Fruit looks to catch the eye in month of healthy eating

Catching the eye of the customer after the holiday has to be foremost in every section manager’s thoughts, particularly with shoppers looking to shed the Christmas excesses.

One product that deserves success is the mini banana, also known as apple bananas or bananitos, which are usually hidden away alongside their larger cousins and not helped by the fact they are often unbranded.

Asda, however, is displaying an attractive 250g Chiquita mini pack from Costa Rica at £1, although customers may be surprised that the recommendation is that the fruit should be “peeled from the bottom”.

On the citrus front, there are also some other innovations.

While easy peelers with leaves have become a common sight at this time of year, Tesco has taken the idea a stage further with large loose Spanish Navelinas at 45p each. A glance at the container also identifies them as “upmarket” oranges!

Meanwhile, the images of the Marvel Super Hero squad dominate the 600g Spanish net of Clemenules for £1.50 at Sainsbury’s. Apart from promoting a free DVD for three purchases, the fruit more unusually also carries stickers of the various Marvel characters, such as Iron Man, Spider-Man and the Invisible Woman.

Sticking with labels, the message proclaiming stonefruit is ready to eat has usually been confined to the pre-packs, but South African Transvaal peaches and Alpine nectarines - both yellow flesh - are now being sold loose at Tesco at 69p each, carrying the message on each fruit.

Retail interest this year in offering shoppers carry-home packs of apples seems to have dimmed, although one exception is Asda, which has given English Jazz a boost in a smart blue 2kg carton for £3. And making the point further, it is being sold under its Extra Special label.

Finally, as the snow is clearing, the M&S description of a Sunshine Salad in its stir-fry range is bound to cheer purchasers. It is part of a promotion including a Rainbow version at two for £4. The difference, however, seems only marginal. Both comprise very similar volumes of pak choi, carrot, sugarsnap, baby corn and salad onions. The former includes baby courgette, butternut squash and red chilli, while the latter’s point of difference is cabbage and Tenderstem broccoli.