DEFRA is inviting the whole industry to take part in a survey to investigate consumer demand for fresh produce.

Retailers, wholesalers and their suppliers in the UK, as well as overseas, are being asked to complete an online questionnaire as part of the research.

Cranfield University, the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) and market analyst IGD have been commissioned by the government department to carry out the study into the demand for different quality tiers of fresh produce.

DEFRA aims to help understand the impact of, and barriers to, increasing the availability of lower quality fruit and veg to consumers, especially since changes to EU marketing standards in 2009.

Although the study will look at demand overall, it will also have a particular focus on apples, bananas, strawberries, grapes, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and carrots.

The questionnaires have fewer than 30 questions each and examine customer complaints, varying demand over the year, the influence of country of origin and the drivers of demand.

FPC CEO Nigel Jenney said: “The important thing is that we are seeing meaningful interest from government in finding out what makes people buy fresh produce, what type and of what quality.”

IGD, Cranfield and FPC will report back to DEFRA with their findings before the end of the year, but there is no timetable yet for the findings to be published.