French consumers are critical of the flavour and quality of the fruit and vegetables they buy in national supermarkets, according to a study from consumer association CLCV, which polled 900 shoppers in 25 departments across the country between June and July.
Less than a third (32 per cent) stated they were content with the flavour of supermarket strawberries, with even less (31 per cent) saying they were satisfied with supermarket apricots, according to a report in The Connexion.
The study equally discovered that consumers saw little correlation between the price of a fruit, or its origin, and the intensity of the flavour.
Shoppers claimed to be able to taste little difference between French and Spanish strawberries, despite domestic strawberries being almost twice as expensive.
Regarding apricots, only 7 per cent of those polled thought the fruit tasted “right”, with 42 per cent stating they were “not happy” with the flavour.
In a parallel study carried out online, CLCV found that 68 per cent of consumers were “fairly or completely unsatisfied” with the flavour of the fruit sold in the large retailers.
The biggest issues recorded in the study included ripeness, flavour and shelf life. Consumers also expressed concern over how the produce had been transported and stored and the levels of pesticides used.
CLCV advised supermarkets to “show better information in the shop”, including additional details on the origin of the produce and the variety on offer.
