Last week, the eighth annual Forum Végétable took place in Paris, attracting 150 participants in a discussion of a host of issues connected to the French fruit and vegetable sector, including the continuing decline in consumption across France.
Two representatives from consumer groups initiated proceedings, airing the main gripes felt by consumers when shopping for fresh produce.
The faults raised had various possible causes, whether related to logistics, temperature control or storage, but they were also linked to gaps in knowledge, a result of a lack of training provided to the last link in the supply chain, the shopfloor manager. The conclusion was that courses should be made available to store workers in the future to allow them to obtain such qualifications.
In a video asking consumers what they look for in a product, the most common demand was for a fresh, local product that was not necessarily beautiful but reasonably priced.
Attendees heard that the retail sector is far from inactive in making improvements, particularly when it came to the ripeness of products and the creation of new product ranges. However, merchandising, training and promotion were seen as additional tools that could add further dynamism to the supermarket shelvess and, more importantly, help to boost consumption in the country.
