Lifestyle 9 Home 6 Home 7 Sun Brisbane 13 Tourism 4 Lifestyle 2 Lifestyle 6 Tourism Tourism 8 Findings Beaches and sun are the main associations that come to mind for SEQ local residents when they hear the terms ‘Sunshine Coast’ or ‘Gold Coast’. Interestingly, the third main association for the Sunshine Coast was home or where I live, while the third most common association for Gold Coast residents was tourism. For Bayside/Redland residents, responses were more varied with the majority of respondents associating the area with water, followed by sea/coast/beaches. For past visitors, Brisbane and the Gold Coast were the main associations that came to mind, followed by beaches and then sun. For future visitors, the Gold Coast and sun were the main associations, followed by beaches, Brisbane, and tourism. Very few respondents mentioned food or beverages when asked what comes to mind for the three local areas or the SEQ region. A very small number of respondents mentioned ‘great food’ or ‘good food’, and where food was mentioned it was mostly seafood or bananas. Three people from the Bayside/Redland region said they associated their area with strawberries. With respect to beverages, wine was mentioned only once and wineries were also mentioned only once. Implications Overwhelming, the SEQ region is primarily associated with beaches and sun. Very few SEQ residents associated their local area with food or beverage, and where they did it was primarily seafood or bananas. Building awareness and demand for local food and beverage in SEQ will Page 20
require a concerted marketing and communications effort. One approach would be to create strong, favourable and unique secondary associations between local food and beverage and more mainstream associations such as the beach and the sun. Imagery portraying local residents and visitors enjoying local food and beverage while enjoying the sun and sea may serve to build stronger associations between SEQ and local food and beverage. The findings reveal that most consumers interpret the term ‘local food and beverage’ to mean grown or produced in their local area (e.g. Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast). However, the majority of respondents also consider that the area within which local food and beverage is sourced is reasonably wide, with 80 kilometres (or even further afield) being an acceptable distance from producer to consumer in the mind of most respondents. Hence, the cost of developing individual local branding and marketing strategies for the different regions within South East Queensland needs to be carefully investigated in terms of incremental benefits (increased awareness, retailer support and consumption), as compared with a more cost‐effective strategy of branding and marketing food on a regional basis. A two‐tiered strategy involving treating the SEQ region as the parent brand and local areas as sub‐brands of the region may be the most effective strategy, and allow a more integrated and staged approach to the branding of SEQ local food and beverage. Understanding of the Term ‘Local Food and Beverage’ There is some confusion and disagreement regarding the definition of local and regional food (SERIO 2008). To determine respondents’ understanding of the term ‘local food and beverage’, local SEQ respondents (n = 307) were asked what three main things come to mind when they hear the term ‘local food and beverage’. Responses were post‐coded into main themes (Table 8). Table 8: Top of Mind Associations for the Term ‘Local Food and Beverage’ ‐ Local SEQ Residents Sunshine Coast (%) Gold Coast (%) Bayside/Redland (%) Local/support 18 Seafood 10 Local/support 19 Markets 7 Local/support 9 Seafood 10 Dairy 6 Restaurants 8 Fresh 6 Seafood 6 Markets 6 Beer 5 Restaurants 6 Fresh 6 Restaurants 5 Ginger 5 Wine/winery 5 Strawberries 5 Pineapple 5 Beer 3 Wine/winery 4 Coffee shops 4 Coffee shops 3 Markets 4 Findings The results indicate that the primary answer for the Sunshine Coast and Bayside/Redland regions for what they understood by the term ‘local food and beverage’ concerned being locally grown, caught, produced or support for local farmers, producers, businesses, community and economy. Being local or supporting local was also the second most common response for the Gold Coast. For the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland regions the primary food group that came to mind was seafood, and seafood was also the fourth most common response for the Sunshine Coast. Page 21
Markets (in particular, farmer’s markets) were frequently mentioned for the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, but mentioned less frequently for Bayside/Redland. The primary food group mentioned for the Sunshine Coast was dairy products. For the Bayside/Redland and Gold Coast respondents the term ‘local food and beverage’ was also associated with being fresh, and in particular, fresh fruit and vegetables. For all three local areas, restaurants and coffee shops were mentioned quite frequently, while wine or wineries were frequently mentioned for both the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland regions. Beer and breweries were mentioned frequently by respondents from Bayside/Redland, and to a lesser extent by respondents from the Gold Coast. Ginger (including ginger beer) and pineapples were associated with the Sunshine Coast, while strawberries were particularly associated with Bayside/Redland. Next, all respondents (n=853) were asked what the term ‘local’ meant when applied to food and beverage (e.g. local versus regional versus national) (Table 9). Table 9: Consumers’ Perceptions of Where Local Food and Beverage is Grown or Produced Local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular.... Frequency Percentage Local area (e.g. Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast) 413 48.4 Region (e.g. South East Queensland) 292 34.2 State (e.g. Queensland) 92 10.8 Country (e.g. Australia) 56 6.6 TOTAL 853 100.0 Findings The majority of respondents (48.4%) considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular local area (e.g. Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast), with females (53.1%) being more likely to consider so than males (41.7%). People aged 35‐44 years (61.1%) were more likely than younger people aged 18‐24 years (37.5%) to agree that local food and beverage is grown and produced in a particular local area. Residents of the Sunshine Coast (82.9%) were more likely to state that local food and beverage is grown produced in their local area than people from Bayside/Redland (48.0%), the Gold Coast (49.0%), or past (42.2%) and future visitors (40.9%). Just over one‐third of respondents (34.2%), and males (36.9%) more so than females (32.4%) considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular local region (e.g. South East Queensland). People aged 35‐44 years (27.0%) were less likely to agree with this definition of where local food and beverage is grown or produced. Very few respondents (10.8%) considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular state (e.g. Queensland), however people aged 25‐34 years (15.8%) were more likely to consider so. Even fewer respondents (6.6%) considered local food and beverage is grown or produced in a country (e.g. Australia), although males (9.7%) were more likely than females (4.4%) to consider so, as were younger people aged 18‐24 years (14.6%). With the exception of people with a primary school level education (81.8%) being more likely to agree than local food and beverage is grown and produced in a particular local area than other educational groups, there were no other significant difference with respect to the definition of where local food and beverage is grown and produced across educational level, income or household set‐up. Page 22
Next, all respondents (n = 853) were asked where local produce was grown in relation to the vicinity within which they live (Table 10). Table 10: Respondents’ Perceptions of the Proximity of ‘Local’ to Their Vicinity Local food and beverage is grown or produced within... Frequency Percentage 5 kms of where I live 76 8.9 15 kms of where I live 176 20.6 45 kms of where I live 265 31.1 80 kms of where I live 336 39.4 TOTAL 853 100.0 Findings In terms of distance, the majority (39.4%) of respondents, and males (44.6%) more so than females (35.8%), were more likely to agree that local food or beverage is grown and produced within 80 kilometres of where they live. People aged 45 years plus were more likely to select this wider distance than people age under 45 years. Just under one‐third of respondents (31.1%) agreed that local food and beverage is grown or produced within 45 kilometres of where they live, with people aged 35‐44 years (24.3%) being less likely to select this distance. Just over one‐fifth of the respondents (20.6%), and females (23.3%) more so than males (16.9%), considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced within 15 kilometres of where they live, with older people aged 45 years plus being less likely to select this distance. Only 8.9% of respondents agreed that local food and beverage is grown and produced within 5 kilometres of where they live, with younger people aged 25‐34 years (13.9%) and 35‐44 years (12.4%) being more likely to select this shorter distance. There were no significant differences across the three residential locations with respect to how far from where they live local food and beverage is grown or produced. Implications The findings reveal that most consumers, and females in particular, interpret the term ‘local food and beverage’ to mean grown or produced in their local area (e.g. Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast). The majority of respondents, and males in particular, consider that the area within which local food and beverage is sourced is reasonably wide, with 80 kilometres (or even further afield) being an acceptable distance from producer to consumer in the mind of most respondents. However, approximately one third of consumers, and males more so than females, interpret the term local food and beverage to mean food grown or produced within a particular region (e.g. SEQ), and thus these consumers may be willing to accept that local food and beverage travels greater distances from producer to consumer. These findings imply that while local branding and marketing strategies may be more in keeping with the majority of consumers’ conception of local food and beverage (and females in particular), some consumers (and males in particular) may also be accepting, and thus responsive to, regional branding and marketing strategies for SEQ local food and produce. Thus, the cost of developing individual local branding and marketing strategies for the different regions within South East Queensland needs to be carefully investigated in terms of incremental benefits (increased awareness, retailer support and consumption), as compared with a more cost‐effective strategy of branding and marketing food on a regional basis. A two‐tiered strategy involving treating the SEQ Page 23
region as the parent brand and local areas as sub‐brands of the region may be the most effective strategy, and allow a more integrated and staged approach to the branding of SEQ local food and beverage. Purchase Frequency of Local Food and Beverage A key aim of the study was to determine consumers’ perceptions of their current consumption of local food and beverage, as well as their future purchase intentions. Purchase of local food and beverage both for use at home and when eating out was investigated. Local SEQ Residents First, local respondents were asked how frequently they purchase local food and beverage for use at home or when eating out (Tables 11 and 12). Table 11: Purchase of Local Food and Beverage for Use at Home Total Local (%) Sunshine Coast (%) Gold Coast (%) Bayside/ Redland (%) More than once per week 4.9 9.5 2.9 2.0 Weekly 24.4 30.5 20.2 22.4 Fortnightly 19.9 21.9 21.2 16.3 Monthly 17.3 21.0 11.5 19.4 Less than monthly 26.4 13.3 36.5 29.6 Never 7.2 3.8 7.7 10.2 Frequency At Home Consumption Table 12: Purchase of Local Food and Beverage when Eating Out Total Local (%) Sunshine Coast (%) Gold Coast (%) Bayside/ Redland (%) More than once per week 0.7 0.0 0.0 2.0 Weekly 6.5 5.7 5.8 8.2 Fortnightly 6.5 6.7 7.7 5.1 Monthly 22.1 26.7 23.1 16.3 Less than monthly 50.8 49.5 52.9 50.0 Never 13.4 11.4 10.6 18.4 Frequency Eating Out Findings The results indicate low levels of consumption of local food and beverage for use at home across the three local SEQ regions, with over one‐third (33.6%) of respondents purchasing local food and beverage for use at home less than monthly, and less than one‐third (29.3%) purchasing at least Page 24
weekly (Table 11). Likewise, there are very low levels of purchasing of local food and beverage when eating out, with over two‐thirds of respondents (64.2%) purchasing less than monthly, and only 7.2% purchasing at least weekly (Table 12). There was a significant difference across locations with respect to purchasing local food and beverage for use at home, with consumers from the Sunshine Coast (30.5%) being more likely to purchase local food and beverage on a weekly basis than consumers from the Gold Coast (20.2%) or Bayside/Redland (22.4%). However, there were no significant differences across locations with respect to purchasing local food and beverage for eating out, with the most common frequency for purchasing of local food and beverage when eating out being less than monthly (50.8%). Despite females expressing more favourable attitudes and beliefs toward the purchasing of local food and beverage, there were no significant differences with respect to reported purchasing frequency for either at home or eating out consumption of local food and beverage on the basis of gender. People aged 55 years and older reported the highest level of at‐home consumption of local food and beverage, followed by people aged 35‐44 years, and then people aged 18‐24 years and 45‐54 years, with people aged 25‐34 years reporting the lowest level of at home consumption across the age groups. There were no significant differences for consuming local food and beverage when eating out across the different age groups. Moreover, there were no significant differences across consumption of local food and beverage, either for at home or when eating out, across education or income levels. Next, local SEQ respondents were questioned concerning their purchasing behaviour for local food and beverage both for use at home and when eating out in the past 3 months (Tables 13 and 14). Table 13: Purchase of Local Food and Beverage for Use at Home in Past 3 Months 0 times (%) 1‐5 times (%) 6‐10 times (%) 11‐15 times (%) 16+ times (%) Sunshine Coast 14.3 44.8 13.3 14.3 13.3 Gold Coast 17.3 50.0 18.3 9.6 4.8 Bayside/Redland 30.6 44.9 13.3 5.1 6.1 Total Local 20.5 46.6 15.0 9.8 8.1 Local Area Table 14: Purchase of Local Food and Beverage when Eating Out in Past 3 Months 0 times (%) 1‐5 times (%) 6‐10 times (%) 11‐15 times (%) 16+ times (%) Sunshine Coast 28.6 55.2 11.4 1.9 2.9 Gold Coast 34.6 56.7 3.8 4.8 0.0 Bayside/Redland 41.8 45.9 9.2 2.0 1.0 Total Local 34.9 52.8 8.1 2.9 1.3 Local Area An analysis of local food and beverage purchasing by local SEQ residents in the past three months confirmed low levels of consumption for both use at home and when eating out. Indeed, one‐fifth of respondents (20.5%) reported that they had not purchased any local food or beverage for use at home, and over one‐third of respondents (34.9%) indicated that they had not purchased local Page 25
food and beverage when eating out during the past three months. The most common frequency for purchasing of local food and beverage for use at home over the past three months was 1‐5 times, with just under half of the respondents (46.6%) reporting that level of purchasing frequency. Purchasing patterns over a three month period revealed that people with higher levels of education (tertiary or technical trained) were more likely to have purchased local food and beverage for use at home in the past three months than people with lower educational levels (primary or secondary level). However, there were no significant differences in purchasing frequency of local food and beverage for at home use in the past three months across gender, age groups or income levels. Likewise, 1‐5 times over a three month period was the most common frequency reported for purchasing of local food and beverage when eating out over the past three months, with 52.8% of local SEQ respondents reporting this level of purchasing frequency. Very few respondents (17.9%) reported purchasing local food and beverage for use at home more than 10 times over the past three months, and even fewer respondents (4.2%), reported purchasing local food and beverage when eating out more than 10 times in the past three months. There were no significant differences in purchasing frequency for local food and beverage when eating out in the past three month period across gender, age group, income or education level. However, there was a significant difference across locations with almost one‐third (30.6%) of people from the Bayside/Redland not purchasing any local food and beverage for use at home in the past 3 months, as compared with over one‐quarter (27.6%) of Sunshine Coast residents purchasing local food and beverage for use at home more than 11 times in the past 3 months. There were no significant differences across location with respect to purchasing local food and beverage when eating out in the past three months. Next, respondents were questioned concerning their intended purchasing behaviour with respect to local food and beverage in the next fortnight (Tables 15 and 16). Table 15: Likelihood of Purchasing Local Food and Beverage for Use at Home in the Next Fortnight Mean Not at all Likely (%) Slightly Likely (%) Moderately Likely (%) Very Likely (%) Completely Likely (%) Sunshine Coast 3.2 12.4 18.1 26.7 20.0 22.9 Gold Coast 3.0 12.5 27.9 20.2 25.0 14.4 Bayside/Redland 2.7 21.4 25.5 21.4 21.4 10.2 Total Local 3.0 15.3 23.8 22.8 22.1 16.0 Local Area Scale: 5 point Scale 1 = Not at all likely to 5 = Completely likely Table 16: Likelihood to Purchase Local Food and Beverage when Eating Out in the Next Fortnight Mean Not at all Likely (%) Slightly Likely (%) Moderately Likely (%) Very Likely (%) Completely Likely (%) Sunshine Coast 2.6 21.9 28.6 24.8 20.0 4.8 Gold Coast 2.4 22.1 36.5 23.1 13.5 4.8 Local Area Page 26
Bayside/Redland 2.2 31.6 34.7 16.3 16.3 1.0 Total Local 2.4 25.1 33.2 21.5 16.6 3.6 Scale: 5 point Scale 1 = Not at all likely to 5 = Completely likely Respondents most commonly reported that they are ‘slightly likely’ or ‘moderately likely’ to purchase local food and beverage for use at home in the next fortnight (Table 15). Just over one‐
third of respondents (38.1%) reported that they were either ‘very likely’ or ‘completely likely’ to purchase local food and beverage for use at home over the next fortnight, and 15.3% of respondents indicated that it was ‘not at all likely’. People with higher levels of education (tertiary or technically trained) indicated it was more likely they would purchase local food and beverage for use at home in the next fortnight than people with lower educational levels (primary or secondary level). There were no significant differences with respect to likelihood of purchasing local food and beverage for use at home across gender, age group or income level. However, there were significant differences across SEQ location with respect to likelihood of purchasing local food and beverage for use at home in the next fortnight, with people from the Sunshine Coast (69.0%) being more likely to indicate it was at least ‘moderately likely’ they would purchase local food and beverage for use at home in the next fortnight than were people from the Gold Coast (59.6%) or Bayside/Redland (53.0%). Respondents most commonly reported that they are ‘slightly likely’ to purchase local food and beverage when eating out in the next fortnight (Table 16). Less than one‐fifth (20.2%) reported that they were either ‘very likely’ or ‘completely likely’ to purchase local food and beverage when eating out over the next fortnight, and over one‐quarter of the respondents (25.1%) indicated that it was ‘not at all likely’ that they would be purchase local food and beverage when eating out over the next fortnight. This is more likely to be a reflection of low intention to eat out at all in the next fortnight, rather than not selecting local food and beverage when eating out. There were no significant differences across SEQ location, gender, age group, income or education level with respect to likelihood of purchasing local food and beverage when eating out in the next fortnight. Implications The findings indicate that current consumption of local food and beverage is low, and thus there is ample opportunity to increase consumption of local food and beverage both for at home consumption and when eating out. However, as a result of greater price sensitivity due to the current economic climate and people eating out less frequently, any short‐term growth in consumption is more likely to be associated with at‐home consumption rather than out‐of‐home consumption. Consumption of local food and beverage for use at home is more regular among Sunshine Coast residents and more educated residents. Hence, Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland producers, in particular, should be looking for opportunities to stimulate at‐home consumption. In terms of key target markets, it appears that people aged 55 years and older and people with higher levels of education (tertiary level or technically trained) may be the most attractive target markets as reflected by past consumption and future purchasing intentions. SEQ Visitors Past visitors were asked how often they purchased local food and beverage during their visit to South East Queensland; while future visitors were questioned regarding how likely it would be that they would purchase local food and beverage (Table 17). Page 27
Table 17: Purchase of SEQ Local Food and Beverage by Past and Future Visitors Mean Not at All
(%) Infrequently
(%) Neutral (%) Frequently (%) Very Frequently
(%) Past Visitor (n = 370) 3.3 1.1 18.1 36.5 38.1 6.2 Future Visitor (n = 176) 3.8 0.0 8.5 27.8 43.2 20.5 Visitor Category Scales: 5‐point Frequency Scale: 1 = Not at all to 5 = Very frequently 5 point Likelihood Scale: 1 = Not at all likely to 5 = Completely likely Findings While the vast majority (91.5%) of future visitors indicated that it is at least ‘moderately likely’ that they will purchase local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ, only 44.3% of past visitors reported actually having purchased local food and beverage at least ‘frequently’ during their visit. However, the large proportion of past visitors (36.5%) who selected neutral ‐ ‘neither infrequently nor infrequently’ ‐ may be due to past visitors not knowing whether the food and beverage they consumed during their visit to SEQ was local or not. People aged 55 years and older were more likely to agree that they had purchased SEQ local food and beverage more frequently during their visit to SEQ than younger people aged 18‐24 years. There were no significant differences across gender, income or education level with respect to frequency of purchasing SEQ local food and beverage among past visitors to SEQ. Moreover, there were no significant differences across gender, age group, income or education level with respect to likelihood of purchasing SEQ local food and beverage among future visitors to SEQ. Implications Future visitors across all demographic groups reported high levels of intention to purchase local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ, however frequency of actual purchase reported by past visitors indicate that visitors to SEQ, and in particular younger consumers, may not always act on these good intentions. Reasons for non‐purchase among visitors to SEQ would be related to perceived barriers to consumption including perceived lack of affordability and availability of SEQ local food and beverage, as well as, a lack of marketing including clear branding, labelling and provision of information on where to find local SEQ food and beverage. Purchase of Locally‐Caught Seafood To investigate consumption of and attitudes toward locally‐caught seafood, and in particular fresh fish, local SEQ respondents (n = 307) were questioned concerning their frequency of purchasing fresh uncooked fish (Figure 3). Page 28
2.3
15.3
10.4
More than once per week
Weekly
18.9
Fortnightly
Monthly
27.7
Less than monthly
Never
25.4
Figure 3: Purchase of Fresh Uncooked Fish Findings The findings indicate that local SEQ consumers are not purchasing fresh uncooked fish on a regular basis, with 15.3% never purchasing uncooked fish and 43% purchasing fresh uncooked fish less than once per month. About one‐quarter of respondents (25.4%) purchase fresh uncooked fish monthly, 18.9% purchase fresh uncooked fish on a fortnightly basis, and only 12.7% of respondents purchase fresh uncooked fish at least weekly. There were no significant differences across location, gender, age group, income level or education level with respect to frequency of purchase of fresh uncooked fish. Next local SEQ residents who indicated that they purchase fresh uncooked fish (n = 260) were asked how often they purchase fresh uncooked fish from different outlets (Table 18). The results indicate that the supermarket and the fishmonger are the preferred outlets for purchasing fresh uncooked fish (Table 20). For weekly purchasing of fresh uncooked fish, the supermarket is the most frequently used outlet (10.4%) as compared with fishmongers (6.9%). When purchasing either fortnightly or monthly, the fishmonger is the preferred outlet (37.3%) with the supermarket (32.7%) being the next most preferred outlet. For consumers who are purchasing fresh uncooked seafood less than once per month, the supermarket (37.3%) and the fishmonger are equally preferred (36.5%). Table 18: Purchase of Fresh Uncooked Fish by Outlet Supermarket
(%) Fishmonger Fish Shop (%) Direct from Trawler (%) Seafood Van (%) More than once per week 1.2 0.8 0.0 0.0 Weekly 10.4 6.9 1.9 1.9 Fortnightly 12.7 14.2 2.7 3.1 Monthly 20.0 23.1 5.8 2.3 Less than monthly 37.3 36.5 22.3 20.0 Never 18.5 18.5 67.3 72.7 Frequency Page 29
Willingness to pay a price premium for branded locally‐caught seafood To determine whether a price premium exists in the local SEQ consumers’ mind for locally branded seafood, local SEQ respondents (n = 307) were asked how much more (expressed as a percentage) they would be prepared to pay for seafood that was clearly branded as being local to their area (Table 19). Table 19: Willingness to Pay a Price Premium for Branded Locally‐Caught Seafood Percentage Premium 0% 1‐ 10% 11‐20% 21 ‐ 30% 31 ‐ 40% 41 ‐ 50% 51 ‐ 60% 61 ‐ 70% 71 ‐ 80% 81 ‐ 90% 91 ‐ 100% Frequency
Percentage 69
133
45
14
4
10
4
1
10
3
14
22.5 43.3 14.7 4.6 1.3 3.3 1.3 0.3 3.3 1.0 4.6 Findings The results indicate that nearly one‐quarter of local SEQ consumers (22.5%) are NOT willing to pay a premium for branded locally‐caught seafood. Less than half of the respondents (43.3%) indicated that they would be prepared to pay a small premium (between 1‐10% more) for branded locally‐caught seafood, and 14.7% indicated a willingness to pay a slightly larger premium (between 11‐20% more). Less than one‐fifth of the respondents (19.5%) indicated a willingness to pay more than a 20% premium for branded locally‐caught seafood. Implications Local SEQ consumers are not purchasing fresh uncooked fish on a regular basis, with just under half of the respondents purchasing fresh uncooked fish less than once per month. Hence, there is a need to encourage the purchase of fresh uncooked fish among local SEQ residents by first understanding barriers to purchase of fresh seafood and then putting in place strategies to reduce those barriers. Previous research has revealed that price, lack of ready availability of fresh seafood and consumers lacking knowledge and confidence in selecting, preparing and serving fresh fish are the major barriers to fish consumption in Australia (Birch & Lawley 2012). When purchasing fresh uncooked fish, supermarkets and fishmongers/fish shops are preferred outlets for local SEQ residents, with supermarkets being most preferred for weekly purchase and the fishmonger or fish shop being preferred for less regular (fortnightly or monthly) purchase. Hence, the ready availability of fresh seafood in these outlets is essential to stimulate greater consumption. The results indicate that over three‐quarters of local SEQ residents may be prepared to pay a small premium for branded locally caught seafood. However, the findings indicate that the premium most consumers would be prepared to pay would only be about 10%. The local seafood industry would need to undertake a thorough cost‐benefit analysis to determine if a price premium of Page 30
around 10% would deliver an acceptable return on investment in branding and marketing activities associated with a local branding strategy. General Attitudes and Beliefs Related to ‘Local Food and Beverage’ To investigate general attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage, all respondents (n = 853) were asked their level of agreement or disagreement with a range of statements about SEQ local food and beverage, as presented in Table 20. Table 20: General Attitudes toward Local/SEQ Food and Beverage Local n % Past Visitor n % The origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places on/in [insert area/region] 5.5 81.1
5.4 74.1
5.3 73.3 5.4 76.4
I am interested in learning about where the local food and beverage I eat comes from and how it is grown and/or produced 5.2 70.4
5.1 65.1
5.0 59.7 5.1 65.9
When selecting from a menu, I specifically look/looked/will look for locally caught seafood to order. 5.0 69.7
5.0 66.5 *5.2 68.2 5.0 68.0
If local food and/or beverage from [insert area/region] is/was promoted at [insert area/region] restaurants; that would/did/will positively influence me to choose those restaurants 5.0 66.8
4.9 61.1 *5.3 66.5 5.0 64.2
When purchasing food and beverage, I specifically look/looked/will look for local food and beverage from [insert area/region] to try 4.2 39.1
4.5 51.4 *4.8 54.5 4.4 47.6
When selecting from a menu at a local restaurant, I specifically look/looked/will look for local food and beverage from [insert area/region] to order 4.2 38.1
4.4 46.5 *4.7 51.7 4.4 44.5
Local food and beverage is/was/should be frequently included on the menus at eating out places on/in [insert area/region] 4.1 36.5
4.4 44.1 *5.5 77.8 4.5 48.3
Local food and beverage from [insert area/region] is/was/should be clearly marketed as coming from [insert area/region] 3.7 33.2
4.2 37.6 *5.5 78.4 4.3 44.4
Local food and beverage from [insert area/region] is/was/should be readily 3.6 25.7
4.3 41.1 *5.5 76.7 4.3 42.9
Statement Page 31
Future Visitor n % Total Study n % Statement Local n % Past Visitor n % Future Visitor n % Total Study n % available at the places where I shop in [insert area/region] Local food and beverage [insert area/region] is/was/should be branded and easily recognisable 3.4 21.5
4.1 34.3 *5.5 76.7 4.1 38.5
**Eating and drinking local food and beverage from SEQ, did or could have made/will make my visit more enjoyable N/A N/A 4.9 60.3 *5.0 59.7 N/A N/A Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree * For future visitors mean scores for these statements represent intentions and expectations rather than reported behaviour and thus are not comparable with local SEQ residents and past visitors, but rather present differences between expectations and performance and intentions and actual behaviour. ** Asked for future and past visitors only. Findings The precise wording of the statements was adapted for respondents depending upon whether they identified as coming from the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast or Bayside/Redland or if they identified as being either a past or future visitor to the SEQ region. Results are ordered by mean scores of local SEQ respondents and percentages reported reflect the proportion of respondents who selected ‘strongly agree’, ‘agree’ or ‘tend to agree’ (Table 20). For future visitors mean scores reflect their intentions and expectations rather than reported behaviour and thus are not comparable with mean scores for local residents and past visitors, but rather provide information for observing differences between expectations and perceived performance and purchase intentions and actual purchasing behaviour. There were significant differences across the groups, and thus results are discussed for local SEQ residents, past visitors and future visitors in turn. Local SEQ Residents The majority of local SEQ respondents (81.1%) agreed that the origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in their local area. Almost three‐quarters of local SEQ respondents (70.4%), and females in particular, indicated that they are interested in learning about where the local food and beverage they eat comes from. Two‐thirds of local SEQ respondents (66.8%), and females in particular, agreed that if local food or beverage from their local area was promoted at local restaurants that would positively influence them to choose those restaurants. However, only 38.1%, and females more so than males, agreed that when selecting from a menu at a local restaurant they specifically look for local food and beverage from their local area to order. This behaviour may be associated with the fact that just over one‐third (36.5%) agree that local food and beverage is frequently included on the menus at eating out places. However, 69.7% of local SEQ residents agreed that when selecting from a menu, they do specifically look for locally‐caught seafood to order. Just over one‐third of local SEQ residents (39.1%), and females in particular, agreed that when purchasing food and beverage they specifically look for local food and beverage to try. Only one‐
third of respondents (33.2%) agreed that local food and beverage is being clearly marketed. Page 32
People from the Gold Coast (22.1%) were less likely to agree that local food and beverage from the Gold Coast is clearly marketed as coming from the Gold Coast than residents from Bayside/Redland (36.7%) or the Sunshine Coast (41.0%). Just over one‐quarter (25.7%) of local SEQ residents agreed that local food and beverage was readily available where they shop, and only 21.5% agreed that local food and beverage was branded and easily recognisable. While in general, females expressed more positive attitudes toward local food and beverage, there were no significant differences for local SEQ residents on the basis of age, education or income level with respect to responses concerning attitudes toward local food and beverage. Local residents who purchase local food and beverage for use at home or when eating out at least monthly agreed more strongly with all of the attitudinal statements than did people who purchase less than monthly. Of note, is that people who purchase local food and beverage when eating out less than monthly were more likely to disagree that local food and beverage is readily available, branded and easily recognisable, or clearly marketed as local than people who purchase local food and beverage when eating out on a more regular basis. Past Visitors to SEQ The majority of past visitors (74.1%) agreed that the origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in SEQ, with past visitors aged 35 years and older agreeing more so than people aged under 25 years. Two‐thirds (65.1%) of past visitors indicated that they are interested in learning about where the local food and beverage they eat comes from. Almost two‐thirds (61.1%) of past visitors agreed that if local food or beverage from SEQ was promoted at local SEQ restaurants that would positively influence them to choose those restaurants. However, less than half of the past visitors (46.5%) agreed that when selecting from a menu at a SEQ restaurant during their visit to SEQ they specifically looked for local SEQ food and beverage to order. Less than half (44.1%) of past visitors agreed that local SEQ food and beverage was frequently included on the menus at eating out places in SEQ. However, two‐thirds (66.5%) of past SEQ visitors agreed that when selecting from a menu, they do specifically looked for locally‐
