French households bought 59kg of fruit (around 25kg per person) and spent just over €2/kg between Christmas last year and August this year, according to a new statistical review of the country's fresh produce market.
Quoting Kantar Worldpanel data, the French government's prices and market monitoring agency FranceAgriMer also found that hypermarkets accounted for nearly 60 per cent of market share, the rest being shared between hard discounters, greengrocers, markets and other outlets.
With market penetration for fruit at 89 per cent, preferred fruits among home shoppers included apples, bananas, oranges, clementines, peaches and nectarines.
Just over 91 per cent of households bought fresh vegetables, the report continued, while some grew all of their vegetables.
Vegetable shoppers paid an average of just over €2/kg to buy an average of 56.5kg per household, 24.6kg per person, the report added.
As before, hypermarkets accounted for 55 per cent of purchases, of which favourite types included carrots, chicory, courgettes and salad crops.
Sales of potatoes registered an 11 per cent year-on-year increase in sales.
While average prices were less than €0.85/kg, market penetration was less than 50 per cent, a low figure attributed to the prevalence of home growing.
Organic produce has remained a statistically niche sector in France for mainstream retailers, accounting for just over 4 per cent of total purchases, although the report noted that having an organic offer was an important factor in preserving credibility.
