Food Co-op Interest Survey

<Co-op Name>

Shopping Patterns

  1. How much does your household spend in an average week on groceries? (check one)

Under $50 / $51-$75 / $76-$100 / 101-$125 / $126-$150 / $151+ / Don’t Know
O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Where do you spend most of your grocery dollars? (check one) (Fill in w/local options)

O /
  1. Buying club
/ O /
  1. Limited assortment store

O /
  1. Existing food co-op in another community
/ O /
  1. Local supermarket

O /
  1. Natural product retailer
/ O /
  1. Regional supermarket chain

O /
  1. Internet/Mail-order
/ O /
  1. National supermarket chain

O /
  1. Convenience store
/ O /
  1. Supercenters

O /
  1. Local grocery store
/ O /
  1. Other ______

Note: In the following questions, “primary store” means the place you spend most of your grocery dollars, the outlet you identified in question #2.

  1. Where do you regularly purchase the following types of products?

Product categories / Don’t buy / Buy mostly in primary store / Buy mostly elsewhere
  1. Grocery items (cereal, juice, canned goods, etc)
/ O / O / O
  1. Dairy (milk, eggs, yogurt, soy, etc)
/ O / O / O
  1. Fresh fruits & veggies
/ O / O / O
  1. Frozen foods
/ O / O / O
  1. Meat, poultry, fish & seafood
/ O / O / O
  1. Deli/ready to eat foods
/ O / O / O
  1. Beer/wine
/ O / O / O
  1. Coffee/tea
/ O / O / O
  1. Bread & bakery
/ O / O / O
  1. Bulk products
/ O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O
  1. From the list below, please choose the top five factors you consider when choosing where to shop for groceries:

O /
  1. Product selection/variety
/ O /
  1. Cleanliness of store

O /
  1. Quality/freshness of products
/ O /
  1. Knowledgeable staff

O /
  1. Prices
/ O /
  1. Friendly/courteous staff

O /
  1. Location of store/convenience
/ O /
  1. Availability of brands I/my family likes

O /
  1. Hours of operation
/ O /
  1. Availability of natural/organic foods

O /
  1. Atmosphere/ambiance of store
/ O /
  1. Cooperative ownership

O /
  1. Other (please specify):______

  1. How much of your grocery dollars does your household spend at your primary storein an average week?

A little (0-25%) / Some (26-50%) / More than half (51-75%) / Almost all (76-100%) / Don’t know
O / O / O / O / O
  1. On average, how often do you shop at your primary store?

More than 1/week / Once/week / Twice/Month / Once/Month / Less than 1/Month
O / O / O / O / O

Satisfaction

  1. Please rate your primary grocery store in terms of how well it is meeting your needs with respect to the following store characteristics:

Very Well / Well / Somewhat Well / Somewhat Poorly / Poorly / Very Poorly / No
Opinion
  1. Product selection/variety
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Quality/freshness of products
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Prices
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Location of store/convenience
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Hours of operation
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Atmosphere/ambiance of store
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Cleanliness of store
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Knowledgeable staff
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Friendly/courteous staff
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Availability of brands I/my family likes
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Availability of natural/organic foods
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify):______
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. How well does the store meet your needs overall?
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Do you have any comments regarding how your primary grocery store is meeting your needs? [Optional—Data will be evaluated at additional cost to co-op]
  1. Please rate your primary grocery storein terms of how well it is meeting your needs in the following product categories:

Very Well / Well / Somewhat Well / Somewhat Poorly / Poorly / Very Poorly / No Opinion/ Don’t Buy
  1. Grocery items(cereal, juice, canned goods, etc.)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Dairy (milk, eggs, yogurt, soy, etc)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Fresh fruits & veggies
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Frozen foods
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Meat, poultry, fish & seafood
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Deli/ready to eat foods
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Beer/wine
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Coffee/tea
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Bread & bakery
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Bulk products
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Do you have any comments regarding how your primary grocery storemeeting your needs with respect to the products offered/not offered? [Optional—Data will be evaluated at additional cost to co-op]
  1. If you are a <name of co-op> member-owner, how important are these features for shopping at <name of co-op>? (If you are not a member-owner, please skip to question # 14.)

Very Important / Important / Somewhat Important / Not Important / No Opinion
  1. Member-ownership of the business
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Member-owner promotions
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Patronage refund
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Member-owner appreciation days
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Ability to vote for board of directors
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements:

Agree / Somewhat
Agree / Somewhat
Disagree / Disagree / No Opinion
  1. I know how to contact the co-op organizing group
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. The organizing group is responsive to my input
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. I trust the group to use members’ investments appropriately
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. The organizing group is making timely progress
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. The organizing group has asked me to volunteer my assistance
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Is there anything else you want to say about <name of co-op>? [Optional—Data will be evaluated at additional cost to co-op]

Personal Characteristics

Please tell us a little about yourself by answering the following questions.

