It must be the burst of summer weather over the weekend that has put an extra lift into soft-fruit sales. Strawberries, in particular, have been filling the shelves from a variety of Mediterranean sources and even further afield, although there are signs of the first glasshouse fruit from the UK.

This once again raises the question in my mind about how much attention customers pay to varieties. At Marks & Spencer, for example, King strawberries - £6.99 for 600g - have appeared from the US. That probably says it all, although the fruit is actually called Driscoll San Juan.

With the Spanish harvest picking up, I wonder how many people have heard of Candonga strawberries. This variety was similarly priced to another that still seems to stick in the memory bank, namely Sovereign. Both were getting a boost under the ‘Save £1’ banner at £2.49 for 400g. And to complete the choice under the selected variety label, there is Amora, grown by dedicated growers on the Iberian coast.

However, perhaps the most intriguing strawberries on sale were the Spanish fruits at Asda, with 350g packs on a ‘Two for £3’ offer. Branded as Good Natured Fruit, the additional information that it is pesticide-free attracted several customers who, in my hearing, confirmed that they had an increasing taste for organics and cared about all things green. There is a website link on the packaging and the recycled punnet, as well as the transparent window, is compostable.

There is no mistaking the arrival of English tomatoes at Tesco, at £1.99 for a minimum of five fruits. Under the retailer’s Finest brand, the vine fruit carries not only the Union Jack, but also the new Nurture logo. Norfolk grower Nigel Bartle is featured on pack, alongside information that the nursery is heated by recycled waste. And to encourage a purchase, the variety is called Temptation.

Spring is also well on the way on the new potato front, with world leaders at last week’s G20 conference eating Jersey Royals. There are, of course, alternatives, with France coming up with Marilyn in Asda’s Extra Special range at £1.24 for 750g.

There is also a new twist on convenience at M&S, with the launch of its Cook Asian range, which is part of the total meal concept that has been coming through from the retailer’s TV adverts. Apart from the Oriental Vegetable Stir Fry and the sauce, however, the message is clearly not to forget to buy the chicken, beef or prawns to go with it.

Also on the lighter meal side, prepared salads are being given a boost at Sainsbury’s through its Baby Leaf Salad, at £1.49 for 90g. Linking in with Thomas Cook, there is a £100 saving for two adults on a seven-night holiday package at the time of booking. That’s what Mr Dickinson would probably call a “real deal”.

And finally turning to the citrus side of the business, I wonder how long it will be before retailers really highlight lemon varieties. In some cases, the type is hard to find on the pack. The thought came to me when I found an M&S barker that informed shoppers that fruit was specially selected for its high juice content - surely a case of marketing the concept even further.

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