The UK fresh produce category has grown by 3.3 per cent in the past year – but growth is expected to be even greater in the next 12 months as a number of factors combine to push values up.
Figures from Kantar Worldpanel for the 52 w/e 20 May 2018, produced exclusively for the FPJ Big 50 Products, show that sales of fruit and vegetables in supermarkets are now worth £10.8 billion. Volume sales were largely static, with a 0.3 per cent decline to 6.2bn kg sold.
Some 35 out of the top 50 products rose in value, with 28 rising in volume.
Dessert apples have once again held on to their crown as Britain’s favourite fresh produce item, with sales of £915.2m, a 4.9 per cent increase. Tomatoes were the highest-ranking salad crop, in third place with £769.7m; old potatoes were in sixth place with £500.5m; and mushrooms were the best-selling vegetable, with sales of £417.8m securing eighth position.
There were a number of significant movers in the list. Strawberries overtook bananas to land fourth spot as the berry success story continues. The highest climbers were cucumbers (15th) and kiwi fruit (41st), which both rose three places.
The only new entry in this year’s ranking was radish, which has come back into fashion and knocked swedes out of the chart.
While there have been encouraging signs of growth across many products, and the healthy eating trend is giving the category real impetus, there are real fears for the year ahead. Many crops have been adversely affected by the long, hot summer, which could lead to shortages stretching into the new year in some cases. And as fears of a no-deal Brexit ramp up, the prospect of a weaker sterling could send prices rising in a country where as much as 90 per cent of fruit and 50 per cent of vegetables are imported.
That would indicate that next year’s ranking could see some significant price inflation as growers get to grips with the many challenges they face.
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