My spies tell me the English strawberry crop is already at full stretch thanks to a combination of excellent growing conditions and sunny weather stimulating demand.

In the circumstances, it seems a tad unnecessary to see fruit being priced on the high street at a discount, but today that’s what retailing is all about.

The question now seems to be whether there will be volume for the traditional Wimbledon fortnight and beyond, although it may be too soon after 2003 to talk of another vintage season.

Another product that has been doing well is UK tomatoes and since British Tomato Week, I have had a closer look at the new triangular Tesco vine pack which is part of the store’s Finest range.

Apart from the shape, the amount of information included is extraordinary.

Growers’ pictures are now relatively commonplace on store fixtures, so the first thing that struck me is that their friendly faces - in this instance Alan Parker and Chris Hynes of Wight Salads - are now immortalised on the packaging. It is a clever idea, and like most things, it will be interesting to see how quickly others follow suit.

If this is not enough, apart from the now almost obligatory Union Jack, there are recipes complete with a photo, nutritional information, and even tips on handling and storage.

Years ago, the Dutch Central Bureau of Auctions spent a fortune trying to assess flavour of different varieties. The conclusion was that the best way to enhance fruit being criticised by the consumer press was never to eat it straight out of the fridge. This message has not been lost. Strangely, though the variety name was missing from the pyramid packs.

Waitrose has been working with Foods from Spain to raise the profile of the loquat. The orange-fleshed stonefruit can easily be mistaken for apricots in appearance when ripe, although the taste is entirely different.

Waitrose sticks to the English term loquat, although in the enclosed literature, a competition winner is promised a holiday in Spain and a visit to nispero country. Far better surely to keep to one name?

And finally, mini Charentais melons packed in threes from Sainsbury’s have been on the shelves for a couple of weeks. The idea is both practical and attractive, and even better merchandised than it may first appear.

In my opinion three tends to be either too many of too few for most consumers - so is this just another subtlety in the art of getting customers to buy more?

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