caught seafood to order, with past visitors aged 35 years or older being more likely to agree that specifically looked for locally‐caught seafood than younger past visitors aged less than 35 years. Just over half (51.4%) of past visitors, and people aged 35 years and older more so than younger past visitors, agreed that when purchasing food and beverage during their visit to SEQ, they specifically looked for local food and beverage to try. Just over one‐third (37.6%) of past visitors agreed that local food and beverage is being clearly marketed as coming from SEQ; and on this statement younger past visitors aged 18‐24 years were less likely to agree than older past visitors. Less than half past visitors (41.1%) agreed that local food and beverage was readily available where they shopped in SEQ and only one‐third (34.3%) agreed that local food and beverage from SEQ was branded and easily recognisable. Past visitors educated to primary school level agreed more strongly that SEQ local food and beverage should be clearly marketed, branded and readily available, while more educated past visitors appear to be less concerned with these marketing and distribution related issues. With respect to demographic differences on the attitudinal statements for past visitors, there were no differences across gender; however, past visitors aged 35 years or older in general appear to have more positive attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage, and expressed greater concern about lack of marketing branding and distribution than their younger counterparts. Moreover, past visitors who indicated that they purchased SEQ local food and beverage at least ‘frequently’ during their visit to SEQ reported more favourable attitudes toward local food and beverage than people who purchased less than frequently. Page 33
Future Visitors to SEQ The majority of future visitors (73.3%), and people aged 55 years or older more so than younger people aged 18‐24 years, agreed that the origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in SEQ. Future visitors indicated slightly less interest in learning about where the local food and beverage they eat comes from (59.7%), however females indicated more interest than males. Two‐thirds (66.5%) of future visitors, and females in particular, agreed that if local food or beverage from SEQ was promoted at local SEQ restaurants that would positively influence them to choose those restaurants; however, just over half (54.5%), and females more so than males, agreed that when selecting from a menu at a SEQ restaurant during their visit to SEQ they will specifically look for local SEQ food and beverage to order. More than three‐quarters (77.8%) of future visitors, and people aged 55 years and older more so than younger consumers aged under 35 years, agreed that local SEQ food and beverage should be frequently included on the menus at eating out places in SEQ, while only 44.1% of past visitors agreed this had been the case. Over two‐thirds (68.2%) of future SEQ visitors, and older consumers in particular, agreed that when selecting from a menu, they will specifically look for locally‐caught seafood to order. Just over half (54.5%) of future visitors, and older consumers aged 55 years plus more so than younger consumers aged 18‐24 years, agree that when purchasing food and beverage during their visit to SEQ, they will specifically look for local SEQ food and beverage to try. Over three quarters of future visitors (78.4%), and females in particular, agreed that local food and beverage should be clearly marketed as coming from SEQ; however, only 37.6% of past visitors agreed that this was the case. Three‐quarters (76.7%) of future visitors, and once again females more so than males, agreed that local SEQ food and beverage should be readily available, however, only 41.1% of past visitors agreed that local food and beverage was readily available where they shopped in SEQ. Likewise, 76.7% of future visitors, and females in particular, agreed that local food and beverage from SEQ should be branded and easily recognisable, while only 34.3% of past visitors agreed that it was. Older consumers (55 years and older) agreed more strongly that SEQ local food and beverage should be clearly marketed, branded and readily available, while younger consumers aged 18 ‐ 24 years appear to be less concerned with these marketing and distribution related issues. With respect to demographic differences across future visitors on the attitudinal statements, it appears that females and older consumers (aged 55 years and above) hold more favourable attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage, and are more concerned that SEQ local food and beverage is clearly marketed, branded and readily available during their visit to SEQ. Moreover, future visitors who indicated that they intend to purchase SEQ local food and beverage at least ‘frequently’ during their visit to SEQ hold more favourable attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage than do people who intend to purchase less than frequently. Implications The findings indicate that developing more favourable attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage will lead to increased consumption. The origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in South East Queensland, and provenance information (‘stories’) should be provided as people are interested in learning about where the local food and beverage they eat comes from. Moreover, identifying the origin of food on menus, and including and promoting local food and beverage at local SEQ restaurants will encourage more local residents and visitors to SEQ to specifically look for local food and beverage to order, and in particular locally‐caught seafood. Page 34
A lack of clear marketing, branding and availability of local food and beverage in South East Queensland is evident, and this would be contributing to the finding that only just over one‐third of local SEQ residents and just over half of visitors to SEQ are specifically looking for local food and beverage to try. Hence, developing stronger marketing and branding strategies for SEQ local food and beverage and making local food and beverage more readily available will increase awareness and consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. Analysis of variance across demographic groups indicates that while all demographic groups hold favourable attitudes toward local SEQ food and beverage, potentially the most attractive target market among both local SEQ residents and future visitors to SEQ is older females. Beliefs about Purchasing Local Food and Beverage In this section, respondents were questioned regarding their beliefs about purchasing local food and beverage. Local SEQ Residents To gain an understanding of likely future purchasing behaviour, local SEQ residents (n = 307) were asked about their beliefs about buying local food and beverage in the next fortnight (Table 21). Table 21: Beliefs about Purchasing Local Food in the Next Fortnight – Local SEQ Residents Local Mean % agreeing Buying local food and beverage from [insert area] in the next fortnight would be favourable 5.1 68.1 Overall, I feel that I should buy local food and beverage from [insert area] in the next fortnight 4.9 64.2 I would feel good if I buy local food and beverage from [insert area] in the next fortnight 5.0 67.8 People who are important to me would approve of me buying local food and beverage from [insert area] in the next fortnight 4.7 55.0 Buying local food and beverage from [insert area] in the next fortnight would be easy 4.4 45.0 Statement Scale: 1 = Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree Findings The results indicate that local SEQ residents hold relatively favourable beliefs with respect to purchasing local food and beverage: 
68.1%, and females more so than males, agree that buying local food and beverage in the next fortnight would be favourable 
64.2% agree that they should buy local food and beverage 
67.8%, and females in particular, agree that they would feel good if they bought local food and beverage Page 35

55.0% agree that people who are important to them would approve of them buying local food and beverage; however 
only 45.0% agreed that if it would be easy to buy local food and beverage in the next fortnight. In particular, respondents from Bayside/Redland (37.8%) and the Gold Coast (39.4%) were less likely to agree that it would be easy to purchase local food and beverage in the next fortnight than respondents from the Sunshine Coast (57.2%). There were no significant differences across local SEQ residents on age, education levels or income level for these belief statements. Local SEQ residents who indicated that they purchase local food and beverage at least weekly agreed more strongly that they ‘should’ buy local food and beverage in the next fortnight, that it would be ‘easy’ and ‘favourable’, than people who purchase local food and beverage fortnightly or monthly, followed by people who purchase local food and beverage for use at home less than monthly. People who purchase local food and beverage for use at home at least monthly agreed more strongly than those who purchase less than monthly that purchasing local food and beverage in the next fortnight would be ‘good’ and ‘people who are important to them would approve’. SEQ Visitors To gain an understanding of purchasing behaviour of visitors to SEQ, past and future visitors (n = 546) were asked about their beliefs about buying local food and beverage when visiting SEQ (Table 22). Table 22: Beliefs about Purchasing SEQ Local Food and Beverage when Visiting SEQ Past Visitors (n=370) n % Statement Future Visitors (n=176) n % Overall, I feel that I should try local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland 5.5 81.4 5.6 79.0 Buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland would be favourable 5.3 76.2 5.5 79.5 I would feel good if I bought local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland 5.2 69.7 5.5 75.6 People who are important to me would approve of me buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland 5.0 57.0 5.2 65.3 Buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland would be easy 4.9 60.8 5.2 67.0 Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree Findings Both past (81.4%) and future (79.0%) visitors to SEQ, and females in particular, agreed that they should try local SEQ food and beverage when visiting SEQ and that to do so would be favourable. However, future visitors were more likely to agree (75.6%) than past visitors (69.7%) that they would ‘feel good’ if they bought local food and beverage when visiting SEQ. Females were more Page 36
likely to agree that buying local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ would be favourable and would make them ‘feel good’ than males. Future visitors (65.3%) were also more likely to agree than past visitors (57.0%) that people who are important to them would approve of them buying local food and beverage when visiting SEQ. Future visitors (67.0%), and consumers aged 55 year or older in particular, agreed that buying local food and beverage when visiting SEQ would be easy, while only 60.8% of past visitors agreed it would be easy. Younger visitors, aged 18‐24 years, were less likely to agree that they should buy local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ, that important people to them would approve, or that it would be good, favourable or easy to do so. There were no significant differences for visitors with respect to their beliefs about buying SEQ local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ on the basis of education level or income. Past visitors who purchased local SEQ food and beverage frequently during their visit to SEQ agreed more strongly with these belief statements than past visitors who purchased less than frequently. Likewise, future visitors who indicated that they intend to purchase SEQ local food and beverage frequently during their visit to SEQ, agreed more strongly with these belief statements than people who indicated they intended to purchase less than frequently. Implications The findings indicate that both local SEQ residents and visitors to SEQ, and older females in particular, feel favourably toward purchasing local food and beverage and may feel a sense of obligation to do so. Favourable beliefs toward the purchase of local food and beverage are related to purchase frequency and intentions, hence encouraging more favourable beliefs about local food and beverage will lead to increased consumption. For example, many respondents do not necessarily consider it would be easy for them to purchase local food and beverage, and this was particularly the case for residents of Bayside/Redland and the Gold Coast. Therefore, making it easier for both local residents and SEQ visitors to access to local food and beverage, and reducing any perceived barriers including high prices, lack of availability, poor communication and marketing or insufficient labelling of local produce should serve to stimulate consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. Drivers of Local Food and Beverage Consumption An understanding of key drivers of local food and beverage consumption will allow producers and marketers to develop, price, communicate, and deliver products that are valued by consumers. A customer‐demand approach to the supply chain based on customer value analysis should lead to increased acceptance of SEQ local food and beverage, leading to greater market share and profitability. First, to uncover unprompted reasons, local SEQ residents (n = 307) were asked the three main reasons that came to mind for why they are willing to purchase local food and beverage (Table 23). Page 37
Table 23: ‘Top of Mind’ Drivers for Local Food and Beverage Purchase (n = 307) Top of Mind Drivers Percentage Freshness 41 Support for local community/businesses 14 Support for local farmers/growers/producers 11 Support the local economy/jobs 9 Cheaper/value for money 4 Quality 4 Taste 4 Findings When asked for reasons that are ‘top of mind’ (without prompting), freshness (41%) was overwhelmingly the primary reason cited by local SEQ residents for purchasing local food and beverage. Reasons associated with local support (34% in total) including supporting local community/business (14%), supporting local farmers/growers/producers (11%), and supporting the local economy/jobs (9%) were also very common reasons for purchasing local food and beverage. Being cheaper and good value for money (4%), good quality (4%) and good taste (4%) were also reasons mentioned for purchasing local food and beverage. Lesser ‘top of mind’ drivers for purchasing local food and beverage included issues related to sustainability, traceability (knowing where the food comes from), health, availability, and convenience. Next, respondents were asked to indicate the extent to which they agreed or disagreed that they are or would be willing to purchase SEQ local food and beverage based on a range of different attributes (Table 24). For this question, the following respondents were included: 
local SEQ respondents who had indicated that they had either purchased local food and beverage for eating at home or when dining out at least 6 times in the past 3 months (n=111) 
past visitors who had indicated that they had eaten SEQ food more than ‘infrequently’ during their visit to SEQ (n = 299) 
future visitors who had indicated that they intend to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more than ‘infrequently’ during their visit (n = 161). Therefore, when interpreting the results it is important to note that means for future visitors represents intentions rather than actual purchasing behaviour. Moreover, only respondents who purchase more than’ infrequently’ were questioned about drivers. Page 38
Table 24: Drivers of Consumers’ Willingness to Purchase Local Food and Beverage Driver Local SEQ Residents
(n = 307) Mean % agree Past Visitors (n = 299) Mean % agree Future Visitors (n = 161) Mean % agree it supports local producers 6.3 96.4 5.6 82.9 5.6 80.7 it supports the regional economy 6.2 96.4 5.5 81.3 5.7 82.0 it supports local retailers 6.2 95.5 5.5 80.9 4.9 52.2 it supports the local community 6.2 95.5 5.6 81.3 5.9 83.2 it is/was fresh 6.1 96.4 5.7 86.6 5.6 85.1 it reduces food miles 6.0 90.1 5.2 67.6 5.4 75.2 it tastes good 5.9 91.0 5.6 84.6 5.8 84.5 it is/was in season 5.9 91.0 5.5 81.6 5.6 80.7 I like the connection with local producers 5.9 90.1 5.3 73.2 5.0 59.6 I know where it comes from 5.8 90.1 5.2 72.6 5.6 76.4 it is/was high quality 5.7 87.4 5.4 79.6 5.8 86.3 it is/was nutritious 5.6 87.4 5.3 75.6 5.5 74.5 it is healthy 5.6 85.6 5.3 76.3 5.8 84.5 I can/could buy the amount I want 5.6 85.6 5.1 69.2 5.3 73.9 it has/had a good appearance 5.5 83.8 5.4 77.9 5.7 82.6 it is/was wholesome 5.5 83.8 5.2 71.6 5.6 79.5 it is/was natural 5.5 81.1 5.2 71.6 5.8 83.2 it makes/made me feel good 5.5 79.3 5.1 66.2 5.7 80.7 I can trust it 5.5 79.3 5.1 68.9 5.6 81.4 it supports the national economy 5.5 78.4 5.1 63.5 5.5 75.8 it reduces packaging 5.5 77.5 4.8 54.5 5.9 87.0 it is/was sustainable 5.4 78.4 5.1 63.9 5.2 67.7 its reputation 5.4 77.5 5.0 63.5 5.4 74.5 it is/was the best available 5.4 76.6 5.2 68.6 5.6 83.9 it is/was authentic or original 5.4 75.7 5.2 73.9 5.2 70.8 it meets/met Australian food safety standards 5.4 73.9 5.2 67.6 5.3 75.8 it is/was good value for money 5.3 73.9 5.0 65.6 5.6 82.6 it is/was safe 5.3 73.0 5.1 62.2 5.6 84.5 Page 39
Driver Local SEQ Residents
(n = 307) Mean % agree Past Visitors (n = 299) Mean % agree Future Visitors (n = 161) Mean % agree it is/was environmentally friendly 5.3 72.1 4.9 58.2 5.3 71.4 it reduces/reduced pollution 5.2 68.5 4.6 44.5 5.5 78.3 it is/was free from preservatives 5.2 62.2 4.9 55.5 6.0 88.8 it is/was ethical 5.1 65.8 4.7 48.8 4.8 50.3 it is/was traditional to the region 5.1 63.1 5.2 68.9 5.7 82.6 the shopping experience is/was satisfying 5.0 68.5 4.9 59.5 5.7 83.2 it is/was organic 4.8 55.9 4.5 43.1 5.7 82.6 there is/was more variety 4.8 54.1 4.9 57.2 5.3 70.2 it is/was free from chemicals 4.8 50.5 4.7 45.5 5.4 70.2 it is/was interesting and/or novel 4.8 48.6 4.9 59.2 5.8 83.2 it is/was widely available 4.7 56.8 4.9 59.9 5.4 72.0 shopping for it is/was fun 4.7 53.2 4.8 55.5 5.5 74.5 it is/was a treat 4.7 49.5 5.1 67.2 5.6 82.0 it is/was branded and easily recognisable as local 4.6 57.7 4.8 57.5 5.3 68.3 it is/was priced at a premium 4.6 53.2 4.4 39.1 5.4 73.3 it is/was nostalgic (reminds me of the past) 4.5 44.1 4.3 39.1 5.5 73.9 it considers animal welfare 4.5 36.0 4.3 31.1 5.6 80.1 it is/was promoted nationally 4.3 30.6 4.3 34.1 5.2 67.1 I feel/felt guilty if I do/did not 3.9 29.7 3.7 26.1 5.1 64.6 Scale: 7 point agreement scale, 1 = Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree Findings As presented in Table 24, the relative strength of drivers for local food and beverage consumption varied across locals, past and future visitors. The findings are presented in order of ratings based on the combined responses of local SEQ residents. It is of concern that past visitors to SEQ had the lowest level of agreement with most attributes tested, indicating they hold less favourable perceptions of SEQ local food and beverage than either local SEQ residents or future visitors. The ratings of past visitors are based on actual past consumption behaviour, while the ratings of local SEQ residents reflect a mix of past and future consumption behaviour, and the ratings of future visitors reflect more ‘ideal’ purchase intentions. Hence, findings are discussed with respect to local SEQ residents, past visitors, and then future visitors in turn. Percentages reported represent the percentage agreeing with the statement, that is, those who responded either ‘strongly agree’, ‘agree’ or ‘tend to agree’. Page 40
Local SEQ Residents For local SEQ residents who purchase local food and beverage more than ‘infrequently’ (n = 111), the key factor driving consumption of local food and beverage concerned local support and included: 
support for local producers 
support the regional economy 96.4% 
support for local retailers 95.5% 
support the local community 95.5% 
supports the national economy 78.4%. 96.4% The second most important factor driving local food and beverage consumption was freshness, taste and quality including it is: 
it is fresh 
96.4% it reduces food miles 90.1% 
it tastes good 91.0% 
it is in season 91.0% 
it is high quality 87.4% 
it has a good appearance 83.8%. Issues related to traceability were also very important drivers with the majority of respondents agreeing with the statement ‘I like the connection with local producers’ (90.1%), and ‘I know where it comes from’ (90.1%). Next, factors related to the healthy attributes of the product were considered to be important drivers including: 
it is nutritious 87.4% 
it is healthy 85.6% 
it is wholesome 83.8% 
it is natural 81.1%. The product making people feel good (79.3%) and being able to trust the product were also important drivers with over three‐quarters of local SEQ respondents agreeing that they purchase local food and beverage because: 
I can trust it 79.3% 
of its reputation 77.5% 
it is the best available 76.6%. Page 41
The next most important drivers concerned sustainable and ethical practice including: 
reduced packaging 77.5% 
it is sustainable 78.4% 
it is environmentally friendly 72.1% 
it reduces pollution 68.5% 
it is ethical 65.8%. About one ‐quarter of respondents (73.9%) agreed that local food and beverage is good value for money, while being priced at a premium was only a driver for 53.2% of respondents. Local SEQ residents agreed that they purchase local food and beverage because it is authentic and original (75.7%), and nearly two‐thirds (63.1%) purchase local food and beverage because it is traditional to the region. Respondents also agreed that they purchase local food and beverage because it is safe (73.0%) and meets Australian food safety standards (73.9%). More than half of the respondents agreed that they buy local food and beverage because it is: 
free from preservatives 62.2% 
organic 55.9% 
free from chemicals 50.5%. Some respondents agreed that they purchase local food and beverage for hedonic reasons or pleasure and enjoyment including: 
the shopping experience is satisfying 68.5% 
the shopping experience is fun 53.2% 
it is interesting and/or novel 48.6% 
it is a treat 49.5% 
it is nostalgic (reminds me of the past) 44.1%. Only just over half of the local SEQ residents agreed that there was more variety (54.1%) or that local food and beverage was widely available (56.8%). Moreover, only 57.7% of local SEQ residents agreed that local food and beverage was branded and easily recognisable as local, and less than one‐third (30.6%) agreed that it was promoted nationally. About one‐third (36%) of respondents agreed that they purchase local food and beverage because it considers animal welfare, while only 29.7% purchase local food and beverage because they feel guilty if they do not. There were very few differences across location with respect to drivers of local food and beverage. People from Bayside/Redland (88.4%) were more likely to agree that they purchase local food and beverage because it is safe than people from the Gold Coast (62.3%) or the Sunshine Coast (65.3%). People from Bayside/Redland (92.4%) were also more likely to agree that they purchase local food and beverage because it is authentic or original than people from the Gold Coast (77.8%) or the Sunshine Coast (65.2%). Females were more likely to agree more so than males that they purchase local food and beverage because it is quality, has a good appearance, they can trust it, it meets Australian safety standards, Page 42
it supports the local community, producers, retailers and the regional economy, it tastes good, it is sustainable and reduces packaging, and shopping for it is fun. There were significant differences with respect to drivers across age groups with people aged 35 years and older being more likely to agree that they are driven by freshness, and less likely to agree that they purchase local food and beverage because it is safe, organic, free from chemicals, ethical, considers animal welfare, nostalgic, that the shopping is fun, they feel guilty if they do not, it is priced at a premium, there is variety, it is widely available and promoted nationally. However, it is important to point out that there were only 11 consumers in the less than 35 year age group who purchased more than infrequently and thus responded to this question. Past SEQ Visitors In general, past visitors (n = 299) had the lowest level of agreement with attributes tested, indicating they hold less favourable perceptions of SEQ local food and beverage than either local SEQ residents or future visitors. The most important key drivers for the vast majority of past visitors to SEQ for purchasing SEQ local food and beverage concerned the intrinsic qualities of the product itself and included: 
it was fresh 86.6% 
it tasted good 84.6% 
it was in season 81.6% 
it was high quality 79.6% 
it had a good appearance 77.9%. In keeping with local SEQ residents, local support was also a key driver for the majority of past visitors to SEQ when purchasing SEQ local food and beverage including support for: 
local producers 
82.9% the local community 81.3% 
the regional economy 81.3% 
local retailers 80.9% 
the national economy 63.5% (to a lesser extent). The next most important driver for consumption of SEQ local food and beverage for three‐
quarters of past visitors concerned the healthiness of the product and included: 
it was healthy 76.3% 
it was nutritious 75.6% 
it was wholesome 71.6% 
it was natural 68.9%. Page 43
Authenticity, tradition and traceability or knowing where the product comes from and a sense of connection were also important drivers for many past visitors when purchasing SEQ local food and beverage including: 
it was authentic or original 73.9% 
I like the connection with local producers 73.2% 
I know where it comes from 72.6% 
it was traditional to the area 68.9% 
it reduced food miles 67.6%. The next set of drivers for about two‐thirds of past visitors to SEQ when purchasing SEQ local food and beverage concerned availability and affordability and included: 
being able to buy the amount they wanted 69.2% 
being the best available 68.6% 
being good value for money 65.6% 
being widely available 59.9% (to a lesser extent) 
there was more variety 57.2% (to a lesser extent). Other drivers for about two‐thirds of past visitors concerned safety and trust including: 
it met Australian food safety standards 67.6% 
I could trust it 68.9% 
its reputation 63.5% 
it was safe 62.2%. Hedonic factors were also drivers for about two‐thirds of past visitors to SEQ when purchasing SEQ local food and beverage and included: 
it was a treat 
it made me feel good 67.2% 66.2% and to a lesser extent: 
the shopping experience was satisfying 59.5% 
it is/was interesting and/or novel 59.2% 
shopping for it is/was fun 55.0% 
it was nostalgic 39.1%. Page 44
Slightly lesser drivers for past visitors concerned issues related to sustainability and good practice including: 
it was sustainable 63.9% 
it was environmentally friendly 58.2% 
it reduced packaging 54.5% 
it was ethical 48.8% 
it reduced pollution 44.5% 
it considered animal welfare 31.1%. Marketing related activities were also lesser drivers for past visitors (and thus represent barriers for many past visitors) including: 
it was branded and easily recognisable 57.5% 
it was promoted nationally 34.1%. Moreover, despite being important drivers for future visitors, lesser drivers for past visitors to SEQ when purchasing SEQ local food and beverage included issues related to the product being pure or organic including: 
it was free from preservatives 55.5% 
it was free from chemicals 45.5% 
it was organic 43.1%. Other, lesser drivers for past visitors included being priced at a premium (39.1%) and feeling guilty if they did not buy local food and beverage (26.1%). Female past visitors were more likely than past male visitors to agree that they purchased SEQ local food and beverage to support the local community, retailers, producers and the regional economy, and because shopping for it was satisfying and fun. Past visitors aged 35 years and older were more likely to agree than people under 35 years that they purchased SEQ local food and beverage because it was quality, the best available, had a good appearance, they could trust it, they knew where it came from, it reduced food miles, it was healthy, fresh, safe, natural, wholesome and nutritious, it met Australian food safety standards, it was in season, it supported the local community, retailers, producers, regional and national economy, it made them feel good, it tasted good, it was authentic and original, and it was good value for money. Future SEQ Visitors For future visitors to SEQ who intended to purchase SEQ local food and beverage during their visit (n = 161), drivers for SEQ local food and beverage consumption are quite different from local SEQ residents and past visitors in terms of relative importance. It is important when interpreting these results to highlight that the future visitor sample was younger than the local SEQ resident or past visitor samples in the study. Moreover, future visitors reported on their expectations and future intentions rather than actual purchasing behaviour. Page 45
Very important drivers for future visitors for purchasing SEQ local food and beverage concern intrinsic qualities and healthy aspects of the product such as: 
it is free from preservatives 88.8% 
it is high quality 86.3% 
it is fresh 85.1% 
it tastes good 84.5% 
it is healthy 84.5% 
it is natural 83.2% 
it has/had a good appearance 82.6% 
it is organic 82.6% 
it is in season 80.7% 
it is wholesome 79.5% 
it is nutritious 74.5% 
it is free from chemicals 70.2%. Future visitors also strongly agreed that they will purchase SEQ local food and beverage if it reduces packaging (87.0%). However, only about half (50.3%) of future SEQ visitors agreed that they will purchase SEQ local food and beverage because it is ethical. Future visitors are motivated to purchase SEQ local food and beverage by hedonic or ‘feel good’ factors such as: 
it is interesting and/or novel 
the shopping experience is satisfying 83.2% 
it is traditional to the region 82.6% 
it makes me feel good 80.7% 
it is a treat 82.6% 
shopping for it is fun 74.5% 
it is nostalgic 73.9% 
it is authentic or original 70.8%. 83.2% Support factors will also motivate future visitors to SEQ to purchase SEQ local food and beverage during their visit to the region including support for: 
the local community 83.2% 
the regional economy 82.0% 
local producers 80.7% 
the national economy 75.8%. Page 46
However, future visitors were much less likely to agree than past visitors or local SEQ residents that they will purchase SEQ local food and beverage because they like the connection with local producers (59.6%) or to support local retailers (52.2%). Future visitors will also purchase SEQ local food and beverage for safety and trust issues including: 
it is safe 84.5% 
I can trust it 81.4% 
meets Australian food safety standards 75.8%. Good value and reputation will be important for future visitors including: 
it is the best available 83.9% 
it is good value for money 82.6% 
its reputation 74.5% 
it is priced at a premium 73.3%. Concern for animal welfare (80.1%) was relatively important for future visitors as compared with past visitors or local SEQ residents. About three‐quarters of future visitors indicated that they will purchase SEQ local food and beverage it they know where it comes from (76.4%) and if it reduces food miles (75.2%). While still being important, future visitors may be less driven by issues related to the environment including: 
it reduces pollution 

78.3% it is environmentally friendly 71.4% it is sustainable 67.7%. Slightly lesser drivers for future visitors related to distribution and marketing, possibly reflecting an expectation that these will be in place, and included: 
it is widely available 
73.3% I can buy the amount I want 73.9% 
there is more variety 70.2% 
it is branded and easily recognisable 68.3% 
it is promoted nationally 67.1%. Future visitors aged 35 years and older were more likely than future visitors less than 35 years to agree that they would purchase SEQ local food and beverage because it is quality, organic, wholesome, free from preservatives, natural, a treat, good value for money and makes them feel good, as well as, to support the local community and reduce packaging. However, people aged Page 47
less than 35 years were more likely to agree that will purchase SEQ local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ because they would feel guilty if they did not. Female future visitors were more likely than future male visitors to agree that they will purchase SEQ local food and beverage because it is the best available, its reputation, they know where it comes from, they like the connection with local producers, it reduces food miles, it is fresh, safe, meets Australian safety standards, it is wholesome, nutritious, free from chemicals, interesting and novel, a treat, traditional to the region, ethical, sustainable, reduces pollution, it is environmentally friendly, supports local producers and the regional economy, considers animal welfare, they can buy the amount they want, there is variety, it is widely available and promoted nationally, and they will feel guilty if they do not. Implications For local SEQ residents and visitors, highlighting the benefit of providing support for local producers, retailers and the community as well as the regional economy will positively influence consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. Increased consumption will also rely on local food producers and food processors delivering high quality, fresh, great‐tasting, seasonal products that both look good and are good value for money. This is particularly important for driving consumption among future visitors, who undoubtedly will be looking for such products in SEQ restaurants and retail outlets. Local SEQ residents and past visitors, in particular, like to know where their food comes from and like the connection with local producers, hence providing opportunities for consumers to interact with local producers and gain important provenance information (where and how the food is produced) will stimulate consumption. The healthy aspect of local food and beverage is an important driver for all groups in the study, and in particular for future visitors; hence, focussing on the healthy, nutritious, wholesome and natural attributes of local food and beverage will positively impact consumption by local SEQ residents. Local food and beverage producers and processors will benefit from building a strong reputation for delivering high quality products that consumers can trust. While of lesser importance to past visitors, local SEQ residents are concerned about sustainable production, and along with future visitors they particularly value reduced packaging. Reducing unnecessary packaging, while still delivering important product information, will assist in gaining consumer acceptance, driving down distribution costs, and making local food and beverage more affordable. Food safety is important to some consumers, as are issues such as products being free from preservatives, organic, and free from chemicals. Many consumers are seeking authentic and original products that are traditional to the region, while others value interesting and novel products, and products that are nostalgic or remind them of the past. Local food and beverage producers should also consider how they can enhance the hedonic and experiential benefits consumers are seeking when purchasing local food and beverage, and in particular future visitors to SEQ, including delivering satisfying and fun shopping experiences, and allowing consumers to enjoy a treat. The findings reveal that both SEQ residents and past visitors consider there to be some lack of variety and that local food and beverage is not readily available. Therefore, increasing opportunities for local SEQ residents and visitors to purchase local product through more strategic and intensive distribution will positively influence consumption. Finally, improving the marketing of local food and beverage through better branding, labelling, and promotion will increase consumption among local SEQ residents. Page 48
