Markets news from Fresh Produce Journal
Essential stories, analysis and research from UK’s fresh produce markets, with a focus on retail, wholesale, marketing, and consumers.
Government confirms PO funding will not be renewed
Farming minister Angela Eagle has said the Fruit & Veg Aid Scheme will ‘permanently close’ at the end of this year but future support is being considered
Morrisons slashes Christmas veg to 5p
The festive promotion is available to More Card loyalty customers and prompted Aldi to make further reductions to match the price of 5p on core Christmas veg
New juice made from surplus apples launches at Waitrose
A bumper season and smaller fruit sizes has led to a limited edition apple juice under partnership between Waitrose and juice brand Daily Dose
RHS predicts ‘year of the tomato’
Table-top veg, tomatoes and blackcurrants among the RHS’ top Grow Your Own trends to watch for 2026 as consumers look to save money on weekly shop
Bella Fruitiva sees UK lychee potential
Despite climatic challenges facing the island of Mauritius, exporter Bella Fruitiva continues to see good opportunities for its exotics, including breadfruit and fresh lychees
South African citrus industry is on the path to true sustainability
Albert Coetzee explores how the sector is navigating the transition from compliance-focused audits to meaningful sustainability partnerships
Fruit sales surge to become fastest-growing category
Strong berry and grape sales have helped fruit become the fastest growing category in UK grocery as Brits shift to healthier diets, according to new figures
Costa Rica concludes UK phase of European campaign to promote pineapple and cassava
Campaign featured in-store tastings in Tesco and Morrisons and advertising at Waterloo tube station
Co-op to require all UK produce to be LEAF certified
Retailer is rolling out the compulsory certification across its British supply chain throughout 2026 after consultation with its grower group
Belgium’s Hoogstraten increasing visibility in UK
Belgian strawberry exports to the UK are on the up, according to Hoogstraten’s Jan Engelen, who also has high hopes for specialty tomatoes
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G’s releases ESG report via video for first time
Leading salad grower G’s has released a cinematic sustainability report, bringing to life diverse stories, voices and sustainability achievements
Two thirds of Brits will eat potatoes at Christmas
Potatoes are the most popular Christmas food on plates with roasties topping the list of favourite festive foods in new survey
Fyffes survey highlights pineapple preferences
Nielsen consumer research commissioned by Fyffes reveals pineapples now rank alongside traditional big-selling varieties
Fertiliser and soil conditioners under consultation in organic standards review
The Soil Association has opened a consultation on whether to raise organic standards in Northern Ireland in line with changes to the EO Organic Regulation
New food school will train market traders and fruiterers
A new location at London’s Royal Docks for meat and fish wholesale markets Smithfield and Billingsgate has been announced along with plans for the on-site school
Junk food TV ban ineffective as companies find loopholes
Government can’t leave progress on healthy food sales to the market, warns Food Foundation in new report
Snacking, spuds and ‘TikTok to table’
Waitrose’s annual food and drink report has revealed the biggest trends set to shape shopper behaviour in 2026
FareShare kicks off Berry Crumply Christmas campaign
FareShare announced the winner of its first Top Chef Crumble Competition in London, with chef Jemma Harrison’s ‘mince pie’ apple and blackberry crumble coming out on top
Family mealtimes ‘don’t correlate with higher veg intake’
Banning screens at meals and parents eating veg as an example are more likely to lead to children eating more veg, finds new report from Veg Power
Musgrave acquires fresh foodservice supplier Delifresh
Irish supply group Musgrave has bought Bradford-based foodservice specialist as part of strategy to ‘capture more market share’ in premium ingredient market