  1. Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements:

Agree / Somewhat
Agree / Somewhat
Disagree / Disagree
  1. I exercise on a regular basis.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. Nutritional value is more important to me than price when buying food.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. Organic foods are very important to me and my family.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. I am proactive about my health.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. I buy local foods when available.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. I shop in places where I feel a sense of community.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. As much as possible, I shop at locally owned retailers.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. I am willing to pay a little more for products that are produced more sustainably/with less environmental impact.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. I engage in activities that address political/social issues.
/ O / O / O / O
  1. What is your gender?

Male / Female
O / O
  1. What is your ZIP code? ______
  1. What is your age range?

18 – 24 / 25 - 30 / 31-34 / 35-39 / 40-44 / 45-49 / 50-54 / 55-64 / 65+
O / O / O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Are you a member of a food co-op other than <name of co-op>? Which one?

Not a member / Am a member
O / O

Name of Co-op ______City ______State ______

  1. Are you a member-owner of <name of co-op>?

Not a member / Am a member
O / O
  1. Including you, how many of the following live in your household?

None / 1 / 2 / 3+
  1. Adults (18+ years old)
/ O / O / O / O
  1. Children
/ O / O / O / O
  1. How far do you travel (one way) to shop at your preferred grocery store?

Less than 1 mile / 1 – 5 miles / 5.1 – 10 miles / 10.1 – 25 miles / 25+ miles
O / O / O / O / O
  1. What is your highest level of education?

O / Less than high school diploma / O / 2-year college/tech/trade school degree
O / High school diploma / O / 4-year college degree
O / Some college/tech/trade school / O / Graduate/Professional degree
  1. What is your approximate annual household income?

O / Less than $15,000 / O / $50,000 - $74,999
O / $15,000-$24,999 / O / $75,000 - $99,999
O / $25,000 - $34,999 / O / $100,000 - $149,999
O / $35,000 - $49,999 / O / $150,000 or more
  1. Please tell us your ethnicity:

O / Asian American / O / Hispanic or Latino(a)
O / Black or African American / O / Native American/Alaskan Native
O / White or Caucasian / O / Two or more/multiple race
O / Other

Communication

  1. Please list up to three each of your favorite T.V. programs, radio stations, newspapers and websites.

Favorite T.V. programs / ______
______
______
Favorite radio stations / ______
______
______
Favorite newspapers / ______
______
______
Favorite websites / ______
______
______
  1. How important to you are the following sources of information about <name of co-op>? Note: In the last column, please indicate your 3 preferred ways to get information from <name of co-op>.

Very Important / Important / Somewhat Important / Not Important / No Opinion / Check
top 3
  1. Local postings (signs, bulletin board, flyers, pamphlets, etc.)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Co-op website (including blog)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Informal conversations (with co-op board or staff)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Formal meetings (annual mtg, Board of Director meetings/listening sessions)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Emails
/ O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Mailings (co-op newsletter, annual report, special mailings)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Howimportant to you are the following types of information?

Very Important / Important / Somewhat Important / Not Important / No Opinion
Co-op news and information:
  1. Board of directors news
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Community events (e.g. festivals, celebrations)
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Co-op progress reports

  1. Financial information/reports
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O
Information about foods and products:
  1. Health and nutrition information
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Food production practices (e.g. genetically modified organisms; organics/organic standards)
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Locally produced products
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Food preparation & recipes
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Food safety
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O
Social and agricultural issues:
  1. Fair trade
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Producer profiles
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Livestock treatment
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. The environment
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O
  1. Howsatisfied are you with <name of co-op>’s current delivery of this information to you?(optional)

Very Satisfied / Satisfied / Somewhat Satisfied / Somewhat Dissatisfied / Dis-satisfied / Very Dissatisfied / No Opinion
Co-op news info:
  1. Board of directors news
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Community events (e.g. festivals, celebrations)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Co-op progress reports

  1. Financial info/reports
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
Information about foods and products:
  1. Health/nutrition info
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Food production practices (e.g. genetically modified organisms; organics/ organic standards)
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Locally produced products
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Food prep & recipes
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Food safety
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
Social and agricultural issues:
  1. Fair trade
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Producer profiles
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Livestock treatment
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. The environment
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O
  1. Other (please specify): ______
/ O / O / O / O / O / O / O

This completes our survey. Thank you for your participation—your feedback
is critical to our ability to serve you well.

Copyright 2008 by National Cooperative Grocers Association.