Freshfel Europe has released the newest edition of its Freshfel Consumption Monitor, analysing trends in the production, trade and supply of fresh fruits and vegetables across the European Union.
According to the report, 2011 experienced a slight 2.6 per cent raise in the consumption pattern to 382g per capita, per day for fresh fruits and vegetables, a figure below the World Health Organisation's (WHO) 400g per day minimum recommendation.
Specifically, per capita fruit consumption in 2011 stood at 197.08g per capita, per day on average for the EU. This marked an increase of 3 per cent in 2011 compared with 2010, but a decrease of 3 per cent when compared with the average consumption of the previous five years (2006-2010).
Meanwhile, per capita vegetable consumption in 2011 came in at 185.52g per capita, per day for the EU, up 2 per cent on 2010 but down 3 per cent when compared with the average consumption of the previous five years.
"Given these trends and levels persisting below the WHO minimum recommendation, sustainable actions at all levels are needed to stop this downward trend and boost consumption patterns to satisfactory levels," Freshfel said in a statement accompanying the Consumption Monitor.
Findings from the report show that per capita fruit and vegetable consumption not only fall slightly below the WHO's 400g per day minimum recommendation, but also that just 10 Member States are above the recommended level, while 17 countries are below that norm.
"Although we observe a slight increase in the consumption of fresh produce, the long-term trends remain worrying and are characterised by stagnation or rather a decline," said Philippe Binard, general delegate of Freshfel. "The sector needs a collective effort of all stakeholders to stimulate the consumption, and operators from the private sector as well as public authorities need to join forces to remedy the current trend.
"In the last years Freshfel took the lead for the sector at the European level to engage in a proactive attitude to halt this negative development," he continued. "The launch of the Enjoy Fresh and Kids Enjoy Fresh online platforms have been a positive step which was welcomed by many as filling a gap and showed the potential of a positive and forward looking messaging and attitude. These first steps will still have to be reinforced in order to unleash their full potential."
