Strawberries and other berries continue to be firm favourites among Irish consumers, with recent figures from Kantar Worldpanel showing the retail value of sales to be worth just over €100 million.
Strawberries and other berries continue to be firm favourites among Irish consumers, with recent figures from Kantar Worldpanel showing the retail value of sales to be worth just over €100 million.This represents a growth of 18% in volume and 26% in value over the last two years. Strawberries are still the most popular soft berry, accounting for just over half of sales value. In addition, strawberry producers supply by far the largest local share of all the berries.
The make up of consumers buying berries show some interesting trends. The biggest purchasers of berries are those consumers 45 and above who account for 2/3 of purchases. This is a reflection of greater disposable income and more interest in the health giving properties of berries. Strawberries, for instance, have a higher concentration of vitamin C than oranges. Consumers that buy berries have made them a regular part of their diet, with a 22% increase in the frequency of purchase. Berries are also popular because of their convenience factor as they require very little preparation.
Bord Bia’s recent survey, What Ireland Ate Last Night, shows that 19% of adults and 11% of children have a fruit salad as a dessert after dinner. Berries are still mainly used in desserts, although the rising popularity of smoothies and the use of berries with breakfast cereals and porridges mean they form an increasing part of the most important meal of the day.
National Strawberry Week was celebrated last week with tastings, competitions and the finale of a colouring competition with primary schools.
Source: Bord Bia – Strawberries and Soft Fruit Sales in Good Health
