Freezing temperatures last week must have given the winter veg trade a boost in sales, although there were some gaps appearing on supermarket shelves.

Among common winter buys are carrots, with indications at Sainsbury’s that, although Chantenay has moved into the retail top spot as a premium variety, it is not hogging all the sales. In Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference range, a Sweet Spear variety, grown in Scotland by Sandy Black, has made an appearance at 99p for 500g.

There was also evidence in the same store that its mushroom selection is expanding - even if the range is still testing the imagination of the marketing men. Portabella, usually the size of a soup plate, is well established, but a mini version has now arrived from Ireland at £1.49 for 300g.

And, also from Ireland but this time at Marks & Spencer, millimetrically graded baby button mushrooms presented like chocolates, at 99p for 150g, have undergone a packaging re-design, and are offered in a tray now resembling the bottom of an egg box. This avoids bruising in transit.

Meanwhile, M&S is trying to keep the 5 A DAY message alive, with a different twist and a new slogan appearing on shelf barkers: “Making your 5 A DAY as colourful as you can means you get lots of different nutrients.”

The jury is still out on whether hammering home the benefits of organic produce - which historically has carried a price premium - will succeed in the economic downturn. Tesco, however, has added a new dimension, with Portuguese tomatoes arriving in grey compostable punnets which, together with the over-wrapped film, are both degradable. The packs contain between four and six fruits and weigh 400g, with a price tag of £1.38.

As far as salads are concerned, I also came across another way to add value, which reflects how more associated products are creeping into the fresh produce aisles. Tesco is displaying a 100g Salad Boost herb seed mix under the Food Doctor brand. Described as high in fibre and protein but low in carbohydrