A study by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA) that tracked produce prices at 10 grocery stores and nine nearby markets for three-plus months found that when it came to conventional produce, prices were roughly the same. But, when it came to organics, farmers' markets were nearly 39 percent below the supermarkets.
Lower prices at farmers' markets comes at a time when consumers are looking to save money with gas and other commodities that are at or near all-time highs. A growing number of farmers' markets are looking to broaden their appeal, with many now taking food stamps, as well.
An article on The Atlantic's website pointed to other research that found markets giving supermarkets a run for the consumer's money.
The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture compared prices in four Iowa cities and found markets were often the same or lower than supermarkets. A price comparison of 15 items by students at the University of Seattle found markets to be slightly cheaper than stores.
Jake Robert Claro, a graduate student at Bard College's Center for Environmental Policy who conducted the study for NOFA, told The Atlantic, "It's promising to see that, regardless of the region, these studies are holding up. This trend is going to grow stronger. Maybe that will put the elitist perception to rest."