Barriers to Local Food and Beverage Consumption Understanding barriers to local food and beverage consumption will provide producers and marketers with information necessary to make improvements to product offerings and related marketing mix variables (e.g. price, distribution and promotion), and to develop communication messages which address any obstacles to consumption. First, local SEQ respondents were asked the three main reasons that came to mind for why they are NOT willing to purchase local food and beverage (Table 25). Table 25: Top of Mind Barriers to Purchase of Local Food and Beverage ‐ Local SEQ Residents Top of Mind Barriers Percentage Price/expensive 27 Lack of availability 17 Not clearly labelled as local 7 Not eating out as often 7 Do not know the origin of the food I buy 5 Too far to travel/time 2 Inconsistent quality 2 Lack of variety 2 Findings The findings reveal that, for local SEQ residents, ‘top of mind’ reasons for not purchasing local food and beverage primarily concern price or being too expensive (27%) and lack of availability (17%). Other reasons include products not being clearly labelled as being local (7%) and local SEQ residents not eating out as often as they did previously (7%). Some respondents indicated that they do not know the origin of the food they buy (5%), while others do not purchase local food and beverage because it is inconvenient, too far to travel or too time‐consuming to do so (2%). Other barriers include the quality being inconsistent (2%) and lack of variety (2%). Next, local SEQ residents and past and future visitors, who indicated that they are either infrequent or non‐purchasers of local/SEQ food and beverage, were asked to indicate their reasons for none or infrequent purchase on a range of different attributes (Table 26). For this question, the following respondents were included: 
local respondents who had indicated that they NOT purchased local food and beverage for eating at home or when dining out at least 6 times in the past 3 months (n=279) 
past visitors who had indicated that they had eaten SEQ food ‘infrequently’ or ‘not at all’ during their visit to SEQ (n = 71) 
future visitors who had indicated that they intend to purchase SEQ local food and beverage ‘infrequently’ or ‘not at all’ during their visit (n = 15). Page 49
Table 26: Barriers to Consumers’ Willingness to Purchase Local Food and Beverage Local SEQ Residents (n = 279) Mean % Barrier Past Visitors (n = 71) Mean % Future Visitors (n =15) Mean % it is not well promoted 4.9 67.7 4.8 60.6 4.5 60.0 information on where to find it is not available 4.9 64.9 4.9 63.4 5.1 73.3 it is not clearly branded as local 4.8 62.7 4.6 47.9 4.5 46.7 it is not readily available 4.7 59.5 4.5 47.9 5.1 66.7 it is not well labelled 4.6 55.6 4.5 52.1 4.9 60.0 it is expensive 4.6 54.8 4.1 28.2 5.1 66.7 the range of products is limited 4.3 49.8 4.3 33.8 4.9 60.0 I have to travel further to do so 4.2 41.6 4.2 32.4 5.2 80.0 I cannot trust that all of the ingredients are local 4.1 37.6 3.9 19.7 4.4 40.0 it requires extra effort 4.0 39.8 4.3 42.3 5.0 80.0 I cannot trust it is actually local 4.0 35.8 3.8 19.7 4.7 53.3 food and beverage elsewhere is sometimes better 4.0 32.6 4.1 28.2 4.6 53.3 the price is not always clear 4.0 29.0 3.9 28.2 5.0 66.7 to do so is time consuming 3.9 38.0 4.2 35.2 4.9 60.0 it is inconvenient 3.9 34.8 4.1 35.2 5.3 73.3 it is not well packaged 3.5 14.3 3.8 19.7 4.5 53.3 it is not good quality 3.1 10.0 3.4 4.2 5.0 46.7 it is a fad 2.9 10.8 3.5 8.5 4.4 26.7 Scale: 7 point agreement scale, 1 = Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree) Findings The relative strength of barriers for local food and beverage consumption varied across locals and visitors. The findings are presented in order of ratings based on the combined responses of local SEQ residents. The ratings of past visitors (n = 71) represent actual past consumption behaviour during their visit to SEQ, while the ratings of local SEQ residents (n = 279) reflect both past and future consumption behaviour. The responses of the small number of future visitors (n = 15) who indicated they will not purchase SEQ food and beverage more than ‘infrequently’ during their visit to SEQ reflect future purchase intentions. Hence, findings are discussed with respect to local SEQ residents, past visitors, and then future visitors in turn. Page 50
Local SEQ Residents The results reveal that the key barriers to purchase of local food and beverage by local SEQ residents (n = 279) are primarily associated with inadequate marketing and distribution with: 
67.7% agreeing that local food and beverage is not well promoted 
64.9% agreeing that information on where to find local food and beverage is not available 
62.7% agreeing that local food and beverage is not clearly branded as local 
59.5% agreeing local food and beverage is not being readily available 
55.6% agreeing that local food and beverage is not well labelled 
49.8% agreeing the range of products to be limited. There is also a perception among local SEQ residents that local food and beverage is expensive (54.8%). Interestingly, there was no difference across income levels in terms of residents’ perceptions of the expense of local food and beverage. There appears to be a degree of perceived inconvenience associated with purchasing local food and beverage with: 
41.6% agreeing they need to travel further to purchase local food and beverage 
39.8% agreeing that purchasing local food and beverage requires extra effort 
38.0% finding it is time‐consuming 
34.8% considering it to be inconvenient. Just over one‐third of the local SEQ respondents agreed that they cannot trust that the product is actually local (35.8%) or that all of the ingredients are local (37.6%). People aged 25‐44 years were more likely to agree than they cannot trust that all of the ingredients are local than younger consumers aged 18‐24 years. Not being well packaged (14.3%), not being good quality (10%) or being a fad (10.8%) were much lesser barriers to purchase of local food and beverage. Males (14.2%) were more likely to consider that local food and beverage is not good quality than are females (8.0%). Males (15.2%) were also more likely to perceive that local food and beverage is a fad than females (8.5%). There were no significant differences across income and education levels of local SEQ residents with respect to perceived barriers to purchasing local food and beverage. However, there were some differences across local regions, with respondents from the Sunshine Coast (44.8%) being less likely to agree that local food and beverage is not readily available than residents of Bayside/Redland (70.5%) or the Gold Coast (53.9%). Residents from the Sunshine Coast (55.4%) were also less likely to agree that information on where to find local food and beverage is not available than were residents from the Gold Coast (70.2%) or Bayside/Redland (69.3%). Past SEQ Visitors The results reveal that, in keeping with local SEQ residents, the key barriers to purchase of SEQ food and beverage by past visitors to SEQ (n = 71) are primarily associated with inadequate marketing and distribution including: 
information on where to find it is not available (63.4%) Page 51

it is not well promoted (60.6%) 
it is not clearly branded as local (47.9%) 
it is not well labelled (52.1%) 
it is not readily available (47.9%) 
the range of products is limited (33.8%). Being expensive was considered to be a barrier to purchasing SEQ food and beverage by more than one‐quarter (28.2%) of past visitors to SEQ. Issues related to perceived inconvenience presented a barrier to a number of past visitors including: 
I have to travel further to do so (32.4%) 
it requires extra effort (42.3%) 
to do so is time‐consuming (35.2%) 
it is inconvenient (35.2%). Lesser barriers for past visitors to purchasing SEQ local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ included: 
it is not good quality (4.2%) 
it is a fad (8.5%) 
it is not well packaged (19.7%) 
I cannot trust it is actually local (19.7%) 
I cannot trust that all of the ingredients are local (19.7%) 
food and beverage is sometimes better elsewhere (28.2%). There were no significant differences with respect to perceived barriers for past visitors to SEQ to purchase SEQ local food and beverage across gender, age, income or education levels. Future SEQ Visitors Very few future visitors (n=15) indicated that they would not be willing to purchase SEQ food and beverage during their visit to SEQ. For those who were not willing to purchase SEQ food and beverage during their visit, the main barriers concerned issues related to inconvenience included: 
having to travel further to do so (80.0%) 
it requires extra effort (80.0%) 
perceived inconvenience (73.3%). Other key barriers for future visitors included: 
lack of information on where to finding SEQ food and beverage (73.3%) Page 52

not being readily available (66.7%) 
being expensive (66.7%). Differences based on demographic variables were not investigated for future visitors due to the small number of future visitors reporting on barriers to consumption (n = 15). Implications The findings reveal that key barriers to the purchase of SEQ local food and beverage include a perception that it is too expensive and not readily available. Making the product more affordable does not necessarily mean price reductions, rather strategies such as smaller portion sizes and price per portion labelling can make products more acceptable to price‐sensitive consumers and those with limited budgets. Therefore, making SEQ local food and beverage more affordable should stimulate consumption, as will distributing it in ways that make it more readily available for both local residents and visitors. The discussion in Section 13.0 on outlets currently used for purchasing local food and beverage and outlets that consumers would like to use provides important insight for more effective distribution strategies. Local SEQ residents and past visitors to SEQ consider lack of promotion of local food and beverage, lack of information on where to find local food and beverage, lack of clear branding and labelling and a limited range of products being available to be key barriers. Hence, developing effective marketing, branding, and labelling strategies is a key priority in addressing low levels of consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. The discussion in Section 25.0 of this report on the usefulness of various media for providing information on local food and beverage, as well as the discussion in Section 20.0 on experiential, personal and commercial influences on local food and beverage purchasing provide insight into effective marketing and promotional strategies. For some consumers purchasing local food and beverage is perceived to be inconvenient, time‐
consuming and requires too much effort. Therefore, making local food and beverage more readily available and accessible will stimulate consumption. About one‐third of consumers do not trust that the product or all of the ingredients in the product are actually local. Once again, this points to the need for clear branding and labelling of local food and beverage. The information provided in Section 21.0 of the report provides guidance on what types of labelling information consumers value. Factors Encouraging Purchase of SEQ Local food and Beverage Increasing consumption of local food and beverage depends upon identifying and implementing effective intervention strategies for leveraging drivers and minimising barriers to consumption. Having explored drivers and barriers to purchasing local food and beverage, respondents were asked what three main things would encourage them to purchase more local/SEQ food and beverage (Table 27). Page 53
Table 27: Factors Encouraging Purchase of SEQ Local Food and Beverage Sunshine Coast % Gold Coast % Bayside/ Redland % Past Visitor % Future Visitor % Price 26 Price 34 Price 26 Price 19 Price 27 Greater availability 24 Greater availability 23 Greater availability 22 Advertised 12 Greater availability 11 Clearly labelled 15 Advertised 15 Clearly labelled 22 Clearly labelled 11 Freshness 11 Advertised 15 Clearly labelled 13 Advertised 15 Greater Availability 10 Advertising 7 Findings Respondents across the five groups, and in particular people from the Gold Coast, cited better or cheaper prices as the primary factor that would encourage them to purchase more SEQ local food and beverage. The second most frequently cited factor was greater availability of local food and beverage in SEQ outlets, and in particular, in supermarkets. Many respondents also noted the desire for more variety. Respondents identified that clear labelling of local products, as well as, local food and beverage being promoted, advertised and branded so that they knew where to find local products would encourage them to purchase more local food and beverage. Future visitors clearly identified that if fresh product is available that would encourage them to purchase more SEQ local food and beverage. Other less cited reasons included taste, quality, support for local producers, retailers and the local community, and availability of pure or natural products. Implications The findings clearly indicate that consumers would purchase more SEQ local food and beverage if it was more affordable and readily available. Making product more affordable will mean carefully analysing product costs and seeking to reduce costs without sacrificing quality, freshness or appearance which is greatly valued by consumers. One way to reduce costs would be to reduce unnecessary packaging, as findings reveal that one driver for purchasing local food and beverage is to reduce packaging. Making products affordable does not necessarily mean cheaper products but rather delivering better perceived value for money. Strategies for making product appear more affordable include smaller portion sizes and price per portion/serving pricing. Better marketing including clearly labelling or branding products as being local and increased promotion or advertising of local food and beverage both to increase awareness of local food and beverage and to inform people where they can buy local products will also encourage consumption. Purchase of SEQ Local Food and Beverage across Product Category In this section, we explore consumption of SEQ local food and beverage across product categories. Local SEQ residents and past visitors to SEQ were asked if they had purchased each category. Local SEQ residents were asked reasons for non‐purchase of any particular product category. Future visitors were asked regarding their intention to purchase each product category. Page 54
Local SEQ Residents To determine consumption frequency across a range of local food and beverage categories, local SEQ respondents (n = 307) were asked how often they currently purchase various categories of local food and beverage for use at home (Table 28). Respondents were provided with the option to state that they do not know if the product they purchase is local or not. Table 28: Purchase of Local Food and Beverage Product Categories ‐ SEQ Local Residents (n = 307) Don’t More Product Category than Fort‐
About Less than Less than know if every 3 every 3 every 6 local or once per Weekly nightly
Monthly
months months months Never not week (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Fruit 8.5 32.2 14.7 10.7 3.3 3.9 4.6 3.6 18.6 Vegetables 6.8 31.3 17.6 10.1 4.2 3.6 3.6 3.3 19.5 Bread/baked goods/cereals 8.8 25.7 16.0 8.1 5.2 3.6 5.5 13.4 12.7 Dairy food and beverage (e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt) 5.5 22.1 10.7 12.1 4.2 2.6 4.6 16.3 21.8 Eggs 3.3 18.6 16.6 12.1 4.6 2.9 7.5 11.4 23.1 Meat and/or meat products 2.9 14.7 13.0 11.1 4.6 2.6 6.8 14.3 30.0 Fish/seafood 2.0 13.4 16.9 19.5 8.1 6.2 7.5 10.7 15.6 Poultry 1.6 12.4 14.7 10.7 4.2 5.2 4.9 18.9 27.4 Non‐alcoholic beverages 1.3 7.8 9.4 8.5 5.2 5.9 7.5 31.6 22.8 Alcoholic beverages 1.0 6.5 6.2 7.2 8.1 5.5 11.7 34.2 19.5 Confectionary (e.g. sweets/chocolates) 0.7 4.9 6.5 10.1 8.5 6.8 14.7 27.7 20.2 Oils (e.g. olive, macadamia, avocado) 0.7 3.6 5.9 12.4 10.4 8.5 12.1 26.4 20.2 Pickles/conserves/ sauces 1.3 2.9 5.9 12.1 9.1 9.4 18.6 24.4 16.3 Jams/spreads 1.3 2.9 5.9 11.7 13.0 9.4 15.6 23.8 16.3 Findings The most frequently purchased product categories for local food and produce are fruit, vegetables and bread/baked goods/cereals. Local dairy products, eggs and meat and/or meat products are also purchased relatively frequently. Despite an abundance of local fish and seafood, it is not purchased very frequently and neither is local poultry. Local product categories that are purchased the least frequently include local jams/spreads, pickles/conserves/sauces, oils, confectionary, Page 55
alcoholic beverages, and non‐alcoholic beverages. With the notable exception of bread/baked goods/cereals, the relatively large number of people who did not know if what they buy is local (for example, 30% of respondents did not know if the meat and/or meat product they purchase is local or not) reinforces the need for clearer branding, labelling and promotion of local foods and beverages. Next, where the respondent indicated that they purchase any particular product category less than once every three months, they were asked reasons why not (Tables 29(a) and 29(b)). Table 29(a): Reasons for Not Purchasing Local Food and Beverage Product Categories Bread/ Baked Dairy Meat/ Vege‐
goods/ food/ Meat Fish/ Fruit tables cereals beverage Eggs products Seafood Poultry Reason (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Not available where I shop 51.4 56.3 46.4 50.0 46.3 52.1 29.3 48.3 Expensive 18.9 21.9 20.3 16.7 28.4 19.2 33.3 15.7 Personal dislike 5.4 10.4 4.3 2.8 3.0 4.1 13.3 7.9 Lack of variety 10.8 3.1 7.2 5.6 7.5 6.8 5.3 5.6 Poor or inconsistent quality 2.7 3.1 2.9 2.8 0.0 0.0 5.3 0.0 Can’t buy the type I prefer 5.4 3.1 7.2 4.2 3.0 1.4 2.7 2.2 Can’t buy the form I prefer 5.4 6.3 5.8 1.4 0.0 1.4 1.3 2.2 Can’t buy the quantity I prefer 5.4 3.1 1.4 0.0 0.0 1.4 2.7 2.2 Can’t or don’t cook it at home 5.4 3.1 2.9 0.0 1.5 2.7 13.3 4.5 Unhealthy 2.7 6.3 4.3 1.4 1.5 2.7 2.7 3.4 Safety concerns 2.7 3.1 2.9 1.4 0.0 1.4 4.0 3.4 Vegetarian or Vegan 0.0 0.0 1.4 2.8 1.5 9.6 2.7 6.7 Food intolerance 0.0 0.0 4.3 2.8 1.5 0.0 8.0 0.0 Allergic 0.0 0.0 2.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.7 1.1 Religious reasons 0.0 0.0 1.4 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 No particular reason 24.3 21.9 21.7 22.2 14.9 17.8 17.3 18.0 Other reason 13.5 9.4 14.5 5.6 13.4 9.6 6.7 5.6 Page 56
Table 29(b): Reasons for Not Purchasing Local Food and Beverage Product Categories Non‐
Pickles/ alcoholic Alcoholic Confection‐
Conserves/ Jams/ Beverage Beverage (%) (%) Oils ary Sauces Spreads (%) (%) (%) (%) Not available where I shop 44.2 36.1 43.1 42.4 37.9 39.3 Expensive 15.2 17.1 26.4 16.6 18.0 19.3 Personal dislike 13.0 17.7 6.3 14.6 18.0 13.3 Lack of variety 8.7 10.8 9.7 7.3 8.1 8.0 Poor or inconsistent quality 0.7 3.8 1.4 2.0 3.7 5.3 Can’t buy the type I prefer 2.2 6.3 3.5 1.3 8.1 6.0 Can’t buy the form I prefer 1.4 2.5 2.1 0.0 2.5 2.7 Can’t buy the quantity I prefer 1.4 1.9 2.8 1.3 1.9 2.0 Can’t or don’t cook it at home 2.9 1.9 4.9 3.3 5.0 3.3 Unhealthy 2.2 7.6 2.1 18.5 3.1 4.7 Safety concerns 2.2 3.8 1.4 0.7 2.5 2.0 Vegetarian or Vegan 0.7 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.6 0.0 Food intolerance 0.0 1.9 0.0 2.0 3.7 2.0 Allergic 0.0 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0 Religious reasons 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.7 No particular reason 26.8 22.2 23.6 17.2 22.4 23.3 Other reason 7.2 12.7 10.4 9.3 9.9 10.0 Reason for non‐purchase Overwhelmingly, the major reason why local SEQ residents do not purchase a particular food or beverage is due to the product not being available where they shop. Being expensive was another major reason for non‐purchase of local food and beverage, in particular for seafood, eggs and oils. Other products were not purchased due to personal dislike (e.g. pickles, conserves or sauces) or lack of variety. There were some notable differences across product categories with jams and confectionary not being purchased for health reasons, and seafood not being purchased because people can’t or don’t cook it at home or due to allergies. Some local food and beverage including seafood, jams and spreads, baked goods, alcoholic beverages, vegetables and fruit were considered by some respondents to be of poor or inconsistent quality. Interestingly, across all categories, about one‐fifth (20%) of respondents on average indicated they did not have a particular reason for not purchasing, reflecting either a general ambivalence toward or lack of awareness of local food and beverage. Page 57
SEQ Visitors Past visitors to SEQ were asked if they had purchased SEQ local food and beverage across a range of product categories during their visit, while future visitors were asked if they intended to purchase the various product categories during their visit to SEQ. Past visitors were given the option to state that they did not know if the product they purchased was local SEQ food and beverage or not. Table 30: Purchase of SEQ Food and Beverage Product Categories ‐ SEQ Visitors Product Category Future Visitors would like to purchase (n = 176) n % Past Visitors actually purchased (n= 370) n % Don’t know (n/%) Fruit 168 95.5 286 77.3 59 (15.9) Vegetables 165 95.5 246 66.5 75 (20.3) Fish/seafood 153 86.9 241 65.1 66 (17.8) Bread/baked goods/cereals 153 86.9 230 62.2 82 (22.2) Dairy food and beverage 148 84.1 187 50.5 116 (31.4) Meat and/or meat products 154 87.5 157 42.4 123 (33.2) Eggs 132 75.0 150 40.5 109 (29.5) Alcoholic beverages 120 68.2 138 37.3 99 (26.8) Confectionary 124 70.5 126 34.1 114 (30.8) Jams/spreads 117 66.5 127 34.3 93 (25.1) Non‐alcoholic beverages 129 73.3 107 28.9 123 (33.2) Poultry 133 75.6 97 26.2 130 (35.1) Oils 118 67.0 105 28.4 94 (25.4) Pickles/conserves/sauces 111 63.1 105 28.4 93 (25.1) Jams/spreads 117 66.5 127 34.3 93 (25.1) Findings The findings indicate that despite the good intentions of future visitors to SEQ to purchase SEQ local food and beverage, a lesser proportion of past visitors actually purchased each of the product categories measured. It is important to note that much of the discrepancy between purchase intention and actual consumption may be explained by the fact that some past visitors did not know if the food and beverage they purchased was local or not, reflecting a need for clear labelling and branding of local SEQ food and beverage. For example, despite almost all future visitors (95.5%) intending to purchase local SEQ fruit and vegetables during their visit to SEQ, only about three quarters of past visitors actually purchased fruit (77.3%) and only about two‐thirds of visitors purchased SEQ vegetables (66.5%). However, some past visitors reported that they did not know if the fruit (15.9%) or the vegetables (23.3%) they purchased were local or not. Likewise, 86.9% of future visitors to SEQ stated that they intended to purchase SEQ fish or seafood, while only 65.1% Page 58
of past visitors reported actually purchasing local SEQ fish/seafood during their visit to SEQ, and 17.8% of past visitors did not know if the fish/seafood they purchased was local or not. The next most popular category was bread/baked goods/cereals with 86.9% of future visitors intending to purchase that category and 62.2% of past visitors reporting actual consumption. Despite 84.1% of future visitors intending to purchase local SEQ dairy products, only half of past SEQ visitors (50.5%) reported actually purchasing local SEQ dairy foods or beverages. Once again, it is important to note the relatively large proportion of past visitors who did not know if the dairy (31.4%) they purchased was local or not. Less than half of the past visitors reported eating local meat or meat products (42.4%) or eggs (40.5%) with one‐third of past visitors (33.2%) indicating they did not know if the meat was local or not, and 29.5% not knowing if the eggs they purchased were local or not. Less popular local food and beverage categories (consumed by less than half of the SEQ past visitors) included pickles/conserves/sauces (39.6%), oils (40.8%), poultry (42.1%), non‐alcoholic beverages (43.2%), jams and spreads (44.7%), confectionary (45.8%) and alcoholic beverages (47.3%). Implications The findings indicate that local SEQ residents are purchasing a range of local food and beverage with the most popular categories being fruit, vegetables and bread/baked goods/cereals. Stimulating consumption of all categories relies upon ensuing the product is available where they shop and making products more affordable. However, reasons for non‐purchase vary across product category and therefore producers and processors of specific categories need to understand and seek to address these reasons, for example, whether it is a perceived lack of variety or perceptions of poor or inconsistent quality. The findings reveal high levels of intention by future visitors to SEQ to purchase local SEQ food and beverage during their visit, with at least two‐thirds of all future visitors indicating they intend to purchase all of the identified product categories. In particular, there are high levels of purchase intention for fruit, vegetables, fish/seafood, baked goods, meat and dairy. However, actual consumption by past visitors does not reflect the high purchase intentions of future visitors. Of interest is the relatively large number of past visitors who did not know whether the product they were consuming in SEQ was local or not. And this was the case in particular when consuming poultry, meat and meat products, dairy product, non‐alcoholic beverages and confectionary. This reinforces the need for SEQ local food and beverages to be clearly identified through labelling and branding. Outlets for SEQ Local Food and Beverage In this section, outlets for local food and beverage are discussed. First, respondents were asked which outlets they currently use (local SEQ residents) or used (past visitor) when purchasing local/SEQ food and beverage (Table 31). Then, where a respondent indicated that they do/did not currently use a particular outlet, they were asked if they would like/would have liked to be able purchase from that type of outlet, thus uncovering latent demand. Page 59
Table 31: Outlets for Purchasing SEQ Local Food and Beverage Outlet *Local SEQ Local SEQ Residents Residents
Like to Use use (n = 307) (%) (%) Past visitors Used (n =366) (%) * Past visitors Liked to have used (%) Future visitors Like to use (n = 176) (%) Large supermarket 73.3 84.1 63.1 37.8 79.0 Local specialist shop (e.g. greengrocer, butcher, baker etc.) 68.4 67.0 71.3 59.0 90.9 Farmer’s market or weekend market 61.6 61.0 52.7 65.9 84.1 Small supermarkets (e.g. IGA, Foodworks) 57.0 54.5 47.5 39.1 77.8 Restaurant 52.8 56.6 73.0 50.5 89.2 Cafe 51.1 54.0 66.7 48.4 88.1 Take‐away shop/fast‐food outlet 39.4 47.8 46.4 32.7 72.2 Roadside stalls 35.8 56.3 43.7 51.9 76.7 Hotel or Bistro 35.5 45.5 47.3 41.5 79.5 Club 28.7 42.9 31.7 25.6 66.5 Farm gate or farm shop 28.3 55.0 40.2 58.0 77.8 Local cooperatives 25.7 59.2 42.9 52.2 80.7 Van sales (e.g. seafood van) 16.9 34.9 22.4 27.8 56.3 Cellar door 14.3 38.4 26.5 37.2 65.3 PYO (pick your own) 14.0 43.6 14.8 42.9 63.1 Convenience store (e.g. 7/11) 13.7 36.2 21.0 20.1 52.8 Internet (online) 7.5 35.2 5.2 8.4 22.7 Educational institution (e.g. canteen) 6.8 31.8 N/A N/A N/A * Only respondents who do not currently use an outlet were asked if they would like to be able to use that type of outlet. Local SEQ Residents The main outlets used by local SEQ residents to purchase local food and beverage are: 
large supermarkets (73.3%) 
local specialty stores (68.4%) 
farmer’s or weekend markets (61.6%) 
small supermarkets (57.0%). Page 60
When eating out, local SEQ residents purchase local food from: 
restaurants (52.8%) 
cafes (51.1%) 
take‐away shops/fast food outlets (39.4%) 
hotels/bistros (35.5%) 
clubs (28.7%). In terms of less conventional food and beverage outlets, local SEQ residents purchase local food and beverage from: 
roadside stalls (35.8%) 
farm gate or farm shop (28.3%) 
local cooperatives (25.7%). Less frequented outlets for purchasing local SEQ food and beverage include: 
van sales (e.g. seafood vans) (16.9%) 
cellar doors (14.3%) 
PYO (pick your own) (14.0%) 
convenience stores (13.7%). Very few local SEQ residents are purchasing local food and beverage online (7.5%) or at educational institutions (6.8%). There were a number of significant differences with respect to outlets used for purchasing local food and beverage across the three local SEQ regions. People from the Sunshine Coast (71.4%) are more likely to purchase from small supermarket chains (e.g. IGA, Foodworks) than people from the Gold Coast (49.0%) or Bayside/Redland (50.0%). People from the Gold Coast (63.5%) are more likely to purchase local food and beverages from restaurants than people from the Sunshine Coast (46.7%) or Bayside/Redland (48.0%). Likewise, residents of the Gold Coast (60.6%) are more likely to purchase local food and beverage from cafes than residents of the Sunshine Coast (42.9%) or Bayside/Redland (50.0%). People from the Sunshine Coast (7.6%) are less likely to purchase from the cellar door than residents of the Gold Coast (19.2%) or Bayside/Redland (16.3%). With respect to demographic differences, both younger consumers (18‐24 years) and older consumers (55 years and older) are less likely to use convenience stores to purchase local food and beverage, whereas 25‐34 year olds are more likely to do so. Males (22.3%) are more likely to purchase local food and beverage from cellar doors than females (10.3%), males are also more likely than females to purchase local food from hotels (45.6% vs. 30.4%), clubs (37.9% vs. 24.0%), and take‐away/fast food stores (47.6% vs. 35.3%). Females (40.7%) are more likely to purchase local food and beverage from roadside stalls than males (26.2%). Page 61
Where would local SEQ residents like to purchase local food and beverage? Where a respondent indicated that they do not currently use a particular outlet, they were asked if they would like to be able purchase from that type of outlet (Table 30). The results reveal that there is latent consumer demand across all types of outlets identified. In particular, for local SEQ residents, there is demand for greater availability of local food and beverage in: 
large supermarkets (84.1%) 
local specialty stores (67.0%) 
farmer’s markets (61.0%) 
local cooperatives (59.2%) 
roadside stalls (56.3%) 
farm gates (55.0%) 
small supermarkets (54.5%). There is also demand by local SEQ residents for greater availability of local food and beverage at eating out outlets including: 
restaurants (56.6%) 
cafes (54.0%). Interestingly, over one‐third (35.2%) of local SEQ respondents (n = 284) indicated a desire to be able to purchase local food and beverage online. Females who do not currently purchase local food and beverage from clubs were more likely to agree that they would like to do so (37.2%) than males (21.4%). Likewise, females who do not currently purchase local food and beverage from educational institutions were more likely to say they would like to do so (47.7%) than males (31.3%). People aged 55 years and older who did not currently purchase on the Internet or from an educational institution were less likely than people aged 25‐44 years to prefer to do so. These older consumers (55 years and older) were also less likely to wish to purchase from a small supermarket than people aged 25‐34 years. Past SEQ Visitors The main outlets used by past SEQ visitors to purchase local food and beverage when eating out were (Table 30): 
restaurants (73.0%) 
cafes (66.7%). The most frequently used food retail outlets for purchasing local food and beverage were: 
local specialty stores (71.3%) 
large supermarkets (63.1%) 
small supermarkets (47.5%) Page 62

local cooperatives (42.9%). When eating out, past visitors to SEQ also patronised: 
hotels/bistros (47.3%) 
take‐away shops/fast food outlets (46.4%) 
clubs (31.7%). Farmer’s or weekend markets (52.7%) were popular with many past visitors to SEQ, as were roadside stalls (43.7%), and farm gates/farm shops (40.2%). Less frequented outlets by past SEQ visitors included cellar doors (26.5%), convenience stores (21.0%), van sales (e.g. seafood vans) (22.4%), PYO (pick your own) (14.8%), and the Internet (5.2%). Where would past visitors like to purchase SEQ local food and beverage? Reflecting a desire for a more interesting ‘grass roots’ purchasing experience when buying local food and beverage, many past visitors who had not used these outlets during their visit to SEQ indicated that they would have most liked to purchase from: 
farmer’s markets or weekend markets (65.9%) 
local specialty stores (59.0%) 
farm gates or farm shops (58.0%) 
local cooperatives (52.2%) 
roadside stalls (51.9%) 
PYO (pick your own) outlets (42.9%) 
cellar doors (37.2%). Moreover, about half of the past SEQ visitors who had not done so indicated a desire to purchase local SEQ food and beverage from local SEQ: 
restaurants (50.0%) 
cafes (48.4%) 
hotels/bistros (41.5%). In terms of food retail outlets, over one‐third of past SEQ visitors who had not done so indicated a desire to purchase local food and beverage from small (39.1%) and large (37.8%) supermarkets. Less preferred outlets for past visitors included take‐away shop/fast‐food outlet (32.7%), van sales (27.8%), clubs (25.6%), convenience stores (20.1%), and the Internet (8.4%). More than one‐third (34.6%) of the males who had not purchased from seafood vans during their visit to SEQ agreed that they would like to do so, and more so than the females who had not done so (21.6%). However, three‐quarters (74.2%) of the females who had not purchased from farmer’s markets during their visit to SEQ were more likely than their male counterparts (56.3%) to have liked to have done so. Young people aged 18‐24 years were less interested in being able to Page 63
purchase from local cooperatives, farm gates or farm shops, and roadside stalls than older consumers. There were no differences with respect to preferred outlets in terms of the income or education levels of past visitors. Future SEQ Visitors Future visitors to SEQ were asked to indicate which outlets they would like to be able to purchase SEQ local food and beverage during their visit (Table 31). The most popular outlets that future visitors indicated they would like to purchase SEQ local food and beverage from were: 
local specialty stores (90.9%) 
restaurants (89.2%) 
cafes (88.1%) 
farmer’s markets or weekend markets (84.1%) 
local cooperatives (80.7%) 
hotels/bistros (79.5%) 
large supermarkets (79.0%) 
small supermarkets (77.8%) 
farm gates or farm shops (77.8%) 
roadside stalls (76.7%) 
take‐away shop/fast‐food outlets (72.2%). Outlets which were less popular among future SEQ visitors included: 
clubs (66.5%) 
PYO (pick your own) outlets (63.1%) 
cellar doors (65.3%) 
van sales (56.3%) 
convenience stores (52.8%) 
Internet (22.7%). There was only one difference across demographic groups in terms of outlets future visitors would like to use for purchasing local food and beverage when visiting SEQ, with females (92.8%) wishing to be able to purchase local food and beverage from cafes more so than males (80.0%). Implications The findings indicate that a range of outlets are used for purchasing SEQ local food and beverage and that outlets most frequently used vary across local SEQ residents and visitors. For local SEQ residents there is latent consumer demand for greater availability of SEQ local food and beverage in large supermarkets, local specialty stores, farmer’s markets, local cooperatives, roadside stalls, farm gates, and small supermarkets, as well as restaurants and cafes. While visitors to SEQ report a desire for a more interesting ‘grass roots’ purchasing experience when buying SEQ local food and beverage, and seek greater availability at farmer’s markets or weekend markets, local specialty Page 64
stores, farm gates or farm shops, local cooperatives, roadside stalls, and PYO (pick your own) outlets, as well as greater availability at SEQ restaurants and cafes. Purchasing Occasions for SEQ Local Food and Beverage Knowledge of the different occasions for which consumers purchase local food and beverage will allow producers and marketers to gain a better understanding of consumers’ needs and preferences, patterns of demand, and how to stimulate demand. Respondents were asked to indicate how likely it was that they would purchase SEQ local food and beverage across a range of different purchasing occasions. Local SEQ Residents Local SEQ respondents (n = 307) were asked how likely is it that they would purchase local food and beverage for a range of occasions (Table 32). Table 32: Purchase Occasions for Local Food and Beverage ‐ Local SEQ Residents Completely Very Moderately Not at all likely likely likely Slight likely likely Purchase Occasion Mean (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) As part of your regular grocery shop 3.6 19.9 36.8 28.3 10.7 4.2 For a special occasion 3.6 18.6 40.1 24.4 12.1 4.9 At food festivals or food events 3.6 22.1 40.4 19.9 11.4 6.2 For a treat 3.5 16.6 43.0 23.1 9.8 7.5 When eating out 3.4 13.7 39.7 29.3 12.1 5.2 When visiting friends or relatives 3.3 14.0 37.8 26.1 13.0 9.1 When on holiday or leave 3.3 15.3 34.5 25.7 10.7 13.7 For a gift 3.2 12.4 34.5 25.1 14.3 13.7 When attending a cooking school 2.6 11.7 22.1 19.9 10.7 35.5 5‐point Likelihood Scale, 1 = Not at all likely to 5 = Completely likely Local SEQ residents are most likely to purchase local food and beverage as part of their regular grocery shop, with 85.0% agreeing that they are at least ‘moderately likely’ to do so. The next most likely occasion for local SEQ residents to purchase local food and beverage is for a special occasion (83.1% at least ‘moderately likely’), followed by local food festivals and food events (82.4% at least ‘moderately likely’). The next, at least ‘moderately likely’ occasions are for a treat (82.7%), when eating out (82.7%), when visiting relatives or friends (77.9%), when on holiday or leave (75.5%), or for a gift (72.0%). Over half of local SEQ residents (53.7%) also agreed that they would purchase local food and beverage when attending a local cooking school. Females were more likely than males to purchase local food and beverage at a food festival or event, a cooking school, or while on holiday or leave. People educated to primary school level indicated that they were less likely to purchase across most occasions than more educated consumers. People on less than $40,000 annual household income indicated that it was less likely Page 65
