APPENDIX C: Processor Survey Questionnaire
Questionnaire for Processor Survey
Background to Research
A year ago the Scottish Government undertook research to determine the levels of primary produce processed in Scotland. The purpose of the research was to understand better the linkages between primary production and the food and drink processing sector in Scotland.
This year the Scottish Government wishes to undertake a follow up survey to determine trends in Scottish food processing. The work is being carried out by DTZ.
This survey will allow us to track changes in the issues facing food and drink processors around sourcing raw material, importance of product origin, organic products, supermarket own-label, and end markets for products.
We would like to speak to companies dealing with any agricultural or fisheries outputs; or outputs from other food processors even if these are not currently sourced from Scotland. We consider the processing sector to include a wide range of activities and recognise that some processing activity in Scotland is just the first step, while some produces a finished product. We want to capture the variety that the sector encompasses.
The survey itself will take no more than 20 minutes, if this isn't a convenient time I will call back whenever suits you. The results of the survey will be confidential in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 and individual company information will not be disclosed.
Pre-coded data
Interviewer to pre-code from database and check with respondent:
Company size
Subsector
Overview of your Business
1. a. How would you describe your main product? - (select the one which best describes)
Product for the mass market (Go to Q1c) | 1 |
Product for a niche market (Go to Q1b) | 2 |
b. How would you describe your niche market? - (select all that apply)
Healthy produce | 1 |
Fair trade/ethical | 2 |
Organics | 3 |
High quality/premium produce | 4 |
Other (please specify) | 6 |
c. How would you describe your main approach to branding of products?
Have developed own brand(s) | 1 |
Produce mainly own-label products e.g. for supermarkets | 2 |
Both the above are very important | 3 |
d. Where are the majority of your sales generated from?
In Scotland | 1 |
In the rest of the UK | 2 |
Outside the UK | 3 |
2. You said that most of your sales are in Scotland/in the UK/outside the UK. Roughly, what proportion of your sales are made (Write in percentage):
| % |
In Scotland | |
In the UK (but outside Scotland) | |
Outside the UK | |
3. What proportion of your sales are
| % |
Being used as an input to further processing | |
Not being processed further | |
4. a.) What is your company turnover (if unsure prompt for an approximate response, enter in £s to the nearest £1000)
b.) Does this turnover relate just to this site or are there other locations?
In Scotland | 1 |
In the rest of the UK | 2 |
Outside the UK | 3 |
No other locations (Go to Q5) | 4 |
If no other operations continue to next question. If there are other operations ask 4 (c.)
c.) What proportion of your turnover can be reasonably attributed to this site? (read out categories)
Less than 25% | 1 |
25% to 49% | 2 |
50% to 74% | 3 |
75% + | 4 |
5. a) What is the total value of your company purchases (if unsure prompt for an approximate response, enter in £s to the nearest £1000)
b.) Does this relate just to this site or are there other locations
In Scotland | 1 |
In the rest of the UK | 2 |
Outside the UK | 3 |
No other locations (Go to Q6) | 4 |
If there are other operations ask 5 (c.) If not continue to next question.
c.) What proportion of your purchases are used at this site? (read out categories)
Less than 25% | 1 |
25% to 49% | 2 |
50% to 74% | 3 |
75% + | 4 |
6. Thinking about the food materials you purchase as inputs to production, roughly what proportion do you source from (write in percentage):
| % |
In Scotland | |
In the UK (but outside Scotland) | |
Outside the UK | |
7. a.) Of the products you purchase from Scotland are these mostly
b.) Are you able to state (approximately) what proportion are (write in percentage):
8. What (if any) are the main types of primary produce purchased?
Farmed seafood | 1 |
Natural seafood | 2 |
Cereals | 3 |
Fruit & vegetables (including potatoes) | 4 |
Red meat (beef, lamb, pork, venison) | 5 |
Chicken | 6 |
Dairy products | 7 |
Something else (please specify) | 8 |
Overview of your Market
9. What issues drive your market? (tick all that apply, and note the single most important factor)
| All that apply | Most important |
Price | 1 | 1 |
Demand for quality | 2 | 2 |
Distribution | 3 | 3 |
Branding | 4 | 4 |
Provenance i.e. where the food is from | 5 | 5 |
Ethics - fair trade | 6 | 6 |
Organic ingredients/production | 7 | 7 |
Seasonality | 8 | 8 |
Something else (please specify) | 9 | 9 |
10. a. What is the importance of product origin to your customers?
Not a consideration ( Go to Q12) | 1 |
A consideration, but secondary to other factors | 2 |
The main consideration | 3 |
b. In what context is product origin important to your customers?
