How the mighty fall! With England shoved out of the World Cup last weekend, we can expect that store managers will have received directions on how to rearrange the merchandise. It will certainly be interesting to see how long the likes of Florette’s Three Lions Salad and Tesco’s St George’s flag cauliflower last on shelves now the team has made its exit.

Not surprisingly, with the South African season in full swing, citrus has been one of the crops to get a boost during this massive sporting occasion.

Asda has covered its bases with its loose Navels at 34p each, and it has also reverted to traditionally wrapped fruit. Whatever team one supports, the message on the fruit encompasses the emotion that the “beautiful game” generates for most.

Tesco meanwhile, hit on a novel reminder of the days before players switched to energy drinks and branded water by offering a one kilo “Half Time” orange pack. The variety is 67/72mm South African Navels, priced at £1.19.

And at least the retailer’s shoppers can keep drowning their sorrows with a new summer drinks mix for £1.50, which comprises a net of oranges, lemons, and limes.

As a reminder that the host country provides niche crops as well as citrus and deciduous fruit, The Co-op was stocking South African baby leeks priced at £1.29 for 175g.

Of course, techniques for getting the message across come in many forms. These include advertising slogans and recipes featuring directly on shelf as well as on posters outside or on leaflets handed out in store.

Sainsbury’s is running a campaign giving a boost to “Fresh and Tasty new season British lettuce”.

Marks & Spencer has taken the idea further with neat fit-in-the-hand recipe cards linked to the Love Food Hate Waste initiative, encouraging shoppers to use up any leftovers. It covers a range of products from avocados to peaches and potatoes.

At Sainsbury’s however, one variety in its Basics range at 99p for 2.5kg is shrouded in something of a mystery. Somewhat bumpy, it is even branded as “No looker, but beautiful mashed”. Grown in Herefordshire, the potato is identified only as VD2-87-105.

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