that they would purchase local food and beverage when eating out, when attending a cooking school, or when on holiday or leave. SEQ Visitors Past visitors to SEQ were asked whether they had purchased SEQ local food and beverage for a range of occasions, while future visitors were asked if they intended to purchase local food and beverage for those occasions (Table 33). Table 33: Purchase Occasions for Local Food and Beverage ‐ SEQ Visitors Purchase Occasion Past Visitors Purchased (n = 366) Future Visitors Likelihood (n = 176) % moderately likely to mean purchase n % purchased When eating out 288 78.7 3.9 96.0 As part of your holiday grocery shop 283 77.3 3.6 90.9 For a treat 230 62.8 3.7 88.6 When visiting friends or relatives 176 48.1 3.6 89.8 At food festivals or food events 127 34.7 3.7 88.1 For a special occasion 118 32.2 3.6 87.5 For a gift 88 24.0 3.4 78.4 When attending a cooking school 21 5.7 2.6 58.5 5‐point Likelihood Scale: 1 = Not at all likely to 5 = Completely likely Findings The majority of future visitors (96.0%) indicated they would be at least ‘moderately likely’ to purchase SEQ local food and beverage when eating out (96.0%), while only 78.7% of past visitors (78.7%) reported that they had actually purchased SEQ local food and beverage when eating out. The second most common occasion for which future visitors indicated at least moderate likelihood to purchase local SEQ local food and beverage was for a treat (88.6%), however, less than two‐
thirds (62.8%) of past visitors had purchased local food and beverage for a treat during their visit. While the third most common occasion for which future visitors indicated they would be at least ‘moderately likely’ to purchase SEQ local food and beverage was at food festivals and events (88.1%), only 34.7% of past visitors had done so. The majority of future visitors (90.9%) indicated it was at least ‘moderately likely’ they would purchase SEQ local food and beverage as part of their holiday grocery shop, and over three‐
quarters (77.3%) had purchased for that occasion. However, just less than half (48.1%) of past visitors to SEQ purchased local food and beverage when visiting friends or relatives, despite many future visitors (88.6%) indicating it was at least ‘moderately likely’ they would do so. Likewise, many future visitors indicated it was at least ‘moderately likely’ (87.5%) they would purchase SEQ Page 66
local food and beverage for a special occasion, while only 32.3% of past visitors reported they had done so. While more than three‐quarters (78.4%) of future visitors indicated it was at least ‘moderately likely’ they would purchase SEQ local food and beverage for a gift, less than one‐quarter (24.0%) of past visitors had actually purchased for that purpose. Finally, very few past visitors (5.7%), and people with a primary school education level in particular, had purchased SEQ local food and beverage when attending a cooking school during their visit to SEQ, while 58.5% of future visitors indicated it was at least ‘moderately likely’ they would do so. Past visitors aged 45 years or older were more likely to purchase local food and beverage when visiting relatives and friends or when eating out than were younger people aged less than 25 years. Past visitors aged 25‐34 years were more likely to have purchased local food and beverage when attending a cooking school than any other age group. Future visitors aged 55 years plus reported that they were more likely to purchase SEQ local food and beverage as part of their regular holiday grocery shop, for a special occasion, or for a treat than younger future visitors aged 18‐24 years. Female future visitors to SEQ reported much higher likelihood for purchasing across all occasions than future male visitors, with the exception of when eating out. However, there were no significant differences across females and males in the past visitor group in terms of actual purchase occasions. Implications Local SEQ residents purchase local food and beverage across a range of purchase occasions but are most likely to purchase local food and beverage as part of their regular grocery shop, for a special occasion, when attending local food festivals and food events, for a treat, and when eating out. Therefore, promoting local food and beverage for these occasions as well as for generating greater demand for less regular purchase occasions such as when visiting relatives or friends, on holiday or leave, or for a gift will stimulate purchase of local food and beverage. Visitors to SEQ are purchasing local food and beverage across a range of occasions and in particular when eating out, as part of their holiday grocery shop, for a treat, and when visiting relatives. However, actual consumption by past visitors does not match the intentions of future visitors. In particular, intentions by visitors to purchase for less typical occasions such as for a gift, when attending cooking schools, for special occasions or at food festivals or food events are not translated into actual purchase. This indicates latent demand for SEQ local food and beverage for these types of purchase occasions and the need for greater focus by the SEQ local food and beverage industry to develop and promote local food and beverage in ways that provide greater opportunities for visitors to SEQ to purchase for all occasions and in particular, less obvious occasions. The Role of Environmental Consciousness and Ethical Identity in Local Food and Beverage Consumption In this section, the role of concern for the environment and ethical consumption behaviour in determining consumption of local food and beverage is discussed. Environmental Consciousness Previous research conducted in the United Kingdom has revealed that concern for the environment is a driver of consumption of local food and beverage (SERIO 2008). To determine the extent to which respondents were concerned about the environment, all respondents (n=853) Page 67
were asked to state their level of agreement with statements from the new ecological paradigm scale (Dunlap, Van Liere, Mertig & Emmet Jones 2000) (Table 34). Table 34: Environmental Consciousness Mean % agree Despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature 5.5 79.6 The balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset 5.0 Humans are severely abusing the environment Statement SA A TA N TD D SD 22.4 27.7 29.5 17.0 1.8 0.4 1.3 65.2 15.6 21.1 28.5 25.0 6.9 1.1 1.9 5.0 66.1 16.4 20.3 29.4 21.6 6.3 2.9 3.0 The balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations 3.6* 24.5 3.4 7.3 13.8 27.5 23.9 13.1 10.9
Humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs 3.6* 25.2 3.0 7.3 14.9 29.2 20.9 12.7 12.1
The so‐called “ecological crisis” facing human kind has been greatly exaggerated 3.8* 33.4 6.7 8.3 18.4 26.8 16.6 12.1 11.0
7‐point Agreement Scale: 1 = Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree * Negative statements ‐ low mean indicates higher environmental concern Findings The results indicate that the majority of respondents are concerned about the environment. In particular, more than three‐quarters of respondents (79.6%) agreed that despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature. More than two‐thirds of the respondents agreed that the balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset (65.2%) and humans are severely abusing the environment (66.1%). Conversely, only about one‐quarter of respondents agreed that the balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations (24.5%) and that humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs (25.2%). About one‐third (33.4%) of respondents agreed that the so‐called ‘ecological crisis’ facing human kind has been greatly exaggerated. Analysis of variance revealed that females appear to be more concerned about the environment than males. Females agreed more strongly than males that: 
humans are severely abusing the environment (70.2% vs. 60.3%) 
the balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset (68.2% vs. 60.9%). Page 68
Females agreed less strongly than males that: 
the so‐called “ecological crisis” facing human kind has been greatly exaggerated (25.7% vs. 44.6%) 
the balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations (20.7% vs. 30.0%) 
humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs (18.3% vs. 35.2%). People with higher levels of education were more likely to agree that despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature, and less likely to agree that the so‐called “ecological crisis” facing human kind has been greatly exaggerated. Older consumers (55 years and older) were more likely to agree that despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature than younger consumers (18‐24 years). Likewise, younger people aged 25‐34 years were more likely to agree that the balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations and that humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs. Analysis of variance revealed no statistically significant differences across location in the study based on environmental consciousness. Moreover, there were no differences across local SEQ residents or past visitors with respect to environmental consciousness based on purchase frequency of local food and beverage. However, future visitors who indicated greater intention to purchase SEQ local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ were more likely to agree that despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature. Implications While the findings did not reveal that being more concerned about the environment influences purchase frequency of local food and beverage, the majority of respondents indicated concern for the environment, and this concern may be expected to increase over time. Therefore, while sustainability and environmentally friendly claims may not impact significantly on the purchase frequency of local food and beverage at this point of time, as people become more concerned with these issues they may have some impact on future consumption. One environmental issue that did arise in the analysis of drivers of local food and beverage consumption is that people buy local food and beverage because it reduces packaging. Therefore, local producers and processors should seek to minimise excess packaging, while still providing essential product and marketing information. Ethical Identity Previous research has also revealed that ethical identity is a driver of consumption of local food and beverage (SERIO 2008). To determine the extent to which respondents considered themselves to be ethical and ethical in their buying decisions we asked respondents (n=853) their level of agreement with three statements, as presented in Table 35 (Michaelidou & Hassan 2008). Page 69
Table 35: Ethical Identity Mean % agree I think of myself as someone who is concerned about ethical issues 5.0 66.7 Ethics are important to me when making buying decisions 5.0 I think of myself as an ethical consumer 4.9 Statement SA A TA N TD D SD 10.6 22.6 33.5 28.7 2.3 1.4 0.8 63.4 9.5 20.5 33.4 31.7 3.3 0.5 1.3 61.4 8.3 19.7 33.4 33.4 3.6 0.6 0.9 7‐point Agreement Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree Just over two‐thirds of the respondents, and females more so than males, agree that they think of themself as someone who is concerned about ethical issues (66.7%), while just less than two‐
thirds of respondents, and once again females more so than males, agree that ethics are important to them when making buying decisions (63.4%), and they think of themselves as being an ethical consumer (61.4%). Analysis of variance revealed no significance differences across location, age groups, income levels or education level based on ethical identity. However, there were differences with respect to ethical identity based on consumption frequency. Local SEQ residents who purchase local food and beverage more frequently for at home consumption and when eating out agreed more strongly that ethics are important to them when making buying decisions and they think of themselves as being an ethical consumer. Local SEQ residents who purchase local food and beverage more frequently when eating out also agreed more strongly that they think of themselves as someone who is concerned about ethical issues. Past visitors who indicated that they had purchased SEQ local food and beverage more frequently during their visit to SEQ also more strongly agreed with all three statements measuring ethical identity. Implications The findings reveal that people who purchase local food and beverage are more likely to identify as someone who is more concerned about ethical issues and ethical consumption. Hence, local food and beverage producers and processors should use ethical practices in the production, distribution and marketing of local food and beverage, and include information on their ethical approach in promotional messages and on labelling. The Role of Food Safety Concerns and Health Consciousness on Local Food and Beverage Consumption In this section, the roles of concerns for food safety and health consciousness on the consumption of local food and beverage are addressed. Food Safety Concerns To determine the extent to which respondents (n=853) were concerned with food safety, their level of agreement with three statements was measured, as presented in Table 36 (adapted from Michaelidou & Hassan 2008; SERIO 2008). Page 70
Table 36: Food Safety Concerns Statement Mean % agree I’m very concerned about the amount of artificial additives and preservatives in food 5.5 78.0 The safety of food nowadays concerns me 5.3 Nowadays most foods contain residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers 5.3 SA A TA N TD D SD 26.3 26.0 25.7 16.8 3.5 1.2 0.6 75.0 21.1 26.0 27.9 17.0 5.6 1.4 0.9 76.8 17.4 27.7 31.8 18.3 3.8 0.6 0.6 7‐point Agreement Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree Findings The results indicate that respondents are concerned about the safety of food nowadays (75.0%). The majority of respondents (78.0%) also agreed that they are very concerned about the amount of artificial additives and preservatives in food, and over three‐quarters of respondents (76.8%) agreed that nowadays most foods contain residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers. Analysis of variance revealed that females, older consumers and people on lower levels of income (less than $20,000 p.a.) are more concerned about food safety. Analysis of variance revealed no significance differences across location or education level based on concerns about safety. However, future visitors who intended to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently agreed more strongly with all three statements related to concern for food safety than those who intended to purchase less frequently. Past visitors who purchased SEQ local food and beverage more frequently also agreed more strongly that they are concerned about the safety of food nowadays. Local SEQ residents, who purchase local food and beverage more frequently for at‐home use, indicated a greater concern about the amount of artificial additives and preservatives in food than those who purchase less frequently. Implications The majority of respondents indicated concern for food safety including the presence of artificial additives and preservatives in food, as well as residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers. People who purchase local food and beverage more frequently are more likely to be concerned about food safety. Therefore, producing local food and beverage that is free from artificial additives and preservatives and free from residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers and communicating these attributes and associated health benefits to consumers will increase consumption of local food and beverage. Page 71
Health Consciousness To determine the extent to which respondents were concerned with health and the health of their household, we asked respondents (n=853) their level of agreement with four statements, as presented in Table 37 (Michaelidou & Hassan 2008; SERIO 2008). Table 37: Health Consciousness Statement % Mean agree SA A TA N TD D SD I take responsibility for the state of my health and the health of others for whom I shop in the household 5.5 81.4 22.4 32.0 27.0 16.5 1.5 0.1 0.5 I'm very conscious about my health and the health of others for whom I shop in the household 5.5 79.5 21.7 29.9 27.9 18.2 1.5 0.4 0.5 I’m very involved with my health and the health of others for whom I shop in the household 5.4 75.5 20.5 28.3 26.7 20.8 2.1 1.1 0.6 Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree (Scale Mean = 4.0) Findings The majority of respondents in the survey, and females more so than males, agreed that they take responsibility for the state of their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household (81.4%), that they are conscious about their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household (79.5%), and, to a slightly lesser extent, that they are very involved with their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household (75.5%). People aged 35 years and older were more likely to agree that they take responsibility for the state of their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household, and that they are very conscious about their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household than people aged under 35 years of age. Younger consumers aged 18‐24 years were less likely than other age groups to agree that they are very involved with their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household. Analysis of variance revealed no significance differences across location, income or education level based on health consciousness. However, local SEQ residents, past visitors and future visitors who purchased or intended to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently agreed more strongly with all three statements related to health consciousness. Implications The majority of consumers and females in particular have high levels of health consciousness. Higher levels of health consciousness are positively related to purchase frequency of local food Page 72
and beverage. People are looking for healthy food product that tastes and looks good. Therefore, developing, communicating and delivering healthy, nutritious, and wholesome local food and beverages that deliver desired health benefits while still tasting good and looking appealing will lead to increased consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. The Role of Location Identity on Local Food and Beverage Consumption To assess the extent respondents identify with the local area, region and country, we asked local SEQ respondents (n = 307) their level of agreement with a bank of statements related to strength of identification, commitment and attachment (Table 38). Table 38: Local Identity by Region/Location ‐ Local SEQ Residents Mean % agree I identify strongly with Australia 6.0 83.7 I am very attached to Australia 6.0 *I feel no commitment to Australia Item SA A TD D SD 45.9 25.4 12.4 14.0 1.3 0.0 1.0 85.0 48.5 24.1 12.4 12.7 0.7 0.3 1.3 2.1 7.5 2.0 I identify strongly with [local area] 5.3 74.6 23.1 26.4 25.1 16.0 3.9 3.6 2.0 I am very attached to [local area] 5.4 72.6 28.0 26.1 18.6 18.6 5.2 2.0 1.6 *I feel no commitment to [local area] 2.8 13.0 2.6 I identify strongly with SEQ 5.4 72.6 24.8 28.3 19.5 21.5 3.6 1.3 1.0 I am very attached to SEQ 5.3 72.3 20.5 28.7 23.1 20.8 3.6 1.6 1.6 *I feel no commitment to SEQ 2.7 9.8 2.6 3.3 6.5 4.6 TA 2.3 3.9 2.6 N 10.7 10.7 15.0 56.0 18.6 16.6 24.1 27.7 19.2 18.9 28.7 23.5 7‐point Agreement Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree * Negatively worded statement ‐ a lower mean represents higher commitment Findings Above all local SEQ residents identify with (83.7%), and are attached to (85.0%) Australia with very few (7.5%) respondents agreeing they feel no commitment to Australia. Younger consumers (under 35 years) were more likely to agree that they feel no commitment to Australia than were older respondents (35 years and older). Of interest was the finding that there were minimal differences between levels of identification, attachment and commitment to the local area and the SEQ region as a whole. There was only one difference with respect to location identity across the three regions, with residents of the Sunshine Coast (81.0%) being more likely to agree that they strongly identify with their local area than residents from the Gold Coast (70.3%) or Bayside/Redland (73.5%). There were no differences with respect to location identity across gender, education or income levels. However, local SEQ residents who purchase local food and Page 73
beverage more frequently agreed more strongly that they identify with and are attached to their local area and the SEQ region. Implications The findings with respect to location identity have important implications for marketing of local food and beverage. The results indicate that above all local SEQ residents identify with, are attached to, and committed to Australia, however younger people report slightly lower levels of commitment to Australia. Respondents’ level of identification, attachment and commitment to their local area is no stronger than for the SEQ region, with the exception of Sunshine Coast residents who reported a higher level of identity with their local area. These findings indicate that provided local food and beverage is clearly marketed, branded and labelled as being of Australian origin the food may gain as much acceptance or market share as if it were marketed, branded or labelled as being from the SEQ region or from a particular local area. Hence, a cost‐effective strategy for marketing local food and beverage may be to invest in the highly recognised and trusted Australian Grown logo. However, the findings also indicate that people who purchase local food and beverage more frequently also identify with and are more attached to their local area or region. Given the high cost of local branding strategies, it may be more cost‐effective to investigate the efficacy of a regional branding strategy rather than local area branding strategies (with the possible exception of the Sunshine Coast) which would allow a level of differentiation for the SEQ region. The Role of Food Involvement, Food‐related Lifestyle and Symbolic Image on Local Food and Beverage Consumption In this section, the extent to which the respondents are interested and involved with food, the role that food plays in their overall lifestyle, and the symbolic image associated with food are investigated. Food Involvement Food involvement concerns the extent to which a person cares about, and is interested in, a particular food product and its ‘personal relevance or importance’ to the person (Olsen 2001, p. 177). Food involvement influences the extent to which people consume a particular food and the extent of cognitive processing during the buying and consumption decision making process (Bell & Marshall 2003; Zaichkowsky 1985). Respondents (n=853) were asked regarding their involvement with food on six items based on Bell and Marshall’s (2003) food involvement scale with an additional item to capture the more recent notion of being a ‘foodie’ (Table 39). Page 74
Table 39: Food Involvement Item % Mean agree SA A TA N TD D SD When I travel, one of the things I anticipate most is eating the food there 5.2 69.8 17.7 27.3 24.7 20.5 5.7 2.1 1.9 I enjoy cooking for others and myself 4.8 63.0 13.0 25.6 24.4 21.1 7.3 4.0 4.7 Talking about what I ate or am going to eat is something I like to do 4.3 44.2 5.6 14.3 24.3 32.1 12.1 7.5 4.1 I am a ‘foodie’ 4.2 41.1 7.3 11.1 22.7 34.3 12.0 7.6 4.9 * Compared with other daily decisions, my food choices are NOT very important 3.3 19.3 2.1 6.2 11.0 23.3 29.9 16.5 10.9
*I don’t think much about food each day 3.7 26.1 2.6 7.7 15.8 29.7 21.9 15.8
7.0 7‐point Agreement Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree * Negatively worded statement ‐ a lower mean reflects higher food involvement Findings The respondents in the study report moderate levels of food involvement. Over two‐thirds of the respondents (69.8%), and females more so than males, agreed that when they travel, one of the things they anticipate most is eating the food there. Just under two‐thirds (63.0%) of respondents agreed that they enjoy cooking for others and themselves. Less than half of the respondents (44.2%), and females more so than males, agreed that they like talking about what they are or are going to eat, 41.1% agreed they are a ‘foodie’, and just over one‐quarter (26.1%) agreed that they don’t think much about food each day. Less than one‐fifth of the respondents (19.3%) agreed that compared with other daily decisions, their food choices are not very important, however, females were more likely to disagree with this statement. Respondents under 45 years of age were more likely to agree that talking about what they ate or are going to eat is something they like to do than respondents 45 years and older. Respondents aged 25‐34 years were more likely to agree that they are a ‘foodie’ than older people (55 years and older). Older consumers (55 years and older) were more likely to disagree that compared to other daily decisions their food choices are not very important than other age groups, while people aged 25‐24 years were more likely to agree. People on lower levels of income were less likely to agree that they enjoy cooking for others and themselves. There were no significant differences across the three local SEQ regions with respect to food involvement. However, future visitors (53.4%) were more likely to agree that ‘talking about what I ate or am going to eat is something I like to do’ than residents from the Sunshine Coast (35.2%). This finding has implications for local food and beverage producers in the Sunshine Coast who could leverage the greater consumption of local food and beverage on the Sunshine Coast by encouraging greater conversation about local food and beverage among locals to allow more positive word of mouth. Page 75
Respondents who purchase or intend to purchase local food and beverage more frequently disagreed more strongly that compared to other daily decisions their food choices are not very important, and agreed more strongly that they enjoy cooking for others and themselves and they are a ‘foodie’. Past and future visitors who purchased or intended to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently also more strongly agreed that when they travel, one of the things they anticipate most is eating the food there. Future visitors who intended to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently also agreed more strongly that talking about what they ate or are going to eat is something they like to do. Food‐related Lifestyle A cross‐culturally validated instrument for measuring food‐related lifestyles was first developed by Brunso and Grunert (1995). The food‐related lifestyle instrument is used to analyse peoples’ food‐
related cognitive behaviour and classifies consumers according to their attitude toward buying, preparing, and consuming food products to achieve life values (Brunso, Grunert and Bredahl 1996; Buckley, Cowan, McCarthy and O’Sullivan 2005; Cullen and Kingston 2009).To investigate if the purchase and consumption of local food and beverage was associated with people’s food‐
related lifestyle, respondents (n=853) were asked to respond to a bank of statements used to measure food‐related lifestyle, as presented in Table 40 (Brunso, Grunert and Bredahl 1996). Table 40: Food‐related Lifestyle Item % Mean agree SA A TA N TD D SD I compare prices of food/beverage to get the best value for money 5.5 81.5 19.7 33.4 28.4 14.9 2.2 0.6 0.8 I don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh 5.4 79.6 18.8 31.5 29.3 15.5 3.5 0.9 0.5 I always check prices, even on small items 5.3 77.3 18.9 28.3 30.1 14.9 4.8 2.5 0.6 I am interested in where my food comes from 5.3 76.9 15.2 28.8 32.8 18.2 3.5 0.9 0.5 I prefer to buy natural products, i.e. products without preservatives 5.1 70.0 14.8 25.0 30.2 21.6 5.7 1.9 0.8 I compare product information labels to decide which brand to try 5.1 69.1 13.8 27.2 28.0 21.8 5.6 2.5 1.1 I like to try out new recipes 5.1 69.1 13.5 27.0 28.6 20.3 6.2 2.5 2.0 Before I go shopping for food, I make a list of everything I need 5.1 67.8 15.5 26.5 25.8 18.2 6.6 4.6 2.9 I like to try new foods that I have never tasted before 5.0 68.5 12.1 25.0 31.4 22.6 5.4 2.2 1.3 I look for authentic Australian food and beverages 5.0 63.5 10.8 23.3 29.4 27.2 6.4 2.0 0.8 Page 76
Item % Mean agree SA A TA N TD D SD I prefer to buy meat and vegetables unpacked rather than pre‐packed 5.0 60.1 15.2 25.4 19.5 29.9 6.8 2.2 0.9 I always buy sustainably produced food products if I have the choice 4.6 50.9 6.7 18.6 25.6 36.9 7.9 2.8 1.5 Going out for a meal is a regular part of our eating habits 4.3 47.6 6.6 18.3 22.7 22.5 13.6 10.2 6.1 I like buying food products in speciality food stores where I can get expert advice 4.3 40.6 5.6 13.8 21.1 39.7 11.3 5.9 2.6 It is more important to choose food products for their nutritional value rather than for their taste 4.3 39.2 5.5 13.8 19.8 36.9 18.1 4.5 1.4 *I don’t like spending too much time on cooking 4.2 44.4 7.4 14.7 22.4 23.7 16.2 9.6 6.1 I only buy and eat foods which are familiar to me 4.1 38.3 2.8 11.1 24.4 28.4 20.2 9.5 3.6 I don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products 4.0 35.1 3.8 11.7 19.6 31.4 21.1 7.4 5.0 I always buy organically grown food products if I have the opportunity 4.0 34.6 6.3 11.5 16.8 29.0 17.8 12.2 6.4 I have more confidence in food products that I have seen advertised than in unadvertised products 3.7 24.6 2.7 6.8 15.1 38.6 18.1 10.6 8.2 *I don’t like shopping for food 3.5 23.3 3.6 8.6 11.1 29.1 18.6 17.9 11.0 7‐point Agreement Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree * Negatively worded statement ‐ a lower mean is more favourable Findings The findings reveal that Australian consumers are very price sensitive with the majority of respondents, and females more so than males, agreeing that they compare prices of food and beverage to get the best value for money (81.5%), always check prices, even on small items (77.3%), and compare product information labels to decide which brand to try (69.1%). People on lower incomes (less than $40,000) were more likely to agree that they always check prices, even on small items. Respondents, and females and people aged 55 years and older in particular, indicated concern for the freshness, natural products, and the origin of food, with 79.6% of all respondents agreeing Page 77
that they don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh, 76.9% agreeing that they are interested in where their food comes from, and 70.0% agreeing that they prefer to buy natural products (i.e. products without preservatives). However, only 39.2% of respondents agreed that it is more important to choose food products for their nutritional value rather than for their taste, and only just over one‐third (34.6%) of respondents, and younger people aged 18‐24 years in particular, agreed they always buy organically grown food products if they have the opportunity. People aged 55 years plus were less likely to agree they always buy organically grown food if they have the opportunity. About two‐thirds of respondents are adventurous when it comes to food with 69.1% agreeing and females in particular, that they like to try out new recipes. People on lower incomes (less than $40,000) were less likely to agree that they like to try out new recipes. Over two‐thirds of the respondents (68.5%) like to try new food they have never tasted before, and 63.5% of respondents, and people aged 55 years in particular, look for authentic Australian food and beverages. Younger people, aged 18‐24 years were less likely to agree that they look for authentic Australian food and beverages. However, 38.3% of respondents, and people aged 35 years and older more so than those aged under 35 years, agreed that they only buy and eat foods which are familiar to them. Food purchasing behaviour among respondents is relatively planned (68.5%) and females more so than males agreeing they make a shopping list of everything they need before they go shopping. Less than half of the respondents (44.4%) agreed that they don’t like spending too much time on cooking, and less than one‐quarter (23.3%) agreed that don’t like shopping for food. Less than half of the respondents (47.6%), and females more so than males, agreed that going out for a meal is a regular part of their eating habits. People on lower income levels (less than $80,000) were less likely to agree that going out for a meal is a regular part of their eating habits than people on higher levels of income ($80,000 and above). Respondents, and females more so than males, indicate moderate levels of concern about environmental issues with 60.1% agreeing that they prefer to purchase unpacked meat and vegetables rather than pre‐packed, and 50.9% agreeing that they always buy sustainably produced food products if they have the choice. Just over one‐third of respondents (35.1%) agreed that they don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products. Only 40.6% of respondents agreed that they like buying food products in speciality food stores where they can get expert advice. Less than one‐quarter of respondents (24.6%) agreed that they have more confidence in food products that they have seen advertised than in unadvertised products. Future tourists (36.3%) were more likely to agree that they do not mind paying a premium for ecological products than people from the Sunshine Coast (26.7%). Past tourists (54.3%) and future tourists (49.4%) were more likely to agree that going out for a meal is a regular part of their eating habits than people from the Gold Coast (41.3%), Bayside/Redland (40.8%) or the Sunshine Coast (33.3%). Analysis of variance revealed that food‐related lifestyle explains differences in consumption frequencies and intentions. Local SEQ residents who purchase local food and beverage on a more regular basis were more likely to strongly agree that they compare product information labels to decide which brand to try, like buying food products in speciality food stores where they can get expert advice, prefer to buy natural products, are interested in where their food comes from, like to try new food they have never tasted before , like to try out new recipes, look for authentic Australian food and beverages, always buy organically grown food products if they have the Page 78
