There is no mistaking it - the “humble” spud can no longer be called that. New varieties are coming thick and fast and packaging is crammed with information on cooking suitability.

Waitrose, which has been in the lead for some time with its unusual and often historically interesting Heritage range, has completed its potato makeover, displaying its wares in attractive carry-home bags to emphasise the heritage of the varieties. The origins of Highland Burgundy, for example, at £1.59/kg, are still somewhat of a mystery - but the potato does have a unique colour. Supplier Russell Burgess, which has been in the business since 1946, also gets a credit.

Larger carry-home packs have enjoyed somewhat mixed success in the past, but the drive to offer more as part of the multiples’ ongoing price war has encouraged Marks & Spencer to opt for 5kg of Maris Piper in a white stitched kraft bag for £2.49.

On the same shelf were brand-registered Season’s Gold spuds at £1.89, or two for £3 - although the potato concerned is grown in Norfolk and the variety name is Annabelle.

There was no mistaking a new baker pack in M&S called Chopin Jacket Potatoes, grown in Lincolnshire and with a 175g four-pack priced at £1.69. The message is that the variety took 12 years to unearth and is so creamy there is no need to add butter.

I am all for descriptions that help the consumer, but terms such as “improved flavour” and even “fresh” are meaningless. However, Sainsbury’s is following a path already well trodden by products such as apples and onions, by this time describing the taste of its mushrooms. Examples are baby buttons, which are classified as “mild and delicate”, large flats, which are described as “strong”, and mini Portabello, labelled as “nutty”.

There are also new products popping up in the salad range at Tesco, including Muchamiel tomatoes, complete with a sachet of olive oil, at £2.49 for a twin pack. The heavily ribbed variety may not be widely known in the UK yet, but I met a Tesco buyer more than 20 years ago in a village just north of Alicante, which claimed to be the original source and whose growers were making a premium on the local market.

The other Tesco salad offering that caught my eye was Lamuyo peppers, at £1.99. Also from Spain, the peppers were unusually - and, I should imagine, expensively - packed in an over-wrapped tray. The crop is native to Andalusia, and a map is included in the pack design.

At Lidl, a giant pomelo constitutes a meal in itself for £1.53. This fruit regularly turns up at this time of year, mainly from Israel - although I must confess, I have never met anyone who has bought one. The novelty at Lidl, however, is that apart from being attractively netted over a shrink wrap, the source (written in small letters) is China and the variety is called Honey.

And finally, M&S has left customers in no doubt that it is backing Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. A donation of 20p is being made on each sale of a branded Amelia’s Apple pack, dedicated to the memory of the daughter of an M&S store manager. The exclusive variety, at £1.99, is produced in Kent by Robert Hinge.

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