There are signs that the time of year is approaching when UK soft fruit starts to come under the traditional pressure exerted by European stonefruit.

The late spring/summer apricot sourcing gap also appears to be closing, with arrivals from Italy at Sainsbury’s at £1.99 for 320g. Italian supplies are now supplementing those from France and Spain.

There is a newcomer at Tesco in its Limited Edition range, in the shape of Violet apricots from Israel at £2.99 for six. The apricots are the colour of a peach.

A wide range of different coloured peaches and nectarines are now visible on shelves, with Tesco pulling out the stops to create points of difference.

There are barkers on the shelf boldly proclaiming both - sold loose at 69p each - as “larger improved fruit”. The range includes Spanish yellow flesh, May Crest and white flesh Queens, although there is little further detail on the range.

The former is pre-packed and is being described as “Supersweet”, selling at £1.50 for three. Lesser known Donut peaches are also on sale with the support of a Disney promotion.

Cherries are on shelf in more abundant quantities at a time when the UK is expecting a good sized crop. While Spain is best known for its Picotas, its other varieties are making their presence felt with Siente at £3.99 for 250g, sold under Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference label. They are being labelled as “dark”, a description which could be applied to most varieties on sale, with the exception of the golden Rainier.

It has only been a matter of weeks since I remarked on the sudden popularity of defining the source of UK produce by county at retail. There is a clutch of further examples from Marks & Spencer, showing how this trend is really starting to take off.

Hampshire watercress, on sale at £1 for 60g, is one example, but a more unusual one is Wiltshire pea shoots, which are retailing at the same price for 50g.

Descriptions also set the tone, especially for produce at the top end of the price scale, and while peeled onions are not a new line in M&S, they have been premiumised further by the word “Gourmet” and are selling at a price of £1.19.

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