opportunity, buy sustainably produced food products if they have the choice, don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products, don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh, and prefer to purchase unpacked meat and vegetables rather than pre‐packed. Past visitors to SEQ who purchased SEQ local food and beverage more frequently during their visit more strongly agreed that they compare product information labels to decide which brand to try, like buying food products in speciality food stores where they can get expert advice, prefer to buy natural products, are interested in where their food comes from, like to try out new recipes, look for authentic Australian food and beverages, always buy organically grown food products if they have the opportunity, buy sustainably produced food products if they have the choice, and disagreed more strongly that they don’t like shopping for food and that they only buy and eat foods which are familiar to them. Future visitors to SEQ who indicated an intention to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently during their visit agreed more strongly that they compare product information labels to decide which brand to try, like buying food products in speciality food stores where they can get expert advice, are interested in where their food comes from, make a shopping list of everything they need before they go shopping, prefer to buy natural products, like to try new food they have never tasted before, like to try out new recipes, look for authentic Australian food and beverages, always buy organically grown food products if they have the opportunity, buy sustainably produced food products if they have the choice, don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products, don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh, prefer to purchase unpacked meat and vegetables rather than pre‐packed, going out for a meal is a regular part of their eating habits, and disagreed more strongly that they don’t like spending too much time on cooking. Symbolic Image Previous studies of food consumption have revealed that people develop an image of others and themselves based on their food choices. To assess the extent to which respondents consider their food choices impact on how others view them, we asked respondents their level of agreement with three statements designed to measure the symbolic image of food (Table 41). Table 41: Symbolic Image of Food Item % Mean agree SA A TA N TD D SD You can tell a lot about a person based on his/her choice of food/beverage 4.4 44.4 5.4 15.0 24.0 37.2 9.7 5.7 2.9 My choice of food/beverage conveys nothing about me to other people 4.2 35.1 4.6 12.2 18.3 40.1 15.1 6.0 3.8 My choice of food/beverage gives other people an image of me 4.1 32.4 4.1 10.7 17.6 43.1 12.4 7.6 4.5 Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree (Scale Mean = 4.0) Just less than half of the respondents (44.4%) agreed that you can tell a lot about a person based on his/her choice of food and beverage, and about one‐third of respondents (32.4%) agreed that their choice of food gives people an image of them. People aged 25‐34 years were more likely to Page 79
agree that their choice of food and beverage gives people an image of them, while people aged 55 years plus were less likely to agree with this statement. Future tourists (35.1%) were more likely to agree that their choice of food/beverage gives other people an image of them than people from the Sunshine Coast (25.7%). However, just over one‐third of the respondents (35.1%) agreed that their choice of food conveys nothing about them to other people. In particular, people on very high levels of household income ($160,000 and above) and males were more likely to disagree that their choice of food conveys something about them to other people. Perceptions of the symbolic image of food did not moderate consumption of local food and beverage. Implications The findings indicate that Australian consumers are moderately involved with or interested in food, however, people with higher levels of food involvement (‘foodies’) are more likely to purchase local food and beverage. Regular purchasers of local food and beverage are more likely to compare product information labels to decide which brand to try and thus informative labelling of local food and beverage will stimulate consumption. Regular local food and beverage consumers like buying food products in speciality food stores where they can get expert advice, hence greater availability of local food and beverage at specialty stores may increase sales of local food and beverage. Regular local food and beverage consumers are looking for natural products, always buy organically grown food products if they have the opportunity, buy sustainably produced food products if they have the choice, don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products, don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh, and prefer to purchase unpacked meat and vegetables rather than pre‐packed. Hence, developing, communicating and delivering local food and beverage that have these valued attributes will increase consumption of local food and beverage. Moreover, more regular consumers of local food and beverage are curious and adventurous when it comes to food. Therefore providing them with provenance information and stories on how the food has been grown, produced and/or processed, and giving them opportunities to try new food they have never tasted before, try out new recipes, and source authentic Australian food and beverages will lead to increased consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. The findings also reveal that some consumers (about one‐third) perceive a symbolic image associated with food, in other words they consider that what they eat says something about them. However, symbolic image was not found to moderate consumption frequency of local food and produce in this study. Therefore, focussing on the transfer of associations from local food and beverage to personal image may not significantly influence consumption of local food and beverage. Influences on Consumption of Local Food and Beverage In this section, the influence of experiential, personal, and commercial (in‐store and media sources) influences on the consumption of local food and beverage are discussed. Respondents were asked their level of agreement in terms of what or who would influence them to purchase local food and beverage (Table 42). Page 80
Table 42: Influences for Consuming Local Food and Beverage Mean % agree I sampled local food and beverage at the store/market/festival and I liked it 5.1 72.2 A friend, family member or colleague recommended local food and beverage to me 5.0 There was a special price promotion on local food and beverage at the store/market/festival Influence SA TD D SD 12.8 31.1 28.4 19.5 3.0 2.6 2.7 69.1 8.3 29.3 31.4 20.6 5.0 2.1 3.2 5.0 67.9 10.4 30.0 27.4 23.6 3.9 2.1 2.6 The local food and beverage producer (e.g. farmer, winemaker, baker) recommended local food and beverage to me 4.8 63.9 7.9 25.8 30.2 24.5 5.4 3.2 3.0 There was a demonstration on how to use the local food and beverage at the store/market/festival 4.8 59.7 7.4 24.9 27.4 27.1 6.3 3.6 3.3 A staff member at a local restaurant recommended local food or beverage to me 4.7 59.7 6.9 22.4 30.4 25.8 6.2 3.8 4.6 The staff at a speciality store recommended local food and beverage to me 4.6 57.6 6.4 20.0 31.1 27.5 6.6 4.9 3.4 I had a particular recipe I wished to cook 4.6 53.6 5.6 21.9 26.0 31.1 7.4 4.8 3.2 I picked up a recipe card using local food and beverage at the store/market/festival 4.6 53.3 3.8 22.6 27.0 30.6 7.7 4.7 3.6 The staff at the supermarket recommended local food and beverage to me 4.5 51.9 5.0 17.6 29.3 28.8 9.1 5.3 4.8 I saw an advertisement for local food and beverage on the television 4.3 48.9 4.1 13.1 31.7 30.4 8.7 5.9 6.2 I saw a recipe for local food and beverage in a magazine 4.3 47.9 4.0 15.5 28.5 30.2 10.2 5.0 6.6 Page 81
A TA N Mean % agree SA I saw a recipe for local food and beverage in the local newspaper 4.3 47.4 4.2 I saw a recipe for local food and beverage on the internet 4.2 41.5 I heard an advertisement for local food and beverage on the radio 4.1 I saw local food and beverage prepared and served on a cooking or lifestyle show, such as Master Chef Influence A TA N TD D SD 15.7 27.4 31.2 10.3 5.7 5.4 3.0 13.4 25.1 33.9 11.4 6.9 6.3 39.7 3.2 11.6 25.0 34.9 10.7 6.9 7.7 3.9 36.1 3.6 11.8 20.6 31.2 13.1 9.7 9.8 I saw local food and beverage prepared and served by a celebrity chef 3.9 33.2 3.4 10.8 19.0 32.7 14.2 9.8 10.1 I read about local food and beverage on a social network site (e.g. Facebook) or a food blog 3.8 30.4 3.2 10.6 16.6 36.9 13.4 8.1 11.3 7‐point Agreement Scale: 1 ‐ Strongly disagree to 7 = Strongly agree Findings The results indicate that experiential influences (e.g. sampling) and personal influences (e.g. recommendations by friends, family or colleagues) have greater influence over purchase of local food and beverage than commercial sources. In‐store commercial sources (e.g. price promotions and recommendations by the local producer) have greater influence than media sources (e.g. television and radio). Each source of influence is now discussed in turn, commencing with experiential influences. Experiential Influences The results reveal that sampling local food and beverage would have the greatest influence on consumption with almost three‐quarters of respondents (72.2%) agreeing that they would be influenced to purchase local food and beverage if they sampled local food and beverage at the store/market/festival and liked it. Moreover, 59.7% of respondents agreed that if there was a demonstration on how to use the local food and beverage at the store/market/festival that would influence them to purchase. Personal Influences The second most influential factor on local food and beverage consumption is recommendation through word of mouth communication with a friend, family member or colleague (69.1%), and this is particularly so, for respondents from the Gold Coast (79.8%) and future visitors (73.9%). Just over half of the respondents (53.6%) agreed that they would be influenced to purchase local food and beverage if they had a particular recipe they wished to cook, and 53.3% agreed they would be Page 82
influenced if they picked up a recipe card using local food and beverage at the store, market or festival. People from the Sunshine Coast (64.7%) and Bayside/Redland (60.2%) were more likely to agree that they would be influenced to purchase local food and beverage if they had a particular recipe they wished to cook than past visitors (44.7%). Commercial Influences ‐ In‐store and Media A special price promotion at the store would influence over two‐thirds (67.9%) of respondents to purchase local food and beverage. A more personalised recommendation by a local food and beverage producer (e.g. farmer, winemaker, baker) would influence almost two‐thirds of respondents (63.9%), and in particular, respondents from the Gold Coast (75.0%). Recommendation from a staff member at a local restaurant would influence 59.7% of respondents, 57.6% of respondents would be influenced to purchase local food and beverage if staff at a speciality store recommended local food and beverage to them, and 51.9% would be influenced if staff at the supermarket recommended local food and beverage to them. People from the Sunshine Coast (62.0%) and the Gold Coast (64.5%) are more likely to be influenced by supermarket staff recommendations than past visitors (44.5%). In terms of media influences, television would appear to be the most effective media with just under half of the respondents (48.9%) agreeing that they would be influenced to purchase local food and beverage if they saw an advertisement on television, and in particular television would be effective in influencing people from the Gold Coast (58.7%). However, seeing local food and beverage prepared on a cooking or lifestyle show, such as MasterChef (36.1%) or seeing local food and beverage prepared by a celebrity chef (33.2%) would only influence about one‐third of the respondents to purchase local food and beverage. Future visitors (46.7%) and people from the Gold Coast (38.5%) were more likely to be influenced if they saw local food and beverage being prepared and served on a cooking or lifestyle show than people from the Sunshine Coast (35.2%), Bayside/Redland (32.6%) or past visitors (31.9%). The next most effective media vehicle was seeing a recipe in a magazine (47.9%), followed by seeing a recipe in the local newspaper (47.4%), or finding a recipe on the Internet (41.5%). Future visitors (52.9%) and people from the Gold Coast (48.9%) are more likely to be influenced by seeing a recipe on the Internet than past visitors (33.9%). The least effective media vehicles are hearing an advertisement on the radio (39.7%) and reading about local food and beverage on a social networking site (e.g. Facebook) or a food blog (30.4%). However, people from the Gold Coast (53.8%) are more likely to be influenced than the other groups by radio advertising. Moreover, people from the Gold Coast (36.5%) are more likely to be influenced by reading about local food and beverage on a social networking site or food blog than people from the Sunshine Coast (27.6%). Implications Providing opportunities to sample local food and beverage and demonstrations on how to use local food and beverage will have the greatest influence on consumption. Stimulating recommendations through word of mouth communication with family, friends and colleagues will also prove effective in encouraging consumption of local food and beverage. Other strategies that would influence consumption of local food and beverage include providing recipes that use local food and beverage at stores, markets and festivals, a special price promotion at the store, and recommendation by a local food and beverage producer (e.g. farmer, winemaker, baker, etc.).Recommendation from staff members at local restaurants, speciality stores and local supermarkets may also prove effective in encouraging people to try and buy local food and Page 83
beverage. Television would be the most effective media vehicle for stimulating consumption of local food and beverage, followed by seeing a recipe in a magazine or the local newspaper. Labelling and Point of Sale Information for SEQ Local Food and Beverage In this section, the importance of various labelling or point of sale information for local food and beverage is discussed. All respondents (n = 853) in the study were asked to indicate what information on the label or at the point of sale would encourage them to purchase more SEQ local food and beverage (Table 43). Table 43: Importance of Labelling and Point of Sale Information for SEQ Local Food and Beverage Information Element Mean Percentage Use by date 6.0 87.7 Country of origin (e.g. Australia) 5.9 85.6 Nutritional information 5.7 84.9 Farmed/produced/caught by date 5.7 81.7 Local area of origin (e.g. Sunshine Coast) * 5.6 82.1 How to store 5.6 81.4 Brand marks that clearly identify the producer 5.5 79.0 Region of origin (e.g. South East Queensland) 5.4 78.0 Price per serving 5.4 77.0 How to prepare 5.4 76.6 Local area of origin (e.g. Moreton Bay) ** 5.3 75.1 Method of production (e.g. farmed vs. wild‐caught, free‐
range vs. cage) 5.3 73.7 Genetically Modified Ingredients 5.3 66.7 Healthy heart tick 5.1 69.2 Serving suggestions/recipes 5.0 66.8 Sustainability accreditation 5.0 62.4 Humane production (e.g. RSPCA approved) 5.0 62.4 Environmentally friendly logo 4.9 60.4 Awards for excellence (e.g. Gold Medal Award) 4.8 57.9 Organic certification 4.7 52.4 Scale: 1 = Strongly Disagree to 7 = Strongly Agree * SEQ residents only (n = 307) ** Visitors to SEQ only (n = 546) Page 84
Findings All of the labelling elements measured were considered to be important reflecting consumers’ general needs for product information. Use by dates (87.7%) and country of origin information (85.6%) were considered to be the most important labelling elements for local food and beverage. Respondents also considered farmed/caught by dates (81.7%) to be important. In the minds of consumers these three informational elements (use by date, country of origin and caught/farmed by date) reflect the freshness and quality of the product. Traceability information including local area of origin (82.1%), region of origin (78.0%) and brand marks that identify the producer (79.0%) were considered to be important by most respondents, but of lesser import than country of origin information (85.6%). Reflecting consumers’ interest in healthy products, a very important labelling element was nutritional information (84.9%). Information on price per serving (77.0%) was considered to be important by more than three‐quarters of the respondents. Educational information on how to store (81.4%) and how to prepare (76.6%) the product was also considered to be important. Information related to method of production (73.7%) and the use of genetically modified ingredients (66.7%) were considered the next most important elements. While nutritional information was considered to be very important, the healthy heart tick (69.2%) was rated as of lesser importance, perhaps reflecting some level of mistrust in the accreditation process for that logo. Serving suggestions (66.8%) were of moderate importance. Information on sustainable and ethical practice including sustainability accreditation (62.4%), humane production (62.4%), an environmentally friendly logo (60.4%) or organic certification (52.4%) were of lesser importance, as were awards for excellence (57.9%). Analysis of variance revealed that females rated all information elements as more important than males, with the exception of region of origin labelling. Younger people (aged under 35 years) rated many of the information elements as less important that people aged 35 years and older, and in particular, information about country, region and local area of origin, brand marks that identify the producer, farmed/produced/caught by dates, genetically modified ingredients, and how to store or how to prepare the product. There were no significant differences across the three SEQ regions with respect to the importance of labelling elements. However, past visitors considered information on price per serving, farmed/produced/caught by date, and how to store and prepare the product to be of lesser importance than either future visitors or local SEQ residents. Implications The most important labelling elements that should be included and prominent on local food and beverage are use by dates and country of origin information. Producers and processors should also consider including farmed/caught by dates as these elements provide valued information on the freshness and quality of the product. Consumers also value traceability information including local area of origin, region of origin and brand marks that identify the producer. Nutritional information is also very important and in particular for regular consumers of local food and beverage who tend to be more health conscious. Other valued information includes price per serving, how to store and prepare the product, method of production, and use of genetically modified ingredients. Page 85
Important Attributes when Purchasing Fresh Fish To investigate specifically the case for fresh fish, respondents (n = 853) were asked to indicate how important various attributes are when purchasing fresh fish (Table 44). Table 44: Importance of Attributes when Purchasing Fresh Fish Total Study (n=853) Mean % Attribute Local SEQ Residents (n=307) Mean % Fresh appearance of the fish 6.1 86.4 6.2 89.6 Use by date 6.0 85.5 6.1 88.9 Country of origin (e.g. Australia) 6.0 85.2 6.2 87.6 Caught by date 5.7 81.5 5.8 85.0 Region of origin (e.g. South East Queensland) 5.6 79.5 5.8 84.4 Branded with the Australian Grown Logo 5.6 78.2 5.8 80.8 Local area of origin (e.g. Sunshine Coast) 5.6 78.2 5.7 82.7 Branded with a regional or local logo 5.5 73.7 5.6 75.2 How to store 5.4 75.7 5.6 82.1 Nutritional information 5.3 73.0 5.4 76.2 Sustainable seafood accreditation 5.3 71.0 5.3 74.6 How to prepare 5.2 71.9 5.4 79.5 Humane catch/production 5.2 69.2 5.3 72.0 Wild‐caught 5.2 68.8 5.3 72.3 Pre‐packaged portions/price per portion 5.1 68.3 5.3 72.3 Company branding marks 5.1 65.7 5.2 69.1 Healthy heart tick 5.0 63.3 5.0 63.8 Serving suggestions/recipes 4.9 64.1 5.1 68.4 Crumbed or battered 4.6 51.7 4.7 55.0 Accompanying sauce or marinade 4.5 49.7 4.6 53.1 Scale: 7 point importance scale, 7 = very important to 1 = not at all important Findings All attributes tested scored above the scale mean in terms of importance to consumers. The results indicate that the fresh appearance of the fish (86.4%), use by date (85.5%) and country of origin (85.2%) are the most important attributes when purchasing fresh fish. Respondents also considered that caught by date (81.5%), region of origin (79.5%), branded with the Australian Grown Logo (78.2%), local area of origin (78.2%), and branded with a regional or local logo (73.7%) Page 86
were important attributes. All of these most important attributes are associated with perceived freshness and origin. Information on how to store (75.7%) and how to prepare (71.9%) the fish were considered to be important by about three‐quarters of respondents. While nutritional information (73.0%) was deemed to be quite important, the healthy heart tick (63.3%) was considered to less important. Issues related to production methods including sustainability accreditation (71.0%), humane catch/production (69.2%), and wild‐caught (68.8%) were considered to be important factors by more than two‐thirds of all respondents. The least important attributes (while still scoring above mean importance) included marketing related activities such as pre‐packaged portions/price per portion (68.3%), company brand marks (65.7%), serving suggestions/recipes (64.1%), crumbed or battered (51.7%) and an accompanying sauce or marinade (49.7%). Analysis of variance did not reveal any significant differences across location with respect to the relative importance of attributes for fresh fish. Females mostly considered most fresh fish attributes to be more important than males, with the exception of country and local area of origin, healthy heart tick, use by date, how to store and prepare, serving suggestions/recipes, crumbed or battered, and accompaniments. Younger people (aged less than 35 years) rated many of the fish attributes as less important than older people (aged 35 years and older), and in particular, country, region or local origin, branded with the Australian Grown Logo, branded with a regional or local logo, company brand marks, use by date, caught/farmed by date, how to store and prepare, and fresh appearance of the fish. People aged 25‐34 years considered nutritional information to be less important than people aged 55 years and older, and considered wild‐caught to be less important than people aged 35‐44 years. Implications The most important attribute for consumers when purchasing fresh fish is the fresh appearance of the fish. Therefore, providing opportunities for consumers to see the product is very important and this has implications for packaging formats. Other very important information for consumers when purchasing fresh fish is the use by date and country of origin information. Fresh fish suppliers should also consider providing information that provides cues for freshness and quality including caught/farmed by date, and region and local area of origin. Consumers also value branding as a cue to quality including being branded with the Australian Grown Logo and branded with a regional or local logo. Other valuable attributes include information on how to store and prepare the fish, as well as nutritional information. Culinary Tourism ‐ Local SEQ Food and Beverage Events and Cooking Schools In this section, attendance at, satisfaction with, and interest in SEQ local food and beverage events including food and beverage festivals, food and beverage tours, and cooking schools is discussed. Local SEQ Residents Local SEQ residents (n = 307) were asked whether they had attended various types of local food and beverage events (Table 45). Page 87
Table 45: Attended Local Food and Beverage Events in the Past 12 Months Event Frequency Percentage Food and Beverage Festivals 43 14.0 Food and Beverage Tours 15 4.9 Cooking Schools 9 2.9 The results indicate relatively low attendances at local food and beverage events by local SEQ residents in the past 12 months, with only 14% attending a food and beverage festival, 4.9% attending a food and beverage tour, and 2.9% attending a local cooking school. There were no significant differences across location, gender, age, income level or education level with respect to attendance at food and beverage events. Respondents who reported that they had attended a local food and beverage event were asked their level of satisfaction with the event (Table 46). Table 46: Satisfaction with SEQ Local Food and Beverage Events Some‐
Some‐
Very Mostly what what dis‐
Mostly dis‐
Very % satisfied satisfied satisfied Neutral satisfied satisfied satisfied Mean Satisfied (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Food and Beverage Festivals 5.7 86.1 23.3 46.5 16.3 9.3 4.7 0.0 0.0 Food and Beverage Tours 5.2 79.9 13.3 33.3 33.3 6.7 6.7 6.7 0.0 Cooking Schools 5.9 88.9 44.4 22.2 22.2 0.0 11.1 0.0 0.0 Region 7 point satisfaction scale: 7 = Completely satisfied, 1 = Very dissatisfied Of those who did attend a local food and beverage event, satisfaction was reasonably high. In particular, satisfaction with local cooking schools was quite high, with 88.9% of people attending a local cooking school indicating that they were at least ‘some‐what satisfied’. Satisfaction with local food and beverage festivals was also reasonable, with 86.1% of attendees being at least ‘some‐what satisfied’, while satisfaction with local food and beverage tours was slightly lower, with 79.9% indicating at least being ‘some‐what satisfied’. There were no significant differences across location, gender, age, income level or education level with respect to levels of satisfaction with local food and beverage events attended. To explore future attendance at local food and beverage events, local SEQ residents were asked how likely is it that they would attend a local food or beverage event in their local area in the next 12 months (Figure 4). Page 88
35
30
28.7
27.4
25
26.1
20
15
13
10
5
4.9
0
Completely Likely
Very Likely
Moderately Likely
Slightly Likely
Not at all Likely
Figure 4: Likelihood to Attend a Local Food and Beverage Event in the Next 12 Months (%) The results indicate relatively low levels of interest in local food and beverage events among local SEQ residents, with over one quarter (26.1%) of local SEQ respondents indicating that it is ‘not at all likely’ they will attend a local food or wine event in the next 12 months. The majority of local SEQ residents reported that they are ‘slightly likely’ (28.7%) to ‘moderately likely (27.4%)’ to attend a local food and beverage event in the next 12 months. There was no significant difference across location, gender, age, or education level with respect to likelihood of attending a local food and beverage event in the next 12 months. However, people on incomes less than $40,000 indicated that it was less likely they would be attending a food and beverage event in the next 12 months. SEQ Visitors Visitors to SEQ were asked about their level of interest in SEQ food and beverage events (Table 47) and whether they either had (past visitors) or intended to (future visitors) attend a SEQ food and beverage event during their visit to SEQ (Table 48). Past visitors were also asked how satisfied they were with the SEQ food and beverage events they had attended (Table 49). Table 47: Interest in Food and Beverage Events ‐ SEQ Visitors Event % at least moderately interest Mean Extremely interested Very Interested Moderately interested Slightly Interested Not at all interested Festivals 2.8 65.8 6.6 26.2 33.0 13.2 21.1 Tours 2.5 51.5 4.6 16.5 30.4 18.3 30.2 Cooking Schools 1.8 24.9 1.3 7.0 16.7 15.9 59.2 5‐point interest scale: 1 = Not at all interested, 5 = Extremely interested Page 89
Findings The results reveal reasonable levels of interest in local food and beverage festivals with 65.8% of visitors to SEQ in the past/next 12 months, and females more so than males, indicating that they are ‘moderately interested’ to extremely interested’ in such an event. Only 21.2% indicated no interest in food and beverage festivals. However, future visitors (79.0%) reported that they are more likely to be at least ‘moderately interested’ in festivals than past visitors (59.5%). People in the middle age brackets (25‐54 years) indicated higher levels of interest in attending local food and beverage festivals than younger people aged 18‐24 years or older people aged 55 years of age or older. There is also reasonable interest in food and beverage tours with over half of the visitors to SEQ (51.5%), and females more so than males, indicating that they are ‘moderately interested’ to ‘extremely interested’. Just less than one‐third of SEQ visitors (30.2%) indicated no interest at all in food and beverage tours. Future visitors (59.8%) reported that they are more likely to be at least ‘moderately interested’ in tours than past visitors (47.6%). People aged 25‐44 years of age are more interested in food tours than either people under 25 years of age or people older than 55 years. There was some interest in attending cooking schools with just under one‐quarter (24.9%) of SEQ visitors, and males and females equally, indicating they are ‘moderately interested’ to ‘extremely interested’. However, many visitors to SEQ are ‘not at all interested’ in attending cooking schools (59.2%). Future visitors (31.9%) reported that they are more likely to be at least ‘moderately interested’ in cooking schools than past visitors (21.7%). People aged 18‐34 years are most interested in cooking schools. People with an income of $100,000‐119,000 were more likely to have attended a local cooking school than other income brackets, and people with incomes between $100,000‐139,999 indicated a higher level of interest in attending a cooking school. Visitors were also asked if while visiting South East Queensland, they attended or planned to attend any food tourism events (Table 48). Table 48: Attendance or Planned Attendance at SEQ Food and Beverage Events – SEQ Visitors Past Visitor Attended (%) Future Visitor Plan to Attend (%) Total Visitor (%) Food and Beverage Festivals 19.2 42.6 22.2 Food and Beverage Tour 10.8 30.7 12.8 Cooking School 3.8 10.8 4.9 Food and Beverage Event The results reveal that just less than half (42.6%) of future visitors to the SEQ region in the next 12 months plan to attend a SEQ food and beverage festival; however, only 19.2% of past visitors to the SEQ region reported actually attending a SEQ food and beverage festival. This large difference between intention and actual behaviour would partially be due to optimism, but may also reflect limited opportunities for visitors to SEQ to act on their intentions. Likewise nearly one‐third of future visitors (30.7%) indicated that they plan to attend a food and beverage tour while visiting SEQ, while only 10.8% of past visitors reported actually undertaking a food and beverage tour during their visit to SEQ. While 10.8% of future visitors to SEQ plan to attend a cooking school during their visit to SEQ, only 3.8% of past visitors reported actually attending a cooking school while visiting SEQ. In further explaining differences between intentions and actual behaviours of Page 90
future and past visitors, it is important to note that the act of completing this survey would have brought ideas to mind for future visitors regarding food and beverage events that may not exist in the minds of visitors not completing such as survey. Hence, intention figures need to be considered in this light and compared with past behaviour to gain a clearer picture of likely future demand. In terms of actual attendance, younger people (under 35 years) are more likely to have attended food and beverage festival or a food and beverage tour than people aged 35 years plus. People aged 25‐34 years of age are also more likely to have attended a cooking school than people aged 18‐24 or people aged 35 years or older. With the exception of males being more likely to report that they had attended a food and beverage tour, there were no other differences with respect to attendance by past visitors at SEQ local food and beverage events across gender, income or education level. Past visitors who indicated that they had attended a SEQ local food and beverage event were asked their level of satisfaction with the event (Table 49). Table 49: Past Visitors’ Satisfaction with SEQ Local Food and Beverage Events Some‐
Some‐
Mostly Complete‐
Mostly what what dis‐
dis‐
Very dis‐
% ly satisfied
satisfied satisfied Neutral satisfied satisfied satisfied Mean Satisfied (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Food and Beverage Festivals 5.8 85.9 19.7 40.8 25.4 7.0 4.2 1.4 1.4 Food and Beverage Tours 5.5 87.5 37.5 27.5 22.5 5.0 2.5 2.5 2.5 Cooking Schools 4.6 64.3 7.1 28.6 28.6 14.3 7.1 7.1 7.1 Event 7‐point satisfaction scale: 7 = Completely satisfied, 1 = Completely dissatisfied Findings The results reveal that past visitor satisfaction with SEQ food and beverage events was relatively high with 87.5% of the 22 people who attended a SEQ food and beverage tour during their visit to SEQ reporting being at least ‘somewhat satisfied’. Of those who attended a SEQ food and beverage festival, 85.9% reported being at least ‘moderately satisfied’, and of those who attended a SEQ cooking school, 64.3% reported being at least ‘moderately satisfied. This lower level of satisfaction with cooking schools among past visitors to SEQ is contrary to the relatively higher levels of satisfaction with cooking schools expressed by local SEQ residents. There were no differences across gender, age, education level or income level with respect to satisfaction with SEQ local food and beverage events. Implications The findings reveal relatively low levels of attendances at food and beverage festivals, food and beverage tours, and local cooking schools. Moreover there is a relatively low level of interest in local food and beverage events among local SEQ residents. However, for visitors to SEQ there is a Page 91
reasonable level of interest in local food and beverage festivals, and food and beverage tours, with a lesser level of interest in attending cooking schools. Satisfaction levels for food and beverage festivals and tours are relatively high; however SEQ cooking schools may need to improve their performance in order to gain higher satisfaction ratings from SEQ visitors. Local Food and Beverage Outlets In this section, the popularity of a range of local food and beverage outlets including farmer’s markets, farm shop or road‐side stalls, manufacturers selling direct to the public, cheese factories, cellar doors, local breweries and PYO (pick your own) farms for both local SEQ residents and future visitors to SEQ is investigated. Local SEQ Residents Local SEQ residents (n = 307) were asked how often they had visited a range of local food and beverage outlets over the past 12 months (Table 50). Table 50: Frequency of Visiting Local Food and Beverage Outlets in the Past 12 Months ‐ SEQ Local Residents Frequency Farmer’s market Direct Farm shop from manufact‐
or road‐
urer side stall Cheese factory Cellar door PYO (pick your own) farms Local brewery 20+ 9.1 3.6 2.0 0.7 1.0 0.7 0.7 10‐19 12.1 2.9 0.7 1.0 0.3 1.3 0.3 7‐9 8.5 6.5 2.9 2.0 1.3 1.3 1.3 4‐6 16.9 11.1 8.1 3.6 7.5 4.9 3.6 1‐3 23.8 30.0 16.9 21.2 15.6 13.0 10.1 Not visited 29.6 45.9 69.4 71.7 74.3 78.8 84.0 The most popular food and beverage outlet for local SEQ residents was the farmer’s market with over one‐fifth (21.2%) of local SEQ residents, and females in particular, visiting a farmer’s market 10 or more times in past 12 months, and less than one‐third (29.6%) not visiting a farmer’s market in the past 12 months. The second most frequented local food and beverage outlet by local SEQ residents was the farm shop or road‐side stall with 6.5% visiting at least 10 times in the past 12 months. However, almost half of local SEQ residents (45.9%) had not visited a farm‐shop or road‐
side stall in the past 12 months. Less popular local food and beverage outlets, in terms of frequency of visits, included local breweries, PYO (pick your own) outlets, cellar doors, cheese factories or purchasing direct from manufacturers who are open to the public. Younger consumers (under 44 years) visited breweries and purchased direct from the manufacturer more frequently than people aged 45 years and older. Younger people aged 18‐24 years reported purchasing more frequently from PYO (pick your own) outlets than other age groups with frequency decreasing by age group. Page 92
Residents from the Sunshine Coast were more likely to visit a farmer’s market than residents of Bayside/Redland. Residents of the Sunshine Coast were more likely to visit a farm shop or road‐
