The healthy convenience of pre-washed, pre-cut, bagged salads has helped boost the bagged salads market. Heath consciousness among American consumers is slowly changing the dynamics of food business as evident from the expanding health food industry. Consumer preferences are changing with more understanding about the relationship between food and health, which is driving consumers to buy healthier foods like bagged salads. Americans are now also increasing the dietary consumption of fruits and vegetables in their diet.

Bagged salads have revolutionized the produce aisles of the supermarket, as more prepared vegetables (diced onions, chopped celery) now appear alongside bagged salads. Salad toppings have also vied for shelf space, along with refrigerated dressings, shelf stable dressings, and other salad accessories.

Effective packaging is critical in retaining consumer appeal. The desire for quality has led key players to accelerate the research for unique packaging solutions. More innovations are being launched for this fast-growing produce industry to satiate the needs of evolving consumer trends.

This report examines the pre-washed, bagged salad segment, which has expanded to include bagged spinach and bagged, but uncut, lettuce as well as a wide array of organic and non-organic bagged salads, combined with exotic lettuce (radicchio, frisee) and a variety of other precut vegetables (carrots, radish, celery). The report also examines changes in the salad dressing aisle, which has seen the ubiquitous French, Italian, and Thousand Island begin to share shelf space with balsamic vinegar, raspberry vinaigrette, and sun dried tomato dressing. Original consumer research examines attitudes and behavior by age, gender, ethnicity and income, and a six-year trend analysis predicts future growth.

The report does not include other fresh vegetables that may be pre-washed, bagged, and ready to eat, such as baby carrots. It also excludes other pre-cut, bagged vegetables and vegetable blends such as diced onions, mire-poix (diced onions, celery, and carrots), or sliced onions and green peppers. Also excluded are all other vegetables in the produce department (e.g. unwashed lettuce or bulk spinach) and any preserved, canned, frozen, or dehydrated/dried vegetables. The report also excludes olive oil (plain or flavored), vinegar (plain or flavored), seasonings, mayonnaise, other oils (e.g. canola, corn, vegetable), and other ingredients that may be used to make a salad dressing.