Shoppers in Lithuania's major cities and families with children are particularly concerned that vegetables they buy are fresh, according to a survey commissioned by the retail chain IKI.

Experts say that the results indicate changing habits of Lithuanian consumers.

When it comes to choosing vegetables, most shoppers go by the way they look, since it is presumably the best indicator about the quality and freshness of the product.

Older people, lower-income groups and residents of smaller towns look at the price as the deciding criterion.

A third of those surveyed said they pay attention to the country of origin when choosing vegetables and prefer them to be locally grown.

Vegetables are the fastest growing product group, according to Statistics Lithuania. Currently, Lithuanians consume, on average, some 100 kg of vegetables a year.