BAPL celebrates record British topfruit sales as Tesco wins highest apple sales

Trade body British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has announced record sales for the 2025/26 season and named the winners of its 2026 retailer awards.

BAPL members supplied 180,506 tonnes of British apples and pears to UK supermarkets across the season. That’s 10.4 per cent more than in 2024/25 and the highest total since BAPL’s records began.

British apple sales reached a record 162,331 tonnes, an increase of 8.6 per cent on 2024/25. Overall pear sales rose by 29.3 per cent to 18,175 tonnes, their highest level since 2018/19.

BAPL’s retailer awards were presented on 16 September at the BAPL British Apple Harvest Event hosted by Mansfields at its Highland Court Farm site near Canterbury. 

The 2026 BAPL Retailer Award winners were:

The contest for the highest British apple sales was the closest in 13 years. Tesco took the award after selling 34,436 tonnes, just 190 tonnes ahead of Aldi’s record total of 34,246 tonnes.

Sainsbury’s led British pear sales with 6,012 tonnes, an increase of 13.7 per cent on the previous season.

New awards

Alongside the awards for highest overall sales, BAPL introduced two new award categories this year: Highest Early Season Sales and Market Outperformance.

The Highest Early Season Sales awards (one for apples, one for pears) recognise retailers that give the British season a strong launch when the new crop reaches stores in September and October.

BAPL noted that early availability, prominent displays and effective promotion all help build shopper awareness and create momentum for British fruit throughout the season.

The Market Outperformance awards compare each retailer’s share of British apple or pear sales with its share of the overall grocery market. This provides a fairer measure of commitment by retailers and recognises those selling substantially more British fruit than their overall market share.

Lidl sold 4,313 tonnes of British apples during September and October 2025, giving it the strongest early-season apple sales performance.

Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s led early-season British pear sales, selling 847 tonnes during the same two-month period.

Aldi received the British Apple Market Outperformance award after accounting for 21.2 per cent of British apple sales among the retailers included in the analysis, compared with an average grocery market share of 10.5 per cent.

This produced an outperformance index of 2.02, meaning Aldi achieved just over twice the share of British apple sales that might be expected from its grocery market presence.

For British pears, Lidl accounted for 18.9 per cent of sales among the retailers included in the analysis, compared with an average grocery market share of 8.3 per cent. This produced an outperformance index of an impressive 2.28.

Best British Apple Launch Award

BAPL also used the orchard event to encourage retailers to start planning their entries for the Best British Apple Launch Award 2026.

Open to all UK retailers, the award recognises the most effective campaign supporting the start of the British apple season. Lidl won the inaugural award last year.

Entries open in mid-December and close on 31 January 2027. More information can be found here.

‘A tribute to grower commitment and retail support’

Commenting on the results, BAPL’s executive chair Ali Capper said: “This season the growers we represent delivered record sales of British apples and pears. That is a tribute to the excellent eating quality of British fruit, the commitment of our growers and packers, and the support shown by retailer buying teams.

“The competition for the top spot in British apple sales was the closest in 13 years. We knew of Tesco’s ambition to win because the UK CEO Ashwin Prasad name-checked the award at the NFU Conference in February. But Tesco only just made it. Aldi finished just 190 tonnes behind and achieved its highest British apple volume on record.”

She added: “When British apples and pears are available, well promoted and given the space they deserve, shoppers choose them. This year’s winners have demonstrated what is possible through a strong start to the season, sustained sales volumes and a commitment to British fruit that, for many, goes well beyond their overall share of the grocery market.

“Congratulations to Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, and thank you to all our retail partners for their support. Growers have delivered an excellent record-breaking crop, retailers have shown that British fruit sells, and consumers have demonstrated strong demand for it.”

‘Let’s not lose momentum’

As well as marking the success of the 2025/26 crop, and celebrating retailers’ support with selling it, the event was an opportunity for Capper to take stock of the industry’s achievements during her eight years at BAPL’s helm.

Looking ahead, she emphasised the importance of continued supply chain collaboration as she prepares to pass the baton to Claire Donovan, BAPL’s incoming executive chair, and move across to British Berry Growers.

“We’ve shown what’s possible when growers, retailers and government work together,” she said. “This is a highly collegiate sector. Let’s not lose that momentum. Keep talking to us, keep challenging us, keep working with us – because the opportunities ahead are too important for any of us to tackle alone.”

A follow-up on the 2026/27 season, featuring highlights from Capper’s event speech, will follow this report.