In the prevailing economic climate, there is no doubt that pack size has become more important, and also taken on an additional dimension. Apart from being bigger and better - or to use the somewhat vague multiple marketing term, “improved” - I have noted a trend towards what I suppose one could call “portion control”, or just enough for one.

One of the most recent cases in point is at Marks & Spencer, which has come up with a new 50g pack of fresh, prepared spinach grown in the UK, for 79p.

At this time of year, imports tend to take a back seat on the vegetable and salad front, which also reflects the fact that our growers are showing an interest in developing once unheard-of niche markets.

“Traffic light pack” is now the traditional description for an offering of mixed peppers, but Tesco has extended the term to chillies, which are being grown in Bedfordshire - a county traditionally more associated with onions and brassica crops.

This is also the high point of the year for salads, with more and more varieties coming forward and illustrating how a good idea can catch on.

There was a time when salads were seen as something of a novelty, but they now have a firm place on the shelves. Lidl has joined the race with its Garden Fresh mixed salad, comprising crispy lettuce leaves priced at just 99p.

Meanwhile, judging by the volumes in store, demand for soft fruit is still going like an express train, with several growers I met recently being hard pressed to fulfil orders, be they for strawberries or raspberries.

Just as blueberries have taken their place as a regular part of the soft-fruit selection, I wonder if the other members of the family, such as redcurrants and blackcurrants, will gain more favour as the multiple trade seeks to increase choice.

Full marks to Waitrose for featuring gooseberries in its Cooks’ Ingredients range, priced at £1.99. I noted the variety was Invicta, and at the same time wondered if anyone still grows those big golden Levellers which used to be a hallmark of the industry down in Sussex.

This month, the English cherry crop makes its brief but welcome appearance in what is being described as a vintage season - despite some limited hail damage. Cherries have always appealed to supermarkets. They are still regarded as the ultimate impulse buy, and the return per square foot of shelf space must be among the highest in the business. It is not surprising, therefore, that the gaps in the calendar are filling up so it is becoming less of a seasonal fruit. Aside from that, competition for source must be getting fiercer, with Turkey having already become a major summer player and still expanding.

This year it will be interesting to hear - at least unofficially - when the profits are counted whether sales of cherries, which are still regarded by the public as a bit of a luxury, have held up as consumer spend remains under pressure.

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