The recent heat wave combined with excitement over the Queen’s upcoming Jubilee celebrations has boosted fresh produce sales with Sainsbury's reporting record sales of salad.
Sainsbury’s told FPJ that between 20 to 27 May, sales of prepared salads and melons/pineapples were up 53 and 43 per cent respectively on last year.
Whilst sales of avocados, tomatoes and prepared salad from 28 May to 1 June were also up 44, 39 and 35.5 per cent respectively on the previous week.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “With the recent warm weather we’ve seen customers shopping patterns change dramatically. Last week was our best on record for bagged salad which is a great achievement and with the Jubilee weekend upon us we’ve got plans in place to help our customers make the most of the long weekend no matter what the weather.”
Bagged-salad brand Florette said: “Our sales since last week’s heat wave are up 80 per cent from the same period last year. Nationwide there is a massive uplift in demand as people look to eat fresh in the sun.”
The Co-operative also reported sales of salad products rocketing in the wake of British Tomato Week, which ran from 21-27 May.
David Morris, category buyer for salads at The Co-operative, said: “Hosting British Tomato Week displays and samples in our stores has had an extremely positive reaction from customers nationwide.”
However, some UK wholesalers are reporting a shortage of local produce as sunshine and warm temperatures increase demand for British salads.
One trader in Sheffield said: “The rain and cold has put a lot of growers behind. It is affecting lettuce, cucumber, peppers and tomatoes. We like to work as much UK gear as we can, but there has not been a lot around and we have been working Dutch. Even with the euro losing value, it is still expensive as they know we are short and have put prices up.”
The picture was similar in Hull. “We are between seasons. Spanish has finished really but we have not really got going on English iceberg lettuce yet,” one wholesaler said.
“We have other lettuce and plenty of cues but it has been a bit tight on iceberg and tomatoes.”
No comments yet