Index shows price still drives Iowans when shopping for groceries

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More Iowa grocery shoppers are paying attention to food labels than in 2013 — 82 percent compared with 68 percent — but price and taste still drive their food-buying decisions at the grocery store, according to the latest Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index, conducted online for the IFBF by Harris Poll. Nearly 4 in 5 Iowan grocery shoppers say price is a driving factor for meat and poultry products, followed closely by taste and more distantly by nutrition and food safety. Also in the report, 3 in 5 Iowans said they would not pay more for beef products with an “antibiotic free” label if they cost significantly more. Finally, for the second consecutive year, Iowans view farmers and dietitians/nutritionists as the most trusted sources for information about food safety. Farmers were ranked as one of the top three trusted sources by 45 percent of grocery shoppers followed closely by dietitians (43 percent). Harris Poll conducted the spring survey online on behalf of the Iowa Farm Bureau, between Feb. 12 and 23, among 506 Iowan adults who have primary or shared responsibility for grocery shopping for their household.