Prefer to buy Scottish produce | 1 |
Prefer to buy British produce | 2 |
Prefer to buy fair trade produce | 3 |
Other context | 4 |
11. Please explain what factors you think drive the preferences of your customers as stated in your answer to Q10.
Supporting producers/economy (Scottish, British, Developing Countries) | 1 |
Better quality | 2 |
Food Safety considerations | 3 |
Shorter distance travelled - fresher food | 4 |
Shorter distance travelled - less impact on the environment | 5 |
Other factors (specify) | 6 |
12. Has the importance of origin changed in the minds of your customers?
Yes (Go to Q13) | 1 |
No (Go to Q14) | 2 |
13. If yes in Q12, please say
a. in what way
Of increasing importance | 1 |
Of diminishing importance | 2 |
b. and why you think this is
14. What percentage of your output is certified as organic?
0% | 1 | Go to Q15 |
1-25% | 2 | |
26% to 50% | 3 | |
51% to 75% | 4 | |
76% to 99% | 5 | |
100% | 6 | Go to Q16 |
(if less than 100% go to Q 15, if 100%, go to Q16)
15. Do you consider getting involved in/expanding organic production?
16. What is the importance of organic produce to your customers?
Not a consideration | 1 |
A consideration, but secondary to other factors | 2 |
The main consideration | 3 |
17. Has the importance of organic producers changed for your customers?
Yes (Go to Q18) | 1 |
No (Go to Q19) | 2 |
18. If yes in Q17, please say in what way
Of increasing importance | 1 |
Of diminishing importance | 2 |
19. What information (if any) do you collect on market trends (select all that apply)?
Your own market research | 1 |
Informal discussions with customers | 2 |
Sales trends | 3 |
The inputs you use, and the way that you use them
20. Do you try to source Scottish inputs whenever possible?
Yes | 1 |
No | 2 |
Does not make a difference | 3 |
Does not apply | 4 |
21. Do you find it difficult to source Scottish produce
Yes (Go to Q22) | 1 |
No (Go to Q23) | 2 |
Does not apply (Go to Q22) | 3 |
22. If yes, why? (select all that apply)
Availability | 1 |
Price | 2 |
Quality | 3 |
Other (specify) | 4 |
23. Is ability to source Scottish produce
Improving | 1 |
Worsening | 2 |
Staying about the same (Go to Q25) | 3 |
24. If improving/worsening, state why
Availability | 1 |
Price | 2 |
Quality | 3 |
Other (specify) | 4 |
25. a. Do you use organic inputs in your production?
b. What percentage of your inputs can be attributed to organic produce?
_________________% (if 0% go to Q26)
c. What percentage of that are
| % |
Processed organic inputs | |
Unprocessed organic inputs | |
26. Do you find it difficult to source organic produce?
Yes | 1 |
No (Go to Q28) | 2 |
Does not apply (Go to Q28) | 3 |
27. If yes, why? (select all that apply)
Availability | 1 |
Price | 2 |
Quality | 3 |
Other (specify) | 4 |
28. Is ability to source organic produce:
Improving | 1 |
Worsening | 2 |
Staying about the same (Go to Q30) | 3 |
29. If improving or worsening, why? (select all that apply)
Availability | 1 |
Price | 2 |
Quality | 3 |
Other (specify) | 4 |
30. How much of your organic produce do you source from Scotland?
Less than a third | 1 |
One to two thirds | 2 |
More than two thirds | 3 |
31. Are you aware of Scotland Food and Drink organisation?
Aware of the organisation and the services it provides | 1 |
Aware of the organisation but unsure about what services it provides | 2 |
Not aware of this organisation | 3 |
Challenges now, and in the near future
32. What are the main challenges facing your business? (tick all that apply)
Recruitment | 1 | Go to Q34 |
Skills of existing employees | 2 | |
The impact of healthy eating | 3 | |
The impact of organic production | 4 | |
The impact of ethical production - fair trade, environmental factors | 5 | |
Shortage of raw materials/stock | 6 | Go to Q33a |
Site processing capacity | 7 | Go to Q34 |
Competition from other Scottish businesses | 8 | |
Competition from businesses elsewhere in the UK | 9 | |
Competition from businesses outside the UK | 10 | |
Business regulation | 11 | |
Keeping up with the latest technology | 12 | |
Something else (specify) | 13 | |
No particular challenges | 14 | |
33. a. If shortage of raw material, probe further on this. What is the nature of this? If shortage of raw material not mentioned above skip to next question.
We cannot source enough Scottish produce | 1 |
We cannot source enough British produce | 2 |
We cannot source enough organic produce | 3 |
We cannot source enough produce from any source | 4 |
Something else (specify, and note if this is a Scottish/non-Scottish issue) | 5 |
33. b. The reason behind answer to Q33 being
The quality is inadequate | 1 |
The price is too high | 2 |
There is not enough available because there are a small number of big companies who buy the stock, and there is little left for us | 3 |
There is not enough available (due to reasons other than above) | 4 |
Something else | 5 |
33.c. Have you made any changes in response to these challenges?
34. Can you think of anything that might allow you to increase your purchases of Scottish primary produce? (if yes, state what)
THANK AND CLOSE