RECENT CHANGES IN MARKETING AND TRADE PRACTICES IN THE U.S. LETTUCE AND FRESH-CUT VEGETABLE INDUSTRIES

Fifteen lettuce and bagged salad shippers were interviewed as part of a larger study on changes in produce marketing. Retail consolidation, changes in technology, and increased consumer demand for convenience, product diversity, and year-round availability have all influenced shipper-retailer relations. The interviewed firms provided more fees and services to retail buyers in 1999 than 1994. Most of the bagged salad shippers paid slotting fees, while none of the lettuce shippers were currently doing so. Bagged salad firms tended to offer services to their customers, while lettuce firms generally complied with the service requests made by retailers.