A new report from the European Fresh Produce Association, Freshfel Europe, has revealed that the volume of fresh produce available to each citizen in the European Union fell in 2007 compared with the five-year average for 2002-2006, a disappointing result for the entire industry as it seeks to boost consumption.

Gross per-capita supply of fruit across the EU stood at 91kg in 2007, 5 per cent lower than the average of 97kg over the previous five years, according to the latest edition of the Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2008, published this week.

The report provides in-depth analysis of trends in the production, trade, supply and per capita consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables across the EU-27, as well as consumption information in Norway, Switzerland and the US.

'The situation varies significantly from one member state to another,' explains Freshfel's Raquel Izquierdo de Santiago 'On average, the trend indicators in the Monitor signal that around half of EU member states are below or just above the 400g per day minimum recommended by the World Health Organisation.'

According to Ms Izquierdo, the situation is not any better in the countries analysed outside the EU. 'This shows that important efforts remain to be made in order to bring consumption up to satisfactory levels across all EU member states.'

Gross per-capita vegetable supply, meanwhile, stood at 104kg, against an average of 125kg in the previous five years, a decrease of 15 per cent.

Covering the period 2002-2007, the sixth annual edition identifies a number of EU-wide trends, including specific information on fresh fruit and vegetable supply and consumption trends in all EU-27 member states.

Developed by the Freshfel Working Group on Promotion, Communication and Image under the auspices of the Freshfel Supply Chain and Retail Division, the Monitor is part of the Freshfel's undertaking as the fresh produce industry's representative on the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.

According to Laurence Swan, chairman of the working group, the publication has fast become a vital barometer of the EU countries' performance in getting fresh fruit and vegetables into the diets of their populations.

'This is a unique report and a valuable tool for companies in the fresh produce sector and public sector alike,' says Mr Swan, who admitted that there remained a lot of work to be done in terms of increasing consumption.

'You will see that we are not doing well,' he conceded. However, he also pointed to the European Commission's recent approval of a new European School Fruit Scheme as a sign that some was progress being made. 'This is a step forward as we know we must first reach out to our young children and train them to eat healthily,' he said.

Copies of the Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2008 (148 pages) are available from the Freshfel Secretariat. Freshfel members receive the report free of charge; non-members are asked to pay a price of €400.

The document includes the following sections:

1 – Total gross supply of fruit and vegetables in the EU-27, including trends in production, exports and imports of fruit and vegetables

2 - A comparative review of consumption trends across the EU-27

3 - A review of the total gross supply, trends in production, exports and imports of fruit and vegetables in the countries of the EU-27

4 - Consumption trends in Norway, Switzerland and the US

The table of contents, foreword and report outline can be downloaded free of charge here: Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2008 – Abstract

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