Price Wars

http://www.theshoppingmom.com

As a follow up to the last post, I've collected the prices of a few produce items for comparison.  I recorded them from the same/ similar items at the Guelph Farmer's Market and Zehrs. I chose Zehrs because I consider it to be a moderately priced grocery store and therefore averages out the chain-store prices (i.e. it's not a 'bargain chain' like No Frills or Food Basics and not a specialty store like Whole Foods).

So, lets compare.


Market:
Red Onion: $0.99 each
Broccoli: $2.00 each
Large Eggs ("grain fed"): $4.50/dozen
Mini donuts*: $4.50/6

Zehrs:
Red Onion: $2.99/3lb bag
Broccoli: $0.99
Large Eggs ("Omega 3"): $4.09
Mini Donuts: $2.99/package of 40

Overall, the market is more expensive than your average grocery store. Not surprisingly, farmer's markets tend to attract people with higher incomes and levels of education.¹  I've cited a Michigan-based study for that statement, but it's one of many that I found to support it while I was writing a lit review to investigate "who accesses produce through local agriculture?" Should I reference myself there? I've never had that option arise, ha!

A lot of the people reading this are probably students, would you (or do you) pay more for items at the Farmer's market? If not, do you expect to, when your income skyrockets because of the excellent career you'll have as soon as you graduate? (No, I couldn't keep a straight face for that).



*Despite being include as a whimsy, it's worth noting that the mini donuts at the market were being cranked out fresh, from the cool-looking donut machine while the package at Zehrs were the white powdered kind that always feel kind of mushy in your mouth. You know what I mean. 

Sources:
[1] Locally Grown Foods and Farmers Markets: Consumer Attitudes and Behaviors http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/2/3/742/ - but you've got to access the .pdf on your own ;)