supermarket fruit

The number of consumers claiming to eat five or more portions of fruit and vegetables per day has increased by 20 per cent, according to a new survey commissioned by Irish food board Bord Bia.

Survey results included 45 per cent of consumers saying that they now ate their 'five-a-day', up from 25 per cent when the survey was last conducted in 2006, the Irish Times reported.

Additionally, the Bord Bia survey revealed that some 70 per cent of respondents knew that the recommended intake of fruit and vegetables was five portions per day, up 20 per cent on the previous survey.

Released to coincide with the back to school period, the survey involved around 800 people aged over 18, with adults increasing their average number of servings of fruit and vegetables from 3.2 to 3.9 portions.