side stall, cheese factory or a PYO (pick your own) outlet than residents from either the Gold Coast or the Bayside/Redland region. Next, local SEQ residents (n = 307) were asked how likely it would be that they would visit a range of local food and beverage outlets in the next 12 months (Table 51). Table 51: Likelihood of Visiting Local Food and Beverage Outlets in the Next 12 Months ‐ SEQ Local Residents % at least Moderately Not at all Slightly Moderately Very Completely Outlet Mean likely Likely Likely Likely Likely Likely Farmer’s Market 3.2 67.5 15.3 20.5 19.9 19.2 25.1 Farm shop or road‐side stall 2.6 53.4 26.1 28.7 19.5 15.0 10.7 Direct from manufacturer 2.1 42.9 44.0 26.1 16.0 7.8 6.2 Cheese factory 1.9 37.9 52.4 24.1 13.7 5.9 3.9 Cellar door 1.9 36.0 53.7 22.5 12.4 7.5 3.9 PYO (pick you own) farms 1.9 35.2 53.4 26.1 9.8 7.2 4.6 Local Brewery 1.6 30.8 66.8 17.3 10.1 3.6 2.3 5‐point Likelihood Scale: 1 = Not at all likely to 5 = Completely likely Just over two‐thirds (67.4%) of local SEQ residents indicated that they at least ‘moderately likely’ to visit a farmer’s market in the next 12 months and over one‐quarter of residents (25.1%) indicated that it is ‘completely likely’. The next most likely local food and beverage outlet to be visited was the farm shop or road‐side stall with 53.4% of local residents indicating that it is at least ‘moderately likely’ that they will visit, followed by purchasing direct from manufacturer’s outlets (42.9%). The results indicate that it is less likely that local SEQ residents would visit a local brewery (30.8%), cheese factory (37.9%), cellar door (36.0%) or PYO (Pick your own) farm (35.2%) in the next 12 months. Younger people aged under 35 years indicated they are more likely to visit breweries or PYO (pick you own) farms than people 35 years or older. People with higher levels of education are more likely to visit farm shops than people with lower levels of education. People on incomes of $100,000‐140,000 are more likely to visits farmer’s markets and farm shops or road‐side stalls, while people on less than $20,000 income per annum are less likely to visit those outlets. Residents from the Sunshine Coast indicated that they are more likely to visit a farmer’s market than residents of Bayside/Redland. Residents of the Sunshine Coast also indicated that they are more likely to visit a cheese factory and a PYO (pick your own) outlet than residents of either the Gold Coast or Bayside/Redland. Page 93
Future SEQ Visitors Future visitors to SEQ were asked regarding their likelihood of visiting a range of local food and beverage outlets during their visit to SEQ (Table 52). Table 52: Likelihood of Visiting Local Food and Beverage Outlets ‐ Future SEQ Visitors Outlet % at least moderatel
Mean y likely Not at all Likely (%) Slightly Likely (%) Moderate
ly Likely (%) Very Likely (%) Completel
y Likely (%) Farmer’s Market 3.3 73.3 8.5 18.2 29.0 26.7 17.6 Farm shop or road‐side stall 3.1 67.6 11.9 20.5 29.5 22.2 15.9 Direct from manufacturer 3.0 65.3 10.8 23.9 30.1 26.7 8.5 Cheese factory 2.9 63.1 16.5 20.5 30.7 19.9 12.5 PYO (pick your own) farms 2.8 59.1 18.8 22.2 30.7 17.6 10.8 Cellar door 2.8 57.4 22.7 19.9 24.4 22.2 10.8 Local Brewery 2.7 56.8 25.6 17.6 27.3 17.6 11.9 5‐point Likelihood Scale: 1 = Not at all likely to 5 = Completely likely Future visitors to SEQ indicated that they are more likely than local SEQ residents to visit the food and beverage outlets.The findings reveal that farmer’s markets are most likely to be visited by future visitors to SEQ with almost three‐quarters (73.3%) of the future visitors surveyed, and females more so than males, indicating that it is at least ‘moderately likely’ they will visit a farmer’s market during their visit, with 44.3% considering it to be ‘very likely’ to ‘completely likely’. The next most likely outlet to be visited by future visitors is the farm shop or road‐side stall (67.6%) with females agreeing more so than males that they will likely visit a farm shop or road‐
side stall. Future visitors also indicated it is at least ‘moderately likely’ that they will visit an outlet selling direct from the manufacturer (65.3%) and cheese factories (63.1%). PYO outlets (59.1%), cellar doors (57.4%) and breweries (56.8%) were also at least ‘moderately likely’ to be visited by over half of the future visitors to SEQ. People aged 55 years and older are most likely to visit farmer’s markets and farm shops and road‐side stalls, with younger people aged 18‐24 years being least likely to visit these outlets. Satisfaction with Customer Service at SEQ Local Food and Beverage Outlets and Producers Local SEQ residents and past visitors to SEQ were asked how satisfied they were in general with the customer service provided by local food and beverage outlets or producers (Table 53). Page 94
Table 53: Satisfaction with Customer Service Provided by Local Food and Beverage Outlets and Producers Some‐
Some‐
Mostly Complete‐
Mostly what what dis‐
dis‐
Completely Satisfied ly satisfied satisfied satisfied Neutral satisfied satisfied dissatisfied Mean (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Past Visitor 5.3 74.3 11.1 44.1 19.2 17.0 3.5 3.5 1.6 Local SEQ 4.9 60.6 8.5 35.8 16.3 26.1 5.9 3.9 3.6 Total 5.1 68.1 9.9 40.3 17.9 21.1 4.6 3.7 2.5 Group 7‐point Satisfaction scale: 7 = Completely satisfied, 1 = Completely dissatisfied Findings Levels of satisfaction with the customer service provided by local food and beverage outlets in the SEQ are satisfactory with 60.6% of local SEQ residents and almost three‐quarters of past visitors (74.3%) being at least ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the customer service they received. There were no significant differences across gender, age, income level or education level with respect to satisfaction with customer service perceived by SEQ local residents. Analysis of variance indicated that while there were no significant differences across the three local SEQ regions, there is a difference between the mean perceptions of local SEQ residents (60.6%) and past visitors (74.3%), with past visitors expressing greater satisfaction with the customer service provided by local SEQ food and beverage outlets than local SEQ residents. Moreover, past visitors over 35 years of age reported higher levels of satisfaction with the customer service they received than past visitors less than 35 years of age. There were no significant differences with respect to satisfaction with customer service provided by SEQ local food and beverage outlets for past visitors based on gender, income level or education level. Implications Local food and beverage producers and processors should primarily focus on providing products at popular outlets including farmer’s markets and farm shop or road‐side stalls. Other local food and beverage outlets visited or likely to be visited include manufacturers who sell direct to the public, local breweries, cheese factories, cellar doors, PYO (pick your own) outlets, cellar doors, and cheese factories. There is room for improvement in the delivery of customer service across SEQ food and beverage outlets with about one‐quarter of past visitors, and in particular those under 35 years of age, as well as, more than one‐third of local SEQ residents being less than satisfied with the customer service they have received at SEQ local food and beverage outlets. Eating out in SEQ In this section, frequency of eating out by local SEQ residents and visitors to the SEQ is investigated. Various types of outlets frequented by local SEQ residents and SEQ visitors when eating out in SEQ are also explored. Page 95
Local SEQ residents Local SEQ residents (n = 307) were asked how frequently they eat out (Figure 5) and what type of outlets they mainly frequent when eating out (Table 54). 30
25
28.0
22.5
20
22.1
17.6
15
10
8.5
5
1.0
0.3
Every other
day
Daily
0
Less than
once per
month
Once a
month
Every
fortnight
Once per
week
2 ‐ 3 times
per week
Figure 5: Eating Out ‐ Local SEQ Residents Just over half of the local SEQ residents surveyed (50.5%) eat out less than once per month and only 9.8% eat out more than once per week. Analysis of variance did not reveal any significant differences with regard to frequency of eating out across the three local regions. Table 54: Outlets Mainly Frequented for Eating Out ‐ SEQ Local Residents Outlet Frequency Percentage Cafe or casual restaurant 224 73.0 Take away shop/fast food store 129 42.0 Hotel or bistro 128 41.7 Club 116 37.8 Fine‐dining restaurant 74 24.1 The most popular venue for local SEQ residents when eating out is the cafe or casual restaurant (73%), followed by the take‐away shop/fast food store (42%) and hotel or bistro (41.7%). Less popular outlets include clubs (37.8%) and fine‐dining restaurants (24.1%). Analysis of variance revealed that residents of the Gold Coast (34.6%) were more likely than residents of the Sunshine Coast (21.9%) or Bayside/Redland (15.3%) to eat out at a fine‐dining restaurant. Page 96
SEQ Visitors Past visitors to SEQ were asked how often they ate out when visiting SEQ (Table 55). When interpreting the findings, readers should note that about 30% of the 3 million overnight visitors to SEQ each year are visiting family and friends (Tourism Queensland 2012). Table 55: Eating Out ‐ SEQ Visitors Visitor Status Less than 3 times per week (%) 2‐3 times per week (%) Every other day (%) Daily (%) More than once per day (%) Future Visitor (Intentions) 8.0 18.8 18.8 42.6 11.9 Past Visitor (Frequency) 15.4 19.5 15.9 35.1 14.1 Total Visitor 13.0 19.2 16.8 37.5 13.4 Findings The findings reveal that there is a difference between intentions of future visitors and actual eating out behaviours of past visitors to SEQ. Just under half of the past visitors to SEQ (49.2%) reported that they ate out at least daily during their visit, while over half (54.5%) of future visitors reported that they intend to eat out at least daily. Indeed 34.9% of past visitors reported that they ate out less than 4 times per week, while only 26.8% of future visitors intend to eat out this infrequently during their visit. The most common frequency and intention reported for eating out by past visitors (35.1%) and future visitors (42.6%) to SEQ is once daily. Past visitors to SEQ were also asked which outlets they mainly frequented when eating out during their visit to SEQ; while future visitors were asked which outlets they thought they would mainly frequent (Table 56). Table 56: Outlets for Eating Out – SEQ Visitors Future Visitor Intention (%) Past Visitor Frequency (%) Total Visitor (%) Cafe or casual restaurant 91.5 80.8 86.5 Hotel or bistro 57.4 51.1 52.9 Take away shop/fast food store 50.6 43.2 45.6 Fine‐dining restaurant 43.8 36.8 37.9 Club 27.8 33.0 30.0 Outlet Findings Once again the results indicate that intentions of future visitors with respect to eating out at various outlets exceed actual behaviours of past visitors, with the exception of clubs. The most popular venue for eating out is the cafe or casual restaurant, with 80.8% of past visitors reporting that they had eaten at this type of outlet, and 91.5% of future visitors indicating that they intend Page 97
to eat at cafes or casual restaurants during their visit to SEQ. The next most popular venue for visitors is the hotel or bistro (52.9%) followed by the take‐away shop or fast food store (45.6%). While 43.8% of future visitors indicated that they intend to eat at a fine‐dining restaurant, only 36.8% of past visitors reported having done so during their visit to SEQ. Interestingly, actual consumption at clubs by past visitors (33.0%) exceeds intentions of future visitors (27.8%), possibly reflecting the greater availability or accessibility of clubs in SEQ than what is envisaged by future visitors. Implications There is an opportunity to increase consumption of local food and beverage in particular among SEQ visitors at eating out places in SEQ. However, local residents are not eating out very frequently with the majority eating out less than once per month. The most common frequency/intention reported for eating out by past/future visitors to SEQ is once daily. However, there is a difference between intentions of future visitors and actual eating out behaviours of past visitors to SEQ. Therefore, creating greater awareness and demand for local SEQ food when dining out is required to increase consumption. Increasing consumption of SEQ local food and beverage will require greater availability on menus at local cafes and casual restaurants, followed by the take‐away shops/fast food shops, hotels and bistros. Information Sources for SEQ Local Food and Beverage and Events In this section, sources of information about local food and beverage and local food and beverage events are discussed. Past visitors to SEQ (n = 370) were asked which sources they had used to gain information on SEQ local food and beverage or food and beverage events (Table 57). Table 57: Use of Media for Information on Local Food and Beverage and Events by Past SEQ Visitors Media Vehicle Frequency Percentage Word of mouth (e.g. family, friends) 222 60.0 Visitor information centre 144 38.9 QLD tourism website 119 31.6 Newspaper advertisements or editorials 117 31.6 Regional tourism website 115 31.1 Television advertisements 97 26.2 Magazines (e.g. Gourmet Traveller) 70 18.9 Radio advertisements 64 17.3 Local company websites 50 13.5 Local food websites/blogs 45 12.2 Social network sites (e.g. Facebook) 34 9.2 Page 98
Findings Past visitors to SEQ reported that their primary source of information on SEQ local food and beverage and events was through word of mouth (60.0%). The second most prevalent source of information was visitor information centres (38.9%), followed by the Queensland tourism website (31.6%), newspaper advertisements or editorials (31.6%), and regional tourism websites (31.1%). Just over one‐quarter of past visitors to SEQ (26.2%) reported that they had seen information on SEQ local food and beverage on television, while magazine advertisements (18.9%) and radio advertisements (17.3%) had been noticed to a lesser extent. Local company websites (13.5%), local food websites or blogs (12.2%) and social network sites (9.2%) were the least used sources of information by past SEQ visitors. Next, all respondents (n = 853) were asked which sources of information they would consider to be the most useful (Table 58). Table 58: Usefulness of Media for Information on Local Food and Beverage and Events Media Vehicle % Useful Very Useful (%) Some‐
what Useful (%) Neutral (%) Not Very Not at all Useful Useful (%) (%) Word of mouth (e.g. family, friends) 71.9
36.8
35.1
22.5 2.3 3.3
Visitor information centre 57.8
21.7
36.1
30.6 5.0 6.6
Television advertisements 53.9
16.1
37.9
30.6 6.9 8.6
Newspaper advertisements or editorials 51.8
15.7
36.1
32.7 7.9 7.6
Regional tourism website 50.6
17.7
32.9
35.3 5.9 8.2
QLD tourism website 48.7
17.9
30.7
36.0 84.6 91.4
Magazines (e.g. Gourmet Traveller) 41.9
12.0
29.9
37.9 9.7 10.6
Local company websites 41.0
11.8
29.2
43.4 6.6 9.0
Radio advertisements 38.5
10.4
28.0
39.2 11.4 11.0
Local food websites/blogs 37.2
10.2
27.0
43.7 9.6 9.5
Social network sites (e.g. Facebook) 30.4
11.5
18.9
41.0 10.2 18.4
Findings Word of mouth or information provided by family friends was considered by the majority of respondents (71.9%) to be the most useful source of information on local food and beverage and food and beverage events, most likely because it is considered to be more objective, credible and believable information. Likewise, an independent visitor information centre (57.8) was considered to be the next most useful source of information on local food and beverage. Television (53.9%) and newspaper (51.8%) advertisements for local food and beverage and events were also Page 99
considered to be useful sources of information by more than half of the respondents, as was information provided on a regional tourism website (50.6%). Just under half of the respondents considered the Queensland tourism website (48.7%) to be a useful source of information, followed by food‐related magazines (41.9%), and local company websites (41.0%). Less useful sources of information for local food and beverage and food and beverage events were radio advertisements (38.5%), local food websites or blogs (37.2%), and social networks (30.4%). Local SEQ Residents Local SEQ residents considered word of mouth to be the most useful source of information, followed by local newspaper, television, visitor information centres, regional tourism website, local company websites, the Queensland tourism website, and magazines. Local food blogs and social networking were considered to be the least useful. There were significant differences across groups with respect to the perceived usefulness of information sources for local food and beverage and local food and beverage events. In general, residents of the Gold Coast considered most sources, with the exception of a visitor information centre, to be more useful than people from the Sunshine Coast or Bayside/Redland. People from Bayside/Redland considered most sources of information, with the exceptions of radio and local newspaper, to be less useful than people from the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast. Future SEQ Visitors Future visitors considered word of mouth to be the most useful source of information on local food and beverage and local food and beverage events, followed by visitor information centres, regional tourism websites, the Queensland tourism website, television, local company websites, magazines, and newspapers. Food blogs, radio, and social networks were considered to be the least useful sources of information for future visitors to SEQ. Past SEQ Visitors Past visitors also considered word of mouth to be the most useful source of information, followed by visitor information centres, regional tourism website, the Queensland tourism website, newspaper advertisements, television advertisements, and local company websites. Local food websites/blogs, magazines, radio advertisements, and social networking sites were considered the least useful sources of information by past visitors to SEQ. Past visitors rated all media, with the exceptions of information centres and regional websites, to be less useful than all other groups, while future visitors rated the Queensland tourism website, regional tourism websites and information centres to be the most useful sources of information. Implications The findings indicate that the usefulness of media vehicles for providing information on local food and beverage differs across target markets. However, as a rule, word of mouth and visitor information centres are valued by all market segments as useful and credible sources of information. Hence, finding ways to stimulate word of mouth communication (e.g. referrals, recommendations and generally creating conversation ‐ the ‘buzz’) will lead to greater consumption of local food and beverage. Utilising current visitor information centres or establishing dedicated food information centres to showcase and promote local food and beverage and events will also stimulate demand. Future visitors to SEQ are also likely to find regional SEQ and Queensland tourism websites useful for finding information on local food and beverage and events. Hence, ensuring the information on local food and beverage outlets, tours, festivals and cooking schools is highlighted on these websites is important for increasing Page 100
consumption. In terms of media advertising, television is likely to be considered the most useful vehicle for local food and beverage information for all market segments. For local SEQ residents, newspaper advertising may also be effective in providing information. 6.0 Conclusions Top of mind associations for South East Queensland and SEQ local food and beverage For SEQ local residents the term ‘local food and beverage’ is primarily associated with being locally grown, caught, produced or support for local farmers, producers, businesses, the local community and economy. Seafood is the primary food group associated with the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland regions, while dairy is the primary food group associated with the Sunshine Coast. Markets (in particular, farmer’s markets) are associated with the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, but less so the Bayside/Redland region. For Bayside/Redland and Gold Coast residents, ‘local food and beverage’ is also associated with being fresh, and in particular, fresh fruit and vegetables. Restaurants and coffee shops are associated with all three areas, wine or wineries with the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redland, beer and breweries with Bayside Redland, and to a lesser extent, the Gold Coast. Ginger and pineapples are associated with the Sunshine Coast, while strawberries are associated with Bayside/Redland. What does the term ‘local’ food and beverage mean? There was lack of agreement on what the term ‘local food and beverage’ meant. Just under half of the respondents agreed that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular local area (e.g. Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast), while about one‐third considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular region (e.g. South East Queensland). Very few respondents considered that local food and beverage is grown or produced in a particular state or in a particular country. In terms of distance, about 40% of the respondents agreed that local food or beverage is grown and produced within 80 kilometres of where they live, 30% within 45 kilometres, 20% within 15 kilometres of where they live, and only 10% within 5 kilometres of where they live. Consumption frequency and purchase intentions The study revealed low levels of consumption of local food and beverage for both use at home and when eating out across the three local SEQ regions, with about one‐third of respondents purchasing local food and beverage less than monthly for use at home and two‐thirds purchasing less than monthly when eating out. The most common frequency (about half of the respondents) for purchasing of local food and beverage for both use at home and eating out over the past three months was 1‐5 times. Very few respondents reported purchasing local food and beverage more than 10 times over the past three months either for use at home or when eating out. Respondents most commonly reported that they are ‘slightly likely’ or ‘moderately likely’ to purchase local food and beverage for use at home and ‘slightly likely’ to purchase local food and beverage when eating out in the next fortnight. This low level of likelihood of purchasing local food and beverage when eating out is more likely to be a reflection of low intention to eat out at all in the next fortnight, rather than not selecting local food and beverage when eating out. While the vast majority of future visitors to SEQ indicated that it is at least ‘moderately likely’ that they Page 101
will purchase local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ, less than half of past visitors reported actually having done so at least ‘frequently’ during their visit. Attitudes toward SEQ local food and beverage Local SEQ residents Local SEQ residents and older females in particular, hold very favourable attitudes toward local food and beverage. More than two‐thirds of the respondents are interested in learning about where the local food and beverage they eat comes from. The majority (over 80%) agreed that the origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in their local area, and about two‐thirds of local SEQ respondents agreed that if local food or beverage from their local area was promoted at local restaurants that would positively influence them to choose those restaurants. However, just over one‐third of the respondents agreed that when selecting from a menu at a local restaurant they specifically look for local food and beverage from their local area to order. This may be partially explained by the finding that only just over one‐third of local SEQ respondents agreed that local food and beverage is frequently included on menus at eating out places. Just over one‐third of local SEQ residents agreed that when purchasing food and beverage for use at home they specifically look for local food and beverage to try. Only one‐third agreed that local food and beverage is being clearly marketed, and less than one‐quarter of local SEQ respondents agreed that local food was branded and easily recognisable or readily available where they shop. Visitors to SEQ Past and future visitors to SEQ share similar and positive attitudes in terms of being interested in where the local food and beverage they eat comes from, agreeing that the origin of food should be included on menus, and agreeing that if local food or beverage from SEQ was/is promoted at local SEQ restaurants that would positively influence them to choose those restaurants. However, less than half of the past visitors agreed they had specifically looked for SEQ local food and beverage to order or try during their visit to SEQ. More than three‐quarters of future visitors agreed that local SEQ food and beverage should be frequently included on menus at eating out places in SEQ, while less than half of past visitors agreed this had been the case. Over three quarters of future visitors to SEQ agreed that local food and beverage should be clearly marketed as coming from SEQ and branded and easily recognisable; however, less than half of the past visitors agreed that SEQ local food had been clearly marketed and only one‐third agreed that it had been branded or was easily recognisable. Likewise over three‐quarters of future visitors agreed that local SEQ food and beverage should be readily available where they shop in SEQ, while less than half of past visitors agreed that it had been readily available. Drivers of local food and beverage consumption When asked for reasons that are ‘top of mind’ (i.e. without prompting), freshness was overwhelmingly the primary reason cited by local SEQ residents for purchasing local food and beverage. Other key reasons were associated with local support including supporting local community/business, local farmers/growers/producers, and the local economy/jobs. Page 102
Local SEQ residents When asked to select from a list of potential drivers, the primary drivers of consumption of local food and beverage by local SEQ residents are support for local producers and retailers, the local community and the regional economy; intrinsic qualities including freshness, reduced food miles, taste, being in season, quality and good appearance; traceability including connection with local producers and knowing where local food and beverage comes from; healthiness including nutrition, healthy, wholesome and natural; as well as trust, reputation, being the best available and good value for money. The next most important drivers for local SEQ residents concerned sustainable and ethical practice including reduced packaging, sustainable, environmentally friendly, reduced pollution and being ethical. Most of the local SEQ residents agreed that they purchase local food and beverage because it is authentic and original, and traditional to the region. Safety including being safe and meeting Australian food safety standards was also an important driver. Visitors to SEQ In general, past SEQ visitors hold less favourable perceptions of SEQ local food and beverage than either local SEQ residents or future visitors. The most important key drivers for past visitors to SEQ concerned the intrinsic qualities of the product itself including freshness, taste, being in season, high quality, and good appearance. In keeping with local SEQ residents, support for local producers and retailers, the local community, and the regional economy was an important driver for past visitors. The next most important driver for past visitors concerned the healthiness of the product including healthy, nutritious, wholesome and natural. The most important drivers for future visitors to SEQ are the intrinsic qualities of the product including high quality, freshness, taste and good appearance and the healthy aspects of the product being free from preservatives, healthy, natural, and organic. Barriers to SEQ local food and beverage consumption ‘Top of mind’ reasons for not purchasing local food and beverage primarily concern being too expensive and lack of availability. Other reasons include products not being clearly labelled as being local and not eating out as often as previously. Local SEQ residents Key barriers to the purchase of local food and beverage by local SEQ residents are primarily associated with inadequate marketing and distribution including local food and beverage not being well promoted, information on where to find local food and beverage not being readily available, not clearly branded as local, not well labelled, not readily available, and the range of product being limited. There is also a perception that local food and beverage is expensive. Perceived inconvenience is associated with purchasing local food and beverage including the need to travel too far to do so, extra effort required, being too time‐consuming, and inconvenient. Just over one‐third of the local SEQ respondents agreed that they cannot trust that the product is actually local or that all of the ingredients are local. Visitors to SEQ In keeping with local SEQ residents, the key barriers to purchase of SEQ food and beverage by past visitors to SEQ are primarily associated with inadequate marketing and distribution, followed by being expensive and perceived inconvenience. For the very few future visitors who indicated they Page 103
were not willing to purchase SEQ food and beverage during their visit, the main barriers concerned issues related to perceived inconvenience, lack of information on where to find local food and beverage, lack of availability, and expense. What would encourage increased consumption of SEQ local food and beverage? Increased consumption of SEQ local food and beverage will rely upon greater perceived affordability and greater availability and variety of local food and beverage in SEQ outlets, and in particular, in supermarkets. Clear labelling of local food and beverage, and being promoted, advertised and branded so that consumers know where to find local products would encourage both locals and visitors to purchase more SEQ local food and beverage. Future visitors clearly identified that if fresh product is available that will encourage them to purchase more SEQ local food and beverage during their visit to SEQ. Other reasons that would encourage future visitors to purchase local SEQ food and beverage include taste, quality, supporting local producers, retailers and the local community, and the availability of pure and natural products. Purchase of SEQ local food and beverage product categories The most frequently purchased product categories for local food and beverage by local SEQ residents are fruit, vegetables, and bread/baked goods/cereals. Local dairy products, eggs and meat and/or meat products are also purchased relatively frequently. Despite an abundance of local fish and seafood, it is not purchased very frequently and neither is local poultry. Overwhelmingly, the major reason why local SEQ residents do not purchase a particular food or beverage is due to the product not being available where they shop. Being expensive was another major reason for non‐purchase of local food and beverage, in particular for seafood, eggs and oils. Despite the good intentions of the future visitors to SEQ to purchase SEQ local food and beverage during their visit, a lesser proportion of past visitors actually purchased each of the product categories measured. Much of the discrepancy between purchase intention and actual consumption may be explained by the fact that about one‐third of visitors did not know if the food and beverage they purchased in SEQ was local or not, reinforcing the need for clear labelling and branding of local SEQ food and beverage. Outlets used for purchasing SEQ local food and beverage Local SEQ residents The main outlets used by local SEQ residents to purchase local food and beverage are large supermarkets, followed by local specialty stores, farmer’s or weekend markets, and small supermarkets. When eating out, local SEQ residents purchase local food from restaurants, cafes, take‐away shops/fast food outlets, hotels/bistros, and clubs. For local SEQ residents, there is demand for greater availability of local food and beverage in large supermarkets, local specialty stores, farmer’s markets, local cooperatives, roadside stalls, farm gates, and small supermarkets. There is also demand by local SEQ residents for greater availability of local food and beverage at eating out outlets including restaurants and cafes. Over one‐third of local SEQ respondents indicated a desire to be able to purchase local food and beverage online. Page 104
Visitors to SEQ The main outlets used by past SEQ visitors to purchase local food and beverage when eating out were restaurants and cafes. Just under half of the past visitors to SEQ patronised hotels/bistros, and take‐away shops/fast food outlets. The most frequently used food retail outlets for purchasing local food and beverage by past SEQ visitors were local specialty stores, followed by large supermarkets, small supermarkets, and local cooperatives. Farmer’s or weekend markets were also popular with about half of the past visitors to SEQ, as were, to a slightly lesser extent, roadside stalls and farm gates/farm shops. The most preferred outlets for purchasing local food and beverage by future visitors are local specialty stores, followed by restaurants, cafes, farmer’s markets or weekend markets, local cooperatives, hotels/bistros, large supermarkets, small supermarkets, farm gates or farm shops, roadside stalls, and take‐away shop/fast‐food outlets. Purchase occasions for SEQ local food and beverage Local SEQ residents Local SEQ residents are most likely to purchase local food and beverage as part of their regular grocery shop, followed by a special occasion, when attending local food festivals and food events, a treat, when eating out, when visiting relatives or friends, when on holiday or leave, a gift, and when attending a local cooking school. Visitors to SEQ The most common purchasing occasion for past and future visitors is when eating out. The high levels of intention by future visitors to purchase SEQ local food and beverage for a treat, when attending food festivals and events, as part of their holiday grocery shop, when visiting friends or relatives, for a special occasion, and for a gift, may not translate in actual purchases with past visitors reporting much lower levels of actual purchase for those occasions. Consumer psychographics Concern for the environment The majority of respondents in the study are concerned about the environment. More than three‐
quarters of respondents agreed that despite our special abilities, humans are still subject to the laws of nature. More than two‐thirds of the respondents agreed that the balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset and humans are severely abusing the environment. Conversely, only about one‐quarter of respondents agreed that the balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations and that humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs. About one‐third of respondents agreed that the so‐called ‘ecological crisis’ facing human kind has been greatly exaggerated. However, in line with other studies of food consumption, concern for the environment was not found to moderate the actual purchase and consumption of local food and beverage by the respondents in this study. Ethical identity About two‐thirds of the respondents agreed that they think of themself as someone who is concerned about ethical issues, that ethics are important to them when making buying decisions, and that they think of themselves as an ethical consumer. People who reported consuming or Page 105
