Freshfel Europe has today (11 January) released the 2020 version of its Consumption Monitor, a publication analysing fresh fruit and vegetable production, trade and consumption trends across the EU.
The 2020 Consumption Monitor examines the latest sector data, taken from 2018, with the results making for encouraging reading.
While aggregate consumption remained below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended minimum daily consumption of 400g, fresh produce consumption in the EU showed a positive increase of 4 per cent when compared to 2017 levels.
Representing a 5.1 per cent increase on the five-year average (2013-2017), Freshfel noted that the 'significant improvement' could be attributed to a 9.5 per cent rise in fresh fruit consumption to 211.82g per capita per day, which compensated for a slight overall decrease in vegetable consumption to 151.94g per capita per day.
This increase in EU consumption coincided with increased sector efforts to raise awareness of the importance of fresh produce consumption over the last few years, the association outlined.
“The findings of Freshfel Europe’s 2020 Consumption Monitor are highly encouraging and clearly illustrate that the sector’s heightened efforts to boost consumption above the WHO recommended minimum of 400g per capita per day are being paid off,' said Freshfel general delegate Philippe Binard. 'While we will continue to observe the stability of this recovery, we need to investigate this new discrepancy between fruit and vegetable consumption.”
Binard encouraged the sector to continue its efforts adding: “The fresh fruit and vegetable sector must capitalise on 2021 being the UN International Year of Fruits and Vegetables. Continued reinforcement of the important role of fresh produce in a balanced healthy and sustainable diet is essential to maintain and boost this latest positive consumption trend.”
Freshfel Europe is active in consumption promotion activities at EU-level, its ‘Follow me to be healthy with Europe’ EU promotion campaign now in its third year.
Alongside its longstanding online #FruitVeg4You campaign, this year Freshfel Europe is conducting a specific campaign, #SpeakUp4FruitVeg, to encourage support for the sector by EU policy-makers and boost consumption to celebrate the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021.
Freshfel Europe's 2020 Consumption Monitor, which is free for members and €1,000 for non-members, consists of three parts:
- Total gross supply of fruit and vegetables in the EU-28, including trends in production, exports and imports of fruit and vegetables (2013-2018),
- A comparative review of consumption trends across the EU-28 (2013-2018)
- A review of the total net supply and trends exports and imports of fruit and vegetables in the EU-28 (2013-2018).
