Purchase Frequency of Fresh Fruit in Trinidad and Tobago: A Binary Logit Analysis

Abstract: The retail sector of many Caribbean countries is being transformed as supermarkets and traditional outlets fight for market share. In Trinidad and Tobago of particular interest in this regard is the proliferation of roadside retailers, especially fruit and vegetable stands. As the Caribbean continues to succumb to the pressure of Non-Communicable Diseases innovative strategies are being sought to rectify the problem. However, very little empirical work appears to be undertaken in fresh fruit retailing. Traditionally, fruit formed a major component of the diets of Caribbean people as they were readily available and in many cases free. Today, things have changed and the consumption of fresh fruits might be strongly linked to purchase ability, education, ethnicity and other demographic factors. This study analyzes the frequency of fresh fruit purchasing by women in Trinidad and Tobago using a Binary Logit Model.  The results of the study show that of the seven demographic variables analyzed, only two were statistically significant "“ age and marital status. The results are helpful as retailers strive for market share and nutritionists and others attempt to reduce the health care costs of the Caribbean countries through the increased consumption of fresh fruit.