Household consumption of fresh produce fell 0.4 per cent in the first half of the year compared with the same period in 2024, driven by decreases in vegetables and potatoes, though fruit consumption grew 1.4 per cent
Household consumption of fresh produce fell 0.4 per cent in the first half of the year, compared with the same period of 2024.
The slight dip was the result of lower consumption of vegetables and potatoes, according to data from the MAPA Food Consumption Panel, processed by Fepex.
Overall consumption for the first six months stood at 3.347mn tonnes, driven by a 2.5 per cent decrease in vegetables and a 2.4 per cent decrease in potatoes to 1.14mn tonnes and 406,000 tonnes respectively.
Fepex reported that the most pronounced decreases were in tomatoes, with a 5 per cent drop to 251,000 tonnes, and peppers, down 6 per cent to 91,000 tonnes.
Lettuce, endive, and escarole also fell, down 1 per cent to 77,000 tonnes.
However, the fruit segment performed better, with a 1.4 per cent increase in consumption to 1.8mn tonnes.
This increase was driven by oranges, which grew 6 per cent to 345,000 tonnes; strawberries, up 6 per cent to 107,000 tonnes; and watermelon, climbing 15 per cent to 124,000 tonnes.
Household spending on fresh fruit and vegetables grew by 7 per cent, totalling €7.691bn, of which €322mn was spent to fruit (up 10 per cent), €2.862bn on vegetables (up 4 per cent), and €507mn on potatoes (up 0.4 per cent).
Per capita consumption in 2025 (rolling year to June 2025) stood at 146kg per person per year.
Fruit consumption is 80kg, vegetables 49kg, and potatoes 17kg per person per year, Fepex said.
