While other retailers have been counting up losses in recent years, the hard discounters have thrived as recession grips the UK.

This boom is driving change in the sector and walking into an Iceland, Aldi or Lidl is now a noticeably different experience from the past, with vibrant displays of fresh produce just as visible as frozen pizzas. 'Fruit and vegetables represents the biggest opportunity for our business moving forward,' admits Brigid Davidson, Iceland's category controller for fresh products.

Sales of chilled fruit and vegetables were up 12 per cent for the British retailer this year, and with a new Florette partnership bringing exclusive tomato varieties and salad bags onto shelves, it seems Iceland is becoming less icy. 'The partnership with Florette was a big step as it's the first time we've used an outside brand on our fresh labelling, but sales have been fantastic and we're now considering doing something similar by releasing PDM Produce-branded lettuce bags into stores next summer,' adds Davidson.

There has been a similar recommitment to fresh over at Lidl, with the German discounter now offering over 100 varieties of fruit and vegetables to UK customers, and the message from its fruit and veg buying director Paul Gibson is a positive one. 'We always include at least two fresh produce items in our weekend half-price offers, and we will continue to invest and look at initiatives that will give our customers an incentive to buy more fresh produce,' he says.

The budget retailer will be trialling a 'Healthy Checkout' concept in its stores from January 2013, which will only scan products high in nutritional value at the till area, and Gibson is confident it can trigger a sales hike for fruit and veg while changing the perception that discounters still largely sell unhealthy food.

According to the most recent Kantar Worldpanel figures, Aldi is achieving an all-time record market share of three per cent, while Lidl has increased its grocery share by 0.2 points to 2.7 per cent; both growing at a rate above retail giant Morrisons. And with Lidl now accounting for an estimated 4.1 per cent of all UK fresh produce sales, the upward trend looks set to continue.

'With price inflation running ahead of wage growth, and the general lack of confidence in the economy, shoppers are looking for more ways to save money and the discounter offering gives them just that,' says Nick Tapp, head of agribusiness at consultancy firm Bidwells. Tapp says there is now no question that discounters are taking away market share from the majors, and it seems the produce trade agrees, with 73 per cent in an FPJ poll voting that discounters offer better value for fruit and veg.

So what is the secret behind the discounters' success, and is it nothing more than a case of tighter purse strings? 'Definitely not,' says Iceland's fruit and veg buyer, Paul England. 'We are seeing success as we offer the customer a consistent selection of quality fruit and vegetables all year round.

'We only stock a few of the most popular core varieties – a pineapple is about as exotic as we get – so we're not under pressure to stock everything like a Tesco or Sainsbury's which means we can work closer with our growers and producers and offer consistent prices right across the supply chain.'

Meanwhile, Lidl buyer Gibson says consumers no longer believe that discounters offer questionable quality in exchange for cheaper prices. 'There are many misconceptions about the operational aspects of our stores and we have made a conscious effort to be open and honest with our customers about how our savings are made.

The reason costs are low is because of efficiency – from shipping our produce instead of using airfreight to who we employ – and we operate in such a way that our costs are kept to a minimum so we can offer our customers the best products at the best prices.'

Iceland's Davidson believes the 'snobbery' associated with premium ranges is starting to fade among price-savvy customers and adds that more and more middle-class shoppers at the big four are converting to Iceland. 'There is no difference between a 'Finest' tag or one of our core ranges,' said Davidson.

And according to Edward Garner, director at Kantar Worldpanel, the proof really is in the pudding. 'Premium own-label products have been in continuous growth since 2008, despite often being more expensive than their brand equivalent. But they are now declining by six per cent year-on-year, while economy own labels are growing at 13 per cent.'

Davidson adds: 'We managed to buck the trend as throughout the summer we had a massive year-on-year sales increase of 40 per cent on strawberries and salads; it really did prove that high costs turn customers off summery foods just as much as the wet weather.'

And with frozen vegetable sales also on the rise – Birds Eye boss Martin Glenn claimed last week that nine out of 10 consumers prefer its frozen peas to M&S fresh – the rise of the discounter shows no signs of fading, and according to Davidson, their commitment to fresh produce can no longer be questioned.

'When you now walk into an Iceland store you'll see a fresh food aisle straight away. I don›t think you can›t say the same about the aircraft hangers of Asda and Tesco.' —