intending to consumer SEQ local food and beverage more frequently were found to have higher levels of ethical identity. Location identity Local SEQ residents and younger people in particular identify with and are attached to Australia, and to a lesser extent identify with, are attached and committed to the SEQ region and their local area. Local SEQ residents who purchase local food and beverage more frequently agreed more strongly that they identify with and are attached to their local area or the SEQ region. Concern for food safety About three quarters of the respondents agreed that they are concerned about the safety of food nowadays, as well as the amount of artificial additives and preservatives in food, and that nowadays most foods contain residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers. Respondents who purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently are more likely to be concerned about food safety. Health consciousness The majority of respondents agreed that they take responsibility for the state of their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household, that they are conscious about their health and the health of others for whom they shop in the household, and, to a slightly lesser extent, that they are very involved with their health and the health of others for whom they shop in their household. Local SEQ residents, past visitors and future visitors who purchased or intend to purchase SEQ local food and beverage more frequently were found to be more health conscious. Food involvement and food related lifestyles Respondents who purchase local food and beverage more frequently agreed more strongly that they compare product information labels to decide which brand to try, like buying food products in speciality food stores where they can get expert advice, prefer to buy natural products, are interested in where their food comes from, like to try new food they have never tasted before, like to try out new recipes, look for authentic Australian food and beverages, always buy organically grown food products if they have the opportunity, buy sustainably produced food products if they have the choice, don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products, don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh, and prefer to purchase unpacked meat and vegetables rather than pre‐packed. What and who influences consumption of SEQ local food and beverage? Experiential and personal influences have greater influence over purchase of local food or beverage than commercial sources. With respect to experiential influences, sampling local food and beverage would have the greatest influence on consumption, followed by demonstration on how to use the local food and beverage at the store/market/festival. Personal influences were the second most influential factor including word of mouth communication with a friend, family member or colleague, having a particular recipe they wished to cook, and if they picked up a recipe card using local food and beverage at the store, market or festival. Commercial sources were slightly less influential including a special price promotion at the store, a recommendation by a local food and beverage producer (e.g. farmer, winemaker, and baker), recommendation from a Page 106
staff member at a local restaurant, recommendation from staff at a speciality store, and recommendation from staff at the supermarket. In terms of media influences, television would appear to be the most effective media. The next most effective media vehicle was seeing a recipe in a magazine, followed by seeing a recipe in the local newspaper, and then finding a recipe on the Internet. What labelling elements for SEQ local food and beverage do consumers consider to be important? Use by date and country of origin are considered to be the most important labelling elements for SEQ local food and beverage. Respondents also considered farmed/caught by date to be important information. Traceability information including local area of origin, region of origin and brand marks that identify the producer was considered to be important by most respondents. Reflecting the consumer’s interest in healthy products, a very important labelling element was nutritional information. Information on price per serving was also considered to be important by more than three‐quarters of the respondents. Educational information on how to store and how to prepare the product was considered to be important. Information related to method of production and the use of genetically modified ingredients were the next most important elements. While nutritional information was considered to be very important, the healthy heart tick was rated as of lesser importance, perhaps reflecting some level of mistrust in the accreditation process for that logo. Serving suggestions were of moderate importance. Information on sustainable and ethical practice including sustainability accreditation, humane production, an environmentally friendly logo or organic certification were of lesser importance, as were awards for excellence. Culinary Tourism in SEQ The study found relatively low attendances at local food and beverage events by local SEQ residents in the past 12 months. Of those who did attend a local food and beverage event, satisfaction was reasonably high. Less than one‐quarter of local SEQ residents reported they are likely to attend a local food and beverage event in the next 12 months. The findings reveal that there is a difference between intentions of future visitors and actual eating out behaviours of past visitors to SEQ. Under half of the past visitors to SEQ reported that they ate out at least daily during their visit, while over half of future visitors reported that they intend to eat out at least daily. The most popular venue for eating out by visitors is the cafe or casual restaurant, with the majority of past visitors reporting that they had eaten at this type of outlet, and the vast majority of future visitors indicating that they intend to eat out at cafes or casual restaurants during their visit to SEQ. The next most popular eating out venue for visitors is the hotel or bistro, followed by the take‐away shop or fast food store. While just less than half of future visitors indicated that they intend to eat at a fine‐dining restaurant, only about one‐third of past visitors reported having done so during their visit to SEQ. The most popular food and beverage outlet for local SEQ residents is the farmer’s market, followed by the farm shop or road‐side stall. Over two‐thirds of local SEQ residents indicated that they are likely to visit a farmer’s market in the next 12 months, while about half intend to visit a farm shop or road‐side stall. Future visitors to SEQ indicated that they are more likely than local SEQ residents to visit SEQ food and beverage outlets. The findings reveal that farmer’s markets are most likely to be visited by future visitors to SEQ, followed by farm shops or road‐side stalls, and Page 107
then outlets selling direct from the manufacturer, cheese factories, pick your own farms, cellar doors and breweries. Levels of satisfaction with the customer service provided by local food and beverage outlets in the SEQ are only satisfactory with just less than two‐thirds of local SEQ residents and almost three‐
quarters of past visitors being at least ‘somewhat satisfied’ with the customer service they received. What information sources could be used to promote local SEQ food and beverage and events? Past visitors to SEQ reported that their primary source of information on SEQ local food and beverage and events was through word of mouth, followed by visitor information centres, the Queensland tourism website, newspaper advertisements or editorials, and regional tourism websites. Word of mouth or information provided by family friends was considered by the majority of respondents to be the most useful source of information on local food and beverage and food and beverage events, followed by visitor information centres, television and newspaper, and information provided on regional tourism websites. Just under half of the respondents considered the Queensland tourism website to be a useful source of information, followed by food‐related magazines, and local company websites. 7.0 Recommendations Based on the findings a number of recommendations are made to assist local producers and processor to grow the market for SEQ local food and beverage. Embrace the opportunity There is ample opportunity to increase consumption of SEQ local food and beverage both for at‐
home consumption and when eating out. However, greater price sensitivity due to the current economic climate and people eating out less frequently may mean that the best opportunity for short‐term growth in consumption of local food and beverage will be associated with at‐home consumption rather than out‐of‐home consumption. Focus on the most attractive target markets People aged 55 years and older and people with higher levels of education (tertiary level or technically trained) appear to be the most attractive target markets as reflected by past consumption and future purchasing intentions. While all demographic groups hold favourable attitudes toward local SEQ food and beverage, potentially the most attractive target market among both local SEQ residents and future visitors to SEQ is older females. More regular purchasers of local food and beverage are more likely consider themselves to ethical consumers, are more likely to identify with, be attached to and committed to their local area, are more health conscious, are more concerned about food safety, and have higher levels of food involvement (‘foodies’) with food comprising a relatively important part of their lifestyle. Page 108
Improve marketing of local SEQ food and beverage A lack of clear marketing and branding of local food and beverage in South East Queensland is evident. Developing stronger marketing and branding strategies for SEQ local food and beverage is a key priority for increasing awareness and consumption of SEQ local food and beverage. Building awareness and demand for SEQ local food and beverage will require a concerted marketing and communications effort. Strategies for doing so include: 
Create strong, favourable and unique secondary associations between SEQ local food and beverage and more mainstream SEQ associations such as the beach and the sun. Imagery portraying local residents and visitors enjoying local food and beverage while enjoying the sun and sea will serve to build stronger associations between SEQ and local food and beverage. 
Develop clear branding and labelling indicating that the product is local. Ensure branding is easily recognisable and labels can be read by older consumers at the point of sale. 
Clearly identify the origin of SEQ local food and beverage on menus at eating out places in South East Queensland. 
Provide information on where, when and how local residents and visitors can find local SEQ food and beverage. 
Provide provenance information (‘stories’) on where and how the product has been grown or produced. 
Provide opportunities for consumers to interact and connect with local producers. This may be achieved through farmer’s markets, farm‐shops and road‐side stalls, food and beverage festivals or tours, and local cooking schools. 
Take the product to the consumer. Provide opportunities for sampling, as well as demonstration on how to use the product in retail outlets, and at food and beverage events 
Explore the possibility of establishing dedicated retail outlets for SEQ local food and beverage (i.e. Icons of South Australia) in areas that will reach the target market such as major shopping malls, the Eumundi market, close to major local farmer’s markets, popular tourist destinations (e.g. the Big Pineapple), visitor information centres, and airports. 
Explore the possibility of developing a mobile unit for showcasing SEQ local food and beverage at major food and beverage events (e.g. Noosa Food and Wine Festival, The Maleny Real Food Festival) and/or rotating among popular retail centres. Different product categories could be showcased on a rotating basis to generate and maintain interest. 
Use effective promotional strategies to clearly communicate valued benefits and features of local SEQ food and beverage and build strong, favourable and unique associations as indicated by key drivers to develop a strong and clear position within the market. Key drivers are local support, freshness, good taste, in season, quality and good appearance, connection with local producers, knowing where local food and beverage comes from, nutrition, healthy, wholesome and natural, as well as trust, reputation, being the best available, and good value for money. Develop a tiered branding strategy Above all, local SEQ residents identify with, and are attached and committed to Australia. Residents’ level of identification, attachment and commitment to their local area is no stronger than for the wider SEQ region, with the exception of Sunshine Coast residents who reported a Page 109
higher level of identity with their local area. Therefore, if local food and beverage is clearly marketed, branded and labelled as being of Australian origin, the food will gain acceptance and market share across a broad market. Hence, a cost‐effective strategy for stimulating consumption of SEQ local food and beverage may be to invest in the highly recognised and trusted Australian Grown logo. However, local residents who purchase SEQ local food and beverage on a more frequent basis identify with and are more attached to their local area or region. Attachment to a local area is particularly the case for residents of the Sunshine Coast, although less so for residents of the Gold Coast and Bayside/Redlands who indicate equal attachment to the SEQ region. Hence, given the high cost of localised branding strategies, it may be more cost‐effective to investigate the efficacy of a regional SEQ branding strategy rather than local area branding strategies (with the exception of the Sunshine Coast which would also benefit from local branding). A regional branding strategy would allow differentiation and build brand equity for local food and beverage from the SEQ region. Provide valued labelling information Provide clear labelling in line with customer demand. The findings reveal that the most important labelling elements on packaging for local food and beverage are, in order of relative importance: 
use by date 
country of origin 
local area of origin (local residents) 
farmed/caught by date 
region of origin 
brand marks that identify the producer 
nutritional information 
price per serving 
how to store 
how to prepare 
method of production 
genetically modified ingredients. Use effective media channels The perceived usefulness of media channels for providing information on local food and beverage differs across target markets. However, media strategies that would be most effective include channels which are more credible and trusted including: 
word of mouth ‐ stimulate positive word of mouth communication (e.g. referrals, recommendations and generally create conversation around local food and beverage – generate the ‘buzz’) 
information at visitor information centres and/or dedicated food information centres which showcase and promote local food and beverage and events Page 110

information on regional SEQ and Queensland tourism websites ‐ ensure information on local food and beverage outlets, tours, festivals and cooking schools is highlighted on these websites. In terms of media vehicles, television is considered to be the most useful and effective, followed by newspaper advertisements. Make the product more affordable Encouraging greater consumption of SEQ local food and beverage will rely upon consumers perceiving it to be affordable. Making products affordable does not necessarily mean cheaper products or price reductions but rather delivering greater perceived value for money. Strategies for making products more acceptable to price‐sensitive consumers include smaller portion sizes and price per portion labelling. Reducing production and distribution costs will make local food and beverage more affordable. This will require a careful analysis of production and distribution costs and reduction of costs without sacrificing quality, freshness or appearance. One way to reduce costs in line with customer demand would be to reduce unnecessary packaging. Reducing unnecessary packaging, while still delivering important product information, will assist in gaining consumer acceptance, driving down distribution costs, and making local food and beverage more affordable. Strategic product development Leverage key drivers to consumption of SEQ local food and beverage through strategic product development by focussing on what consumers’ value and reflecting the needs, preferences and characteristics of regular purchasers of local food and beverage. Based on key drivers, product strategies that will increase consumption of SEQ local food and beverage include producing and delivering: 
high quality, fresh, great‐tasting, seasonal products that both look good and are good value for money 
products with a strong reputation for quality that consumers can trust 
healthy, nutritious, wholesome and natural products 
safe, pure and organic products that are free from artificial additives, preservatives and residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers 
authentic and original products as well as products that are traditional to the region 
interesting and novel products as well as products that are nostalgic or remind consumers of the past 
products that enhance hedonic and experiential consumption benefits including delivering satisfying and fun shopping experiences, and allowing consumers to enjoy a treat. However, it is not enough to simply develop such product offerings, it is essential that these benefits and attributes and the value proposition be clearly communicated and delivered to local SEQ residents and SEQ visitors to create awareness, generate a competitive advantage, and build brand equity. Page 111
Make local SEQ food and beverage more available in retail outlets Increasing opportunities for local SEQ residents and visitors to purchase local product through more strategic and intensive distribution will positively influence consumption. Strategies include making local food and beverage more readily available for both local residents and visitors, as well as making it easier and more convenient for both local residents and SEQ visitors to access local food and beverage. To meet latent demand, availability of SEQ local food and beverage should be increased in large supermarkets, local specialty stores, farmer’s markets, local cooperatives, roadside stalls, farm gates, small supermarkets, restaurants and cafes. Cater to a range of purchasing occasions Develop and deliver SEQ local food and beverage for a range of purchasing occasions, and in particular, for when eating out, as part of their regular grocery shop, for a treat, and when visiting relatives. Intentions by visitors to purchase SEQ local food and beverage for less typical occasions such as for a gift, when attending cooking schools, for special occasions, or at food festivals or food events are not translating into actual purchase. This indicates latent demand for SEQ local food and beverage for these types of purchase occasions and the need for greater focus by the SEQ local food and beverage industry to develop and promote local food and beverage in ways that provide greater opportunities for visitors to SEQ to purchase across a broader range of purchase occasions. Monitor consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability Being more concerned about the environment does not influence purchase frequency of local food and beverage. However, the majority of respondents indicated concern for the environment, and this concern is expected to grow over time. Therefore, while sustainability and environmentally friendly claims may not impact on purchase frequency at this point of time, as people become more concerned with these issues they may have some impact on future consumption, and thus ongoing monitoring of consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability is important. Focus on ethical production and practices People who purchase local food and beverage more frequently are more likely to identify as someone who is more concerned about ethical issues and ethical consumption. Hence, local food and beverage producers and processors should use ethical practices in the production, distribution and marketing of local food and beverage, and include information on their ethical approach in promotional messages and on labelling. Improve customer service There is room for improvement in the delivery of customer service across SEQ food and beverage outlets. About one‐quarter of past visitors, and in particular those under 35 years of age, as well as, more than one‐third of local SEQ residents are less than satisfied with the customer service they have received at SEQ local food and beverage outlets. Page 112
Explore opportunities for growing culinary tourism The findings reveal relatively low levels of attendances at food and beverage festivals, food and beverage tours, and local cooking schools. Moreover there is a relatively low level of interest in local food and beverage events among local SEQ residents. However, for visitors to SEQ there is a reasonable level of interest in local food and beverage festivals, and food and beverage tours, with a lesser level of interest in attending cooking schools. In line with consumer demand, there is a need to provide greater availability of SEQ local food and beverage on menus at local cafes and casual restaurants, followed by take‐away shop/fast food shops, hotels and bistros, and to a lesser extent, fine‐dining restaurants and clubs. Moreover, providing greater availability and a wider range of SEQ local food and beverage at popular food and beverage outlets and in particular farmer’s markets, farm shops and road‐side stalls will encourage consumption. Page 113
Bibliography Bell, R. & Marshall, D. W. 2003, The construct of food involvement in behavioural research: scale development and validation, Appetite, 40, 235‐44. Birch, D. & Lawley, M. 2012, Buying seafood: Understanding barriers to purchase. Food Quality and Preference, Vol. 24, No. 1, 12‐21. Brunso, K. & Grunert, K. G. 1995, Development and testing of a cross‐culturally valid instrument: Food‐related lifestyle. In F. Kardes & M. Sujan (Eds.), Advances in consumer research, 22, 475‐80. Provo, UT: Association for Consumer Research Brunso, K., Bredahl, L. & Grunert, K. G. 1996, Food‐related lifestyle trends in Germany: A comparison of 1993‐1996, In Beracs, J. Bauer, A, and Simon, J. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 25th EMAC Conference: Marketing for an expanding Europe, European Marketing Academy, Budapest, 1505‐10. Dunlap, R. E., Van Liere, K. D., Mertig A. G. & Emmet Jones, R. 2000, Measuring endorsement of the new ecological paradigm: A revised NEP scale, Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 56 No. 3, 425 ‐ 42. Ecker, S., Clarke, R., Cartwright, S., Kancans, R., Please, P. & Binks, B. 2010, Drivers of regional agritourism and food tourism in Australia, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics ‐ Bureau of Rural Sciences, Canberra. Everett, S. & Aitchison, C. 2010. The role of food tourism in sustaining regional identity: A case study of Cornwall, South West England, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 16(2), 150‐67. Gorton, M. & Tregear, A. 2008, Government support to regional food producers: An assessment of England’s regional food strategy. Environment and planning C: Government and Policy, 26, 1047‐
60. Kneafsey, M. 2010, The region in food ‐ important or irrelevant? Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 3, 177‐90. Michaelidou, N. & Hassan, L. M. 2008, The role of health consciousness, food safety concern and ethical identity on attitudes and intentions towards organic food, International Journal of Consumer Studies, 32(2), 163‐70. Olsen, S. O. 2001, Consumer involvement in fish as family meals in Norway: An application of the expectancy‐value approach. Appetite, 36, 173‐86. Parker, J. 2010. Consumer awareness and behaviour survey relating to production, distribution and consumption of local foods, Northern Rivers Food Links, Jetty Research. Rand, G. E. & Heath, E. 2006, Towards a framework for food tourism as an element of destination marketing, Current Issues in Tourism, 9(3), 206‐34. SERIO, Research & Innovation. 2008. Understanding of Consumer Attitudes and Actual Purchasing Behaviour, with Reference to Local and Regional Foods, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon. Sparks, B., Roberts, L., Deery, M., Davies, J. & Brown, L. 2005. Good living tourism: Lifestyle aspects of food and wine tourism, Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism, Australia. Sustainable Tourism CRC. 2008. Food and Wine Tourism in Australia, Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism, Bundall Printing, Australia. Tourism Queensland. 2012, Destinations, http://www.tq.com.au/destinations/queensland/research/research_home.cfm, viewed 12 July 2012. Zaichkowsky, J. L. 1985, Measuring the Involvement Construct, Journal of Consumer Research, 12 (December), 34‐352. Page 116
Appendix 1: Online Consumer Survey Local and Regional Food and Beverage This on‐line survey has been designed to develop a better understanding of consumers’ attitudes and buying behaviour towards food and beverage. We are contacting people from The ORU Consumer Panel to participate. If you choose to participate in this survey, please be assured that the information and opinions you provide will be used only for research purposes. In particular, no individual responses will be given to the organisation sponsoring this research; they will be combined with those from other participants of this research. The survey will take approximately 20 ‐ 30 minutes to complete. Screening Questions S1. Where do you currently live? 1. Sunshine Coast, Queensland 2. Bayside Brisbane/Redlands, Queensland 3. Gold Coast, Queensland 4. Queensland (other than the Sunshine Coast, Bayside Brisbane/Redlands or Gold Coast) 5. Interstate other than Queensland IF 1 send to Sunshine Coast Version and SQ2 IF 2 send to Bayside Brisbane/Redland Version and SQ2 IF 3 send to Gold Coast Version and SQ2 IF 4 or 5 send to SQ2 Ask if code 4 or 5 selected at S1 S2. Have you visited South East Queensland as a tourist for a period of longer than 2 days in the past 12 months? Yes/No IF YES proceed as Past Visitor IF NO GO TO S3 Ask if NO selected at S2 S3. Do you intend to visit South East Queensland as a tourist for a period of longer than 2 days in the next 12 months? IF YES proceed to Future Visitor Version S4 Page 117
IF NO ABORT S4. First, are you or anyone you know well, employed by… (tick any that apply) 1. An ad agency or are involved in advertising in anyway 2. A company involved in public relations or marketing 3. A company involved in banking & finance 4. A company that is involved in producing/selling local food and beverage 5. A company that makes or sells confectionery 6. A market research company? 7. None of the above IF 1, 2, 4 OR 6 IN S4, ABORT S5. Please indicate your gender 1. Male 2. Female S6. Which one of the following age groups do you fall into? 1. Under 18 years 2. 18‐24 3. 25‐34 4. 35‐44 5. 45‐54 6. 55 years or older 7. I prefer not to answer IF 1 or 7 IN S6, ABORT S7. Which of the following best describes your role in buying food and/or beverage (if from SEQ, pipe in ‘for your household’ / if from Non‐SEQ, show ‘when on holidays or visiting other regions’)? 1. I am the main food and/or beverage buyer 2. I jointly share the food and/or beverage buying with another household member 3. I occasionally do some food and/or beverage buying 4. I seldom do any food and/or beverage buying 5. I never do any food and/or beverage buying IF 1, 2, OR 3 CONTINUE ‐ IF 4 OR 5 ABORT Page 118
S8. In the last six months, have you participated in market research for the following topics? (tick any that apply) 1. Confectionery 2. Dairy Products 3. Alcohol 4. Grocery Shopping 5. Local or Regional Food and Beverage 6. Other Categories 7. I haven’t participated in market research in the last 6 months IF 5 IN S8 ABORT INFORMATION SHEET (show on a separate page) Questionnaire Q1. When you hear the term ‘(pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands / South East Queensland)’ what three main things come to mind? Programmer’s note: if from Gold Coast, pipe in Gold Coast into the question text (same for Sunshine/Brisbane) If from Non‐SEQ, pipe in ‘South East Queensland 1. 2. 3. Q2. This survey concerns local food and beverage. Beverage includes both non‐alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. When you hear the term ‘local food and beverage’ what three main things come to mind? 1. 2. 3. Q3. Which of the following statements best summarises what the term ‘local food and beverage’ means to you? Programmer’s note: Page 119
if respondent is not from Bayside Brisbane/Redlands, show ‘Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast’ if they are from Bayside Brisbane/Redlands, show ‘Bayside Brisbane/Redlands, Gold Coast’) Choose one ONLY Grown or produced in a particular local area (e.g. Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast) Grown or produced in a particular region (e.g. South East Queensland) Grown or produced in a particular state (e.g. Queensland) Grown or produced in a particular country (e.g. Australia) Q4. Which of the following statements best describes what you understand as local food and beverage? Choose one ONLY Local food and beverage is grown or produced within 5 kms of where I live Local food and beverage is grown or produced within 15 kms of where I live Local food and beverage is grown or produced within 45 kms of where I live Local food and beverage is grown or produced within 80 kms of where I live Only ask for SEQ Q5s. To what extent do you agree with the following statements concerning local food and beverage from ‘(pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)? Agreement scale 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ When purchasing food and beverage, I specifically look for local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) to try Local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) is clearly marketed as coming from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) Local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) is branded and easily recognisable Local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) is readily available at the places where I shop on (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) Local food and beverage is frequently included on the menus at eating out places on (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) Page 120
If local food and/or beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) is promoted at (pipe in response from SQ1 location) restaurants; that would positively influence me to choose those restaurants When selecting from a menu at a local restaurant, I specifically look for local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) to order When selecting from a menu at a local restaurant, I specifically look for locally caught seafood to order. The origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places on (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands). I am interested in learning about where the local food and beverage I eat comes from and how it is grown and/or produced Only ask for Past Visitors Q5p. To what extent do you agree with the following statements concerning local food and beverage from South East Queensland? Agreement scale 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ When purchasing food and beverage during my visit to South East Queensland, I specifically looked for local food and beverage to try. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland was clearly marketed as coming from the region. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland was branded and easily recognisable. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland was readily available at the places where I shopped in the region. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland was frequently included on the menus at eating out places in the region. If local food and/or beverage had been promoted at local South East Queensland restaurants; that would have positively influenced me to choose those restaurants. When selecting from a menu during my visit to South East Queensland, I specifically looked for local food and beverage from South East Queensland to order. When selecting from a menu during my visit to South East Queensland, I specifically looked for locally caught seafood to order. The origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in South East Queensland. I am interested in learning about where the local food and beverage I eat comes from and how it is grown and/or produced. Eating and drinking local food and beverage from South East Queensland did, or could have, made my visit more enjoyable. Page 121
Only ask for Future Visitors Q5f. To what extent do you agree with the following statements concerning local food and beverage from South East Queensland? Agreement scale 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ When purchasing food and beverage during my visit to South East Queensland, I will specifically be looking for local food and beverage to try. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland should be clearly marketed as coming from the region. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland should be branded and easily recognisable. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland should be readily available at the places where I shop in the region. Local food and beverage from South East Queensland should be frequently included on the menus at eating out places in the region. If local food and/or beverage is promoted at local South East Queensland restaurants; that will positively influence me to choose those restaurants. When selecting from a menu during my visit to South East Queensland, I will specifically look for local food and beverage from South East Queensland to order. When selecting from a menu during my visit to South East Queensland, I will specifically look for locally caught seafood to order. The origin of food and beverage should be clearly identified on menus at eating out places in South East Queensland. I am interested in learning about where the local food and beverage I eat comes from and how it is grown and/or produced. Eating and drinking local food and beverage from South East Queensland will make my visit more enjoyable. Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q6p/Q6f. During your visit to South East Queensland, please indicate how often you purchased/intend to purchase local food and beverage. Frequency scale ‐ 1‐ 5 ‐ ‘not at all’ to ‘frequently’ Programmer’s note: (SKIP) If at Q6pf ‘1.Not at all’ or ‘2.Infrequently’ is selected, they should skip to Q9pa/Q9fa If at Q6pf if ‘1.Not at all’ or ‘2.Infrequently’ is not selected, they should skip Q9pa+b/Q9fa+b Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q7p/Q7f. Please provide the three main reasons why you purchased/would purchase South East Queensland food and beverage during your visit. Page 122
1. 2. 3. Only ask for SEQ Q6sa. I purchase local food and beverage from the Sunshine Coast to use at home ... Never Less than monthly Monthly Fortnightly Weekly More than once per week Only ask for SEQ Q6sa. I order local food and beverage from the Sunshine Coast when eating out ... Never Less than monthly Monthly Fortnightly Weekly More than once per week Only ask for SEQ Q6sb. How frequently do you purchase fresh uncooked fish? Never (Go to Q6sd) Less than monthly Monthly Fortnightly Weekly More than once per week Only ask for SEQ Q6sd. How often do you purchase fresh uncooked fish from the following outlets? Never Page 123
Less than monthly Monthly Fortnightly Weekly More than once per week Supermarket Fishmonger or fish shop Direct from fishing trawler Seafood van Other Only ask for SEQ Q6sd. How much more (expressed as a percentage) would you be prepared to pay for seafood that was clearly branded as being local to your area? ______% Only ask for SEQ Q7sa. Approximately, how often have you purchased local food and beverage from the (pipe in location) for use at home in the past 3 months? Did not purchase any local food nor beverage in the past 3 months 1 to 5 times 6 to 10 times 11 to 15 times More than 16 times Only ask for SEQ Q7sb. How likely is it that you will purchase local food and beverage from the (pipe in location) to use at home in the next fortnight? Not at all likely Slightly likely Moderately likely Very likely Completely likely Only ask for SEQ Page 124
Q7sa. And approximately, how often have you purchased local food and beverage from the Sunshine Coast when eating out in the past 3 months? Did not purchase any local food nor beverage in the past 3 months 1 to 5 times 6 to 10 times 11 to 15 times More than 16 times Only ask for SEQ Q7sb. And how likely is it that you will purchase local food and beverage from the Sunshine Coast when eating out in the next fortnight? Not at all likely Slightly likely Moderately likely Very likely Completely likely Only ask for SEQ Q8sa. Please provide the three main reasons why you are or would be willing to purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands). 1. 2. 3. Only ask for SEQ Q8sb. I am, or would be willing to purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) because..... (randomise statements) Agreement scale ‐ 1‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ it is high quality it is the best available it has a good appearance of its reputation I can trust it I know where it comes from it reduces food miles (distance food travels from producer to consumer) Page 125
