While It’s Fresh! has been in stores for some months with giant avocados, berries, pears and melons, its use has now literally surfaced on the Tesco Finest range of tomato varieties.

The packs carry the message “Sheet inserted to improve freshness”, which says it all. One example is the Piccolo cherry variety, grown in Spain at £1.75 for 220g.

I often wonder why not much headway has been made marketing mixed packs of the various apple varieties, although there was a brief moment when French Gala and English Cox finished up in the same container. Perhaps at long last the concept is catching on as Asda has a large polybag of seven fruit for £2, which holds Chilean Braeburn and French Granny Smith.

It must also be one of the few retailers which, despite the success of the trademarked Pink Lady brand, still sells Cripps Pink - the actual variety - from the US. The former, also at £2, are in an overwrapped tray for four fruit. For the same price from across the Atlantic, customers get one more.

Apples and grapes have always been ideal snacks, and Sainsbury’s has recognised this in its fresh-cut range with a new arrival that also contains cheese and crackers at £1.09 for 115g.

At a time when berry sales are booming, blackberries have come out of the shadows and are now an integral part of the range. Making the point on Waitrose packs at £1.99 for 150g, the fruit is highlighted as being not just for pies and puddings. The source is Mexico, but while the Tupi variety has ruled the roost, Driscoll’s DB01 is obviously gaining ground.

Following the reference to M&S’s Foragers’ Choice prepared salads last week, the range has continued to expand with a Hot and Fiery salad. -

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