The presentation by Bryan Silbermann & Bruce Peterson at this year’s Re:fresh (see page 1) looked at the most pertinent issues in America, offering the UK a potential snapshot into the future.

However, the most disturbing factor was the continued rise of obesity across the US, which is presenting the perfect opportunity to the fresh produce industry to eulogise about the benefits of healthy eating.

According to latest figures the time spent in the produce department by the average US consumer is 2.5 minutes. As far as planning meals in advance it was argued that the decision as to what shoppers have for their dinners is usually decided on the journey home from the office.

The emergence of a time-poor society means that shoppers are getting lazy with their eating habits and this means that levels of obesity are at an all-time high. The figures make for shocking reading. Thirty-six per cent of the American population are overweight, while a further 20 per cent of Americans are obese.

A 2003 Gallup Organisation survey revealed astonishing results when it questioned the nation on what Americans saw as the primary cause of the rise in obesity. Thirty-three per cent blamed a lack of exercise, 14 per cent claimed it was due to poor nutrition, while only two per cent believed it to be down to overeating. These figures are viewed by Silbermann as a wake-up call.

Silbermann felt that the state of the nation was summed up perfectly in a column by English journalist Geoffrey Colvin in his column for US magazine Fortune. Colvin said: “The consumer culture has achieved total victory. We spend more and more and save less than ever before. We are richer, fatter and more obsessed by consumption than any people have ever been.”

Silbermann accuses Americans of looking to the outside for help and blame. He said: “We try to lose weight by eating. We turn to one fad after another to solve our own problems.”

The low-carb diets phenomenon has had a profound impact on produce. Silbermann says: “Consumers are being hit with different messages torn between apple a day or a pound of bacon if they are followers of the Atkins diet.”

However, Silbermann and Peterson are both confident that it is only a matter of time before interest in the Atkins diet begins to wane. Silbermann argued that the produce trade is often its own worst enemy. He said: “We need to focus the importance of flavour and taste besides produce being good for you... this will encourage shoppers to buy fresh produce.”

PMA’s role is also increasing in an area of growing concern - food safety. Silbermann said: “Our members are looking to work closer with the government on this issue. Pressures on the industry are rising and post 9/11 there has close scrutiny on security. Our website has a lobbying tool where they can send issues to members of the government.”