I like the connection with local producers it is healthy it is fresh it is safe it meets Australian food safety standards it is organic it is wholesome it is nutritious it is free from chemicals it is in season it is free from preservatives it is natural it supports the local community it supports local retailers it supports local producers it supports the regional economy it supports the national economy it is interesting and/or novel it is nostalgic (reminds me of the past) it is a treat it makes me feel good the shopping experience is satisfying it tastes good it is traditional to the region shopping for it is fun it is authentic or original it is ethical it is sustainable it reduces pollution it is environmentally friendly it reduces packaging it considers animal welfare I feel guilty if I do not it is good value for money Page 126
it is priced at a premium I can buy the amount I want there is more variety it is widely available it is branded and easily recognisable as local it is promoted nationally Other, please specify .... Only ask for Past Visitors If at Q6pf ‘1.Not at all’ or ‘2.Infrequently’ is not selected, they should skip this question Q8pb. I was willing to purchase South East Queensland local food and beverage during my visit to the region because..... (randomise statements) Agreement scale ‐ 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ it was high quality it was the best available it had a good appearance of its reputation I could trust it I knew where it came from it reduced food miles (distance food travels from producer to consumer) I liked the connection with local producers it was healthy it was fresh it was safe it met Australian food safety standards it was organic it was wholesome it was nutritious it was free from chemicals it was seasonal it was free from preservatives it was natural it supported the local community it supported local retailers Page 127
it supported local producers it supported the regional economy it supported the national economy it was interesting and/or novel it was nostalgic (reminded me of the past) it was a treat it made me feel good the shopping experience was satisfying it tasted good it was traditional to the region shopping for it was fun it was authentic or original it was ethical it was sustainable it reduced pollution it was environmentally friendly it reduced packaging it considered animal welfare I felt guilty if I did not it was good value for money it was priced at a premium I could buy the amount I wanted there was more variety it was widely available it was branded and easily recognisable as local it was promoted nationally Other, please specify .... Only ask for Future Visitors If at Q6pf ‘1.Not at all’ or ‘2.Infrequently’ is not selected, they should skip this question Q8fb. I will purchase South East Queensland local food and beverage during my visit to the region if... (randomise statements) Agreement scale ‐ 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ it is high quality Page 128
it is the best available it has a good appearance it has a good reputation I can trust it I know where it comes from it reduces food miles (distance food travels from producer to consumer) it makes me feel connected with local producers it is healthy it is fresh it is safe it meets Australian food safety standards it is organic it is wholesome it is nutritious it is free from chemicals it is in season it is free from preservatives it is natural it supports the local community it supports local retailers it supports local producers it supports the regional economy it supports the national economy it is interesting and/or novel it is nostalgic (reminds me of the past) shopping for it brings back memories of the past it is a treat it makes me feel good the shopping experience is satisfying it tastes good it is traditional to the region shopping for it is fun it is authentic or original it is ethical Page 129
it is sustainable it reduces pollution it is environmentally friendly it reduces packaging it considers animal welfare I feel guilty if I do not it is good value for money it is priced at a premium I can buy the amount I want there is more variety it is widely available it is branded and easily recognisable as local it is promoted nationally Other, please specify .... Only ask for Past and Future Visitors If at Q6pf ‘1.Not at all’ or ‘2.Infrequently’ is selected, they should skip this question Q9pa/Q9fa. Please provide the three main reasons why you would NOT purchase/did not or were NOT willing to purchase South East Queensland local food and beverage. 1. 2. 3. Only ask for SEQ Q9sa. Please provide the three main reasons why you are NOT or would not be willing to purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands). 1. 2. 3. Only ask for SEQ Q9sb. I am NOT or would not be willing to purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) because..... Agreement scale ‐ 1‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ Page 130
it is inconvenient I have to travel further to do so to do so is time consuming it requires extra effort it is not readily available information on where to find it is not available the range of products is limited it is expensive the price is not always clear it is a fad food and beverage elsewhere is sometimes better it is not good quality I cannot trust it is actually local I cannot trust that all of the ingredients are local it is not well promoted it is not clearly branded as local it is not well labelled it is not well packaged Other, please specify .... Only ask for Past Visitors If at Q6pf ‘1.Not at all’ or ‘2.Infrequently’ is selected, they should skip this question Q9pb. I was NOT willing to purchase local food and beverage during my visit to South East Queensland because..... Agreement scale ‐ 1‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ it was inconvenient I had to travel further to do so to do so was time consuming it required extra effort it was not readily available information on where to find it was not available the range of products was limited it was expensive Page 131
the price was not always clear it was a fad food and beverage elsewhere was sometimes better it was not good quality I could not trust it was actually local I could not trust that all of the ingredients were local it was not well promoted it was not clearly branded as local it was not well labelled it was not well packaged Other, please specify .... Only ask for Future Visitors If at Q6pf ‘1.Not at all’ or ‘2.Infrequently’ is selected, they should skip this question Q9fb. I will NOT purchase local food and beverage during my visit to the Sunshine Coast region if....... Agreement scale ‐ 1‐ 7 ‐ ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ it is inconvenient I have to travel further to do so to do so is time consuming it requires extra effort it is not readily available information on where to find it is not available the range of products is limited it is expensive the price is not always clear it is a fad food and beverage elsewhere is sometimes better it is not good quality I cannot trust it is actually local I cannot trust that all of the ingredients are local it is not well promoted it is not clearly branded as local it is not well labelled Page 132
it is not well packaged Other, please specify .... Only ask for SEQ Q10s. What three main things would encourage you to purchase more local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)? 1. 2. 3. Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q10p/Q10f. What three main things would encourage/would have encouraged you to purchase more local South East Queensland food and beverage during your visit to the region? 1. 2. 3. Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q11pa/Q11fa. Please indicate whether or not you would like to purchase/purchased local South East Queensland food and beverage during your visit to the region for each of the following categories. Yes / No fruit vegetables non‐alcoholic beverages alcoholic beverages bread/baked goods/cereals meat and/or meat products poultry fish/seafood eggs dairy food and beverage (e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt) oils (e.g. olive, macadamia, avocado) pickles/conserves/sauces jams/spreads Page 133
confectionary (e.g. sweets/chocolates) Only ask for Past and Future Visitors if answer NO at Q11pa/Q11fa Q11pb/Q11fb. Why did/would you NOT buy local food and beverage during your visit to the South East Queensland region? Instruction: Multi‐code answers Could not or did not want to cook it Personal dislike Poor or inconsistent quality Not available where I shopped Too expensive Lack of variety Could not buy the type I prefer Could not buy it in the form I prefer Could not buy it in the quantity I prefer Vegetarian or Vegan Food intolerance Allergic to food/beverage type Unhealthy Religious reasons Safety concerns Other reason No particular reason Only ask for SEQ Q11sa. Please indicate how often you currently purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) for use at home for each of the following categories. Never Less than every six months Less than every 3 months About every 3 months Monthly Fortnightly Weekly Page 134
More than once per week Don't know if what I buy is/bought was local or not fruit vegetables non‐alcoholic beverages alcoholic beverages bread/baked goods/cereals meat and/or meat products poultry fish/seafood eggs dairy food and beverage (e.g. milk, cheese, yoghurt) oils (e.g. olive, macadamia, avocado) pickles/conserves/sauces jams/spreads confectionary (e.g. sweets/chocolates) If answer 1, 2 or 3 above for any category: Only ask for SEQ Q11sb. Why do you never or rarely buy local (pipe in category from Q11a) from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)? Instruction: Multi‐code answers Personal dislike Poor or inconsistent quality Not available where I shop Too expensive Lack of variety Can’t buy the type I prefer Can’t buy it in the form I prefer Can’t buy it in the quantity I prefer Can’t or don’t cook it at home Vegetarian or Vegan Food intolerance Allergic to food/beverage type Page 135
Unhealthy Religious reasons Safety concerns Other (please specify) No particular reason Only ask for SEQ (this question is not asked of Future Visitors) Q12sa. From which of the following outlets, if any, do you currently purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)? Yes / No Internet (online‐shopping) large supermarket chain (e.g. Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) small supermarket chain (e.g. IGA, Foodworks) local cooperatives local specialist shop (e.g. greengrocer, baker, butcher) convenience store (e.g. 7/11 store) farm gate or farm shop cellar door pick your own farmers market or weekend market roadside stalls van sales (e.g. seafood van) restaurant cafe hotel or bistro club take away shop/fast food store educational institution (e.g. school canteen) Only ask for Past Visitors Q12pa. From which of the following outlets, if any, did you purchase local food and beverage during your visit to the South East Queensland region? Yes / No Internet (online‐shopping) Page 136
large supermarket chain (e.g. Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) small supermarket chain (e.g. IGA, Foodworks) local cooperatives local specialist shop (e.g. greengrocer, baker, butcher) convenience store (e.g. 7/11 store) farm gate or farm shop cellar door pick your own farmers market or weekend market roadside stalls van sales (e.g. seafood van) restaurant cafe hotel or bistro club take away shop/fast food store educational institution (e.g. school canteen) Only ask for SEQ (statements selected at Q12ax should pipe out from Q12bx) Q12sb. From which of the following outlets, if any, would you like to be able to purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)? Yes / No Internet (online‐shopping) large supermarket chain (e.g. Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) small supermarket chain (e.g. IGA, Foodworks) local cooperatives local specialist shop (e.g. greengrocer, baker, butcher) convenience store (e.g. 7/11 store) farm gate or farm shop cellar door pick your own farmers market or weekend market roadside stalls van sales (e.g. seafood van) Page 137
restaurant cafe hotel or bistro club take away shop/fast food store educational institution (e.g. school canteen) Only ask for Past and Future Visitors (Statements selected at Q12pa should pipe out from Q12pb) Q12pb/Q12fb. From which of the following outlets, if any, would you have liked to purchase South East Queensland local food and beverage during your visit/be likely to purchase local food and beverage during your visit to the South East Queensland region? Instruction: Multi‐code answers Internet (online‐shopping) large supermarket chain (e.g. Coles, Woolworths, Aldi) small supermarket chain (e.g. IGA, Foodworks) local cooperatives local specialist shop (e.g. greengrocer, baker, butcher) convenience store (e.g. 7/11 store) farm gate or farm shop cellar door pick your own farmers market or weekend market roadside stalls van sales (e.g., seafood van) restaurant cafe hotel or bistro club take away shop/fast food store educational institution (e.g. school canteen) Only ask for SEQ Q13s. How likely is it that you would purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) for the following occasions? Likelihood scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘not at all likely’ to ‘very likely’ Page 138
as part of your regular grocery shop for a special occasion when on holiday or leave when visiting friends or relatives for a treat when eating out for a gift at food festivals or food events when attending a cooking school Only ask for Past Visitors Q13p. Did you purchase South East Queensland local food and beverage during your visit to the region for the following occasions? Yes/No as part of a holiday grocery shop for a special occasion when visiting friends or relatives for a treat when eating out for a gift at food festivals or food events when attending a cooking school Only ask for Future Visitors Q13f. How likely is it that you would purchase South East Queensland local food and beverage during your visit to the region for the following occasions? Likelihood scale ‐ 1‐ 5 ‘not at all likely’ to ‘very likely’ as part of a holiday grocery shop for a special occasion when visiting friends or relatives for a treat when eating out for a gift at food festivals or food events when attending a cooking school Page 139
Only ask for SEQ Q14s. For each of the following statements, please indicate your beliefs about buying local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) in the next fortnight. Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’) Overall, I feel that I should buy local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) in the next fortnight People who are important to me would approve of me buying local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) in the next fortnight Buying local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) in the next fortnight would be easy I would feel good if I buy local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) in the next fortnight Buying local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) in the next fortnight would be favourable Only ask for Past Visitors Q14p. For each of the following statements, please indicate your beliefs about buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland again. (Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’) Overall, I feel that I should try local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland People who are important to me would approve of me buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland Buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland would be easy I would feel good if I bought local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland Buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland would be favourable Only ask for Future Visitors Q14f. For each of the following statements, please indicate your beliefs about buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland. (Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’) Overall, I feel that I should try local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland Page 140
People who are important to me would approve of me buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland Buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland would be easy I would feel good if I bought local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland Buying local food and beverage when visiting South East Queensland would be favourable Q15. To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ Humans are severely abusing the environment The balance of nature is strong enough to cope with the impacts of modern industrial nations The so‐called “ecological crisis” facing human kind has been greatly exaggerated Humans have the right to modify the natural environment to suit their needs The balance of nature is very delicate and easily upset Despite our special abilities humans are still subject to the laws of nature I think of myself as an ethical consumer Ethics are important to me when making buying decisions I think of myself as someone who is concerned about ethical issues Q16. To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ The safety of food nowadays concerns me Nowadays most foods contain residues from chemical sprays and fertilizers I’m very concerned about the amount of artificial additives and preservatives in food I'm very conscious about my health and the health of others for whom I shop in the household I take responsibility for the state of my health and the health of others for whom I shop in the household I’m very involved with my health and the health of others for whom I shop in the household Only ask for SEQ Q17s. To what extent do you agree with the following statements about where you live? Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ I identify strongly with (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) Page 141
I feel no commitment to South East Queensland I am very attached to South East Queensland I feel no commitment to (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) I identify strongly with Australia I am very attached to (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) I am very attached to Australia I feel no commitment to Australia I identify strongly with South East Queensland Q18a. To what extent do you agree with the following statements? Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ I don’t think much about food each day Talking about what I ate or am going to eat is something I like to do Compared with other daily decisions, my food choices are not very important When I travel, one of the things I anticipate most is eating the food there I enjoy cooking for others and myself I am a ‘foodie’ I compare product information labels to decide which brand to try I have more confidence in food products that I have seen advertised than in unadvertised products I don’t like shopping for food I like buying food products in speciality food stores where I can get expert advice I always check prices, even on small items Before I go shopping for food, I make a list of everything I need I prefer to buy natural products, i.e. products without preservatives I compare prices of food/beverage to get the best value for money I like to try new foods that I have never tasted before I always buy organically grown food products if I have the opportunity I always buy sustainably produced food products if I have the choice I don’t mind paying a premium for ecological products It is more important to choose food products for their nutritional value rather than for their taste I don’t buy food products unless they look completely fresh I prefer to buy meat and vegetables unpacked rather than pre‐packed Page 142
I don’t like spending too much time on cooking I like to try out new recipes Going out for a meal is a regular part of our eating habits I only buy and eat foods which are familiar to me You can tell a lot about a person based on his/her choice of food/beverage My choice of food/beverage gives other people an image of me My choice of food/beverage conveys nothing about me to other people I am interested in where my food comes from I look for authentic Australian food and beverages Only ask for SEQ Q18sb. To what extent do you agree with the following statements about what or who would influence you to purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)? Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ I would be influenced to purchase local food and beverage from (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) if... I had a particular recipe I wished to cook I saw local food and beverage prepared and served on a cooking or lifestyle show, such as Master Chef I saw local food and beverage prepared and served by a celebrity chef I saw an advertisement for local food and beverage on the television I heard an advertisement for local food and beverage on the radio I saw a recipe for local food and beverage in a magazine I saw a recipe for local food and beverage in the local newspaper I saw a recipe for local food and beverage on the Internet The staff at the supermarket recommended local food and beverage to me The staff at a speciality store recommended local food and beverage to me The local food and beverage producer (e.g. farmer, winemaker, baker) recommended local food and beverage to me A friend, family member or colleague recommended local food and beverage to me I picked up a recipe card using local food and beverage at the store/market/festival I sampled local food and beverage at the store/market/festival and I liked it There was a special price promotion on local food and beverage at the store/market/festival Page 143
There was a demonstration on how to use the local food and beverage at the store/market/festival I read about local food and beverage on a social network site (e.g. Facebook) or a food blog A staff member at a local restaurant recommended local food or beverage to me Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q18pb/Q18fb. To what extent do you agree with the following statements about what or who could have influenced you to purchase local food and beverage while visiting South East Queensland? Agreement scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘strongly disagree’ to ‘strongly agree’ I could be/have been influenced to purchase local food and beverage while visiting South East Queensland if.... I had a particular recipe I wished to cook I saw South East Queensland local food and beverage prepared and served on a cooking or lifestyle show, such as Master Chef I saw South East Queensland local food and beverage prepared and served by a celebrity chef I saw an advertisement for South East Queensland local food and beverage on the television I heard an advertisement for South East Queensland local food and beverage on the radio I saw a recipe for South East Queensland local food and beverage in a magazine I saw a recipe for South East Queensland local food and beverage in the local newspaper I saw a recipe for South East Queensland local food and beverage on the Internet The staff at the supermarket recommended South East Queensland local food and beverage to me The staff at a speciality store recommended South East Queensland local food and beverage to me A local food or beverage producer (e.g. farmer, winemaker, baker) recommended South East Queensland local food and beverage to me A friend, family member or colleague recommended South East Queensland local food and beverage to me I picked up a recipe card using South East Queensland local food and beverage at the store/market/festival I sampled South East Queensland local food and beverage at the store/market/festival and I liked it There was a special price promotion on South East Queensland local food and beverage at the store/market/festival There was a demonstration on how to use the South East Queensland local food and beverage at the store/market/festival Page 144
I had read about South East Queensland local food and beverage on a social network site (e.g. Facebook) or a food blog A staff member at a local restaurant recommended local food or beverage to me Q19. Please indicate, in terms of importance, what information on the label or at the point of sale would encourage you to purchase more local food/beverage. Importance scale ‐ 1‐ 7 ‘not at all important’ to ‘very important’ Country of origin (e.g. Australia) Region of origin (e.g. South East Queensland) Local area of origin (e.g. (pipe in one of these from SQ1: Gold Coast / Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)) Price per serving Nutritional information Healthy heart tick Brand marks that clearly identify the producer Sustainability accreditation Environmentally friendly logo Humane production (e.g. RSPCA approved) Organic certification Use by date Farmed/produced/caught by date How to store How to prepare Serving suggestions/recipes Method of production (e.g. farmed vs. wild‐caught, free range vs. cage) Awards for excellence (e.g. Gold Medal Award) Genetically Modified Ingredients Q20. Now focussing specifically on fresh fish, please indicate how important the following factors are when purchasing fresh fish. Importance scale ‐ 1‐ 7 ‘not at all important’ to ‘very important’ Country of origin (e.g. Australia) Region of origin (e.g. South East Queensland) Local area of origin (e.g. Sunshine Coast) Branded with the Australian Grown logo Page 145
Branded with a regional or local logo Company branding marks Pre‐packaged portions/price per portion Nutritional information Healthy heart tick Sustainable seafood accreditation Humane catch/processing Use by date Caught by date Wild‐caught How to store How to prepare Serving suggestions/recipes Accompanying sauce or marinade Crumbed or battered Fresh appearance of the fish Only ask for SEQ Q21s. How often do you generally eat out? Choose ONE only daily every other day 2‐3 times a week once a week every fortnight once a month less than once a month Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q21p/Q21f. While visiting South East Queensland, how often did you/do you intend to eat out? Choose ONE only more than once per day Page 146
daily every other day 2‐3 times a week less than 3 times each week Only ask for SEQ Q22s. What outlets do you mainly frequent when eating out? Tick all that apply fine‐dining restaurant cafe or casual restaurant hotel or bistro club take away shop/fast food store Other, please specify Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q22p/Q22f. What outlets did you/do you think you will mainly frequent when eating out in South East Queensland? Tick all that apply fine‐dining restaurant cafe or casual restaurant hotel or bistro club take away shop/fast food store Other, please specify Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q23pa/Q23fa. While visiting South East Queensland, how interested were you in local food tourism, such as food and beverage tours, food and beverage festivals/events or attending cooking schools? Interest scale ‐ 1‐ 5 ‘not at all interested’ to ‘extremely interested’ Food & beverage tours Food & beverage festivals Page 147
Attending cooking school Only ask for SEQ Q23sb. Have you attended any food and beverage events such as food or wine festivals on (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) region in the past 12 months? Yes/No Food & beverage tours Food & beverage festivals Attending cooking school IF YES, please specify and then go to Q23sc. IF NO, go to Q23sd. Only ask for Past and Future Visitors Q23pb/Q23fb. While visiting South East Queensland, did you/are you planning to attend any food tourism events? Yes/No Food & beverage tours Food & beverage festivals Attending cooking school Only ask for SEQ Q23sc. How satisfied were you in general with the local food and beverage events you attended on (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands)? Satisfaction scale ‐ 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘not at all satisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’ Only ask for Past Visitors (pipe out responses from Q23pb where ‘No’ was answered) Q23pc/Q23fc. How satisfied were you in general, with the local food tourism events you attended in South East Queensland? Satisfaction scale ‐ 1‐ 7 ‘completely dissatisfied’ to ‘completely satisfied’ Food & beverage tours Food & beverage festivals Attending cooking school Page 148
Only ask for SEQ Q23sd. How likely is it that you would attend a local food or beverage event in (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) region in the next 12 months? Likelihood scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘not at all likely’ to ‘very likely’ Only ask for SEQ Q24s. Approximately, how often have you visited the following local food and beverage outlets in (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) region in the past 12 months? farmer’s market farm shop or road‐side stall cellar door (e.g. winery) local brewery cheese factory direct from manufacturer open to the public PYO (pick you own) farms (e.g. strawberries) Others (please specify) Frequency scale ‐ 0, 1‐3, 4‐6, 7‐9, 10‐19, 20+ Only ask for SEQ Q25sc.How likely is it that you will visit the following local food and beverage outlets in (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) region in the next 12 months farmer’s market farm shop or road‐side stall cellar door (e.g. winery) local brewery cheese factory direct from manufacturer open to the public PYO (pick you own) farms (e.g. strawberries) Others (please specify) Likelihood scale ‐ 1‐7 ‘not at all likely’ to ‘very likely’ Only ask for Future Visitors Page 149
Q25fc. When visiting South East Queensland, how likely is it that you will visit the following type of local food and beverage outlets? farmer’s market farm shop or road‐side stall cellar door (e.g. winery) local brewery cheese factory direct from manufacturer open to the public (e.g. The Ginger Factory) PYO (pick you own) farms (e.g. strawberries) Others (please specify) Likelihood scale ‐ 1‐5 ‘not at all likely’ to ‘very likely’ Only ask for SEQ Q27s. And how satisfied are you in general with the customer service provided by local food and beverage outlets or producers in (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) region? Satisfaction scale ‐ 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘not at all satisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’ Only ask for Past Visitors Q27P. How satisfied were you in general with the customer service provided by local food and beverage outlets or producers in the South East Queensland region? Satisfaction scale ‐ 1 ‐ 7 ‐ ‘not at all satisfied’ to ‘very satisfied’ Only ask for Past Visitors Q28P. From which of the following sources, if any, did you gain information on South East Queensland local food and beverage or food and beverage events (festivals, tours or cooking schools)? Television advertisements Radio advertisements Newspaper advertisements or editorials Queensland tourism website Regional tourism website Visitor information centre Local company website Local food websites/blogs Page 150
Magazines (e.g. Gourmet Traveller, Delicious, MasterChef) Word of mouth (e.g. friends, family, colleagues, etc.) Social network sites (e.g. Facebook or Twitter) Only ask for SEQ Q29s. How useful would the following sources be for providing information on (pipe in one of these from SQ1: the Gold Coast / the Sunshine Coast / Bayside Brisbane and/or Redlands) local food and beverage and /or food and beverage events (festivals, tours or cooking schools)? Not at all useful, not very useful, neutral, somewhat useful, very useful Television advertisements Radio advertisements Newspaper advertisements or editorials Queensland tourism website Regional tourism website Visitor information centre Local company website Local food websites/blogs Magazines (e.g. Gourmet Traveller, Delicious, MasterChef) Word of mouth (e.g. friends, family, colleagues) Social network sites (e.g. Facebook or Twitter) Only ask for Past Visitors Q29p. How useful would any of the following sources have been for providing you with information on South East Queensland food and beverage or food and beverage events (festivals, tours or cooking schools)? Not at all useful, 2. not very useful, 3. neutral, 4. somewhat useful, 5. very useful Television advertisements Radio advertisements Newspaper advertisements or editorials Queensland tourism website Regional tourism website Visitor information centre Local company website Local food websites/blogs (please specify) Magazines (Please specify ‐ Gourmet Traveller, Delicious, MasterChef) Page 151
Word of mouth (friends, family, colleagues, etc.) Social network sites (e.g. Facebook or Twitter) Only ask for Future Visitors Q29f. For your visit to South East Queensland, how useful could the following sources be for providing information on South East Queensland local food and beverage and/or food and beverage events (festivals, tours or cooking schools)? Not at all useful, 2. not very useful, 3. neutral, 4. somewhat useful, 5. very useful Television advertisements Radio advertisements Newspaper advertisements or editorials Queensland tourism website Regional tourism website Visitor information centre Local company website Local food websites/blogs (please specify) Magazines (Please specify ‐ Gourmet Traveller, Delicious, MasterChef) Word of mouth (friends, family, colleagues, etc.) Social network sites (e.g. Facebook or Twitter) D1. Which of the following statements best describes the highest level of education which you have completed? Primary school Secondary school Technical training (e.g. TAFE) Tertiary education / University D2. Which of the following categories best describes your HOUSEHOLD annual income before tax? Less than $20,000 $20,000 ‐ $39,999 $40,000 ‐ $59,999 $60,000 ‐ $79,999 $80,000 ‐ $99,999 Page 152
$100,000 ‐ $119,999 $120,000 ‐ $139,999 $140,000 ‐ $159,999 $160,000 or more Prefer not to answer Don’t know D3. Which of the following best describes the make‐up of your household? Couple/single parent with only young children (12 years and under) at home Couple/single parent with teenage children at home Couple/single parent with only adult children (20 years and older) at home Couple/single parent with both younger children (12 years and under) and teenagers at home Couple/single parent with both teenage and adult children at home Couple with no children or children left home Single, living alone Shared household with friends Other D4. How many people live in your household? D5. What is your postcode? _ _ _ _ D6. Do you have any comments you would like to add about South East Queensland local food and beverage or food tourism? D7 Can we re‐contact you to invite you to take part in similar research in the future? Yes 01 No 02 Page 153
Appendix 2: Focus Group Protocol Consumer Focus Group Discussion: South East Queensland Local Food and Beverage Personal introductions Explanation of topic and purpose of the research Client reassurance of confidentiality and how the information will be used. Seek permission to record the session and request mobile phones to be turned off. Focus Group Questions What does the term ‘local food and beverage’ mean to you? Is this different to ‘regional food and beverage’? Are there any types of foods and beverages that you eat/drink on a regular basis that are grown and/or produced locally in this area (either at home or when eating out)? Any favourites? What sorts of local foods and beverages do you mostly associate with this area? Have you purchased any local foods in the following categories for (a) eating at home or (b) eating out? How often and for what occasions? fruit vegetables non‐alcoholic drinks alcoholic drinks bread/baked goods/cereals meat and/or meat products poultry fish/seafood eggs dairy food and beverage (milk, cheese, yoghurt, etc.) oils Page 154
pickles/conserves/sauces jams/spreads confectionary (sweets/chocolates) Other (please specify) Are there any locally produced food or drinks that you would never buy? Why not? Is choosing local or regional food and beverage important to you? Why or why not? What are the main benefits of buying local food and beverage? What influences your choice of local food and beverage when shopping for food or when eating out? What is important when choosing local food and beverage? Which are the most important factors? What really matters to you? (Prompts: product benefits and attributes, outlets) Why don’t you buy local foods more often? What are the main barriers for you, when it comes to buying local foods? (Prompts: family preferences, availability, price, quality). What influence do family members or friends have over your choice of food and drink? How easy is it to get information on local food and beverage? What would make it easier? What advice would you offer local producers food and beverage to gain greater awareness and interest in their products? Summarise main points Thank participants and distribute gift vouchers. Page 155