The Which? report released this week suggests that as recession bites, shoppers are shunning fresh, healthy foods due to the misconception that they carry a higher price tag than their processed or manufactured counterparts.

The report in itself is a fairly straightforward portrayal of the facts as represented by the opinions of those 2,102 respondents polled. But, as is so often the case, certain elements of the national media jumped on the bandwagon and came up with a couple of attention-grabbing headlines that failed to get across the true meaning of the report, preferring instead to run with claims that we are becoming a nation of fatties in the face of the credit crunch.

The fresh produce industry undoubtedly has a tough task ahead in these purse-tightening times, and there does seem to be a false impression that fresh fruit and vegetables are expensive. There is clearly a correlation between dietary patterns and income that needs to be addressed.

But who is expected to stand up and take responsibility for the choices that consumers make? Some 76 per cent of the Which? respondents think the government should do it, backed up by retailers, the food industry and caterers. While all of these have a massively important role to play, however, only the consumer can take ultimate responsibility for his or her decision. The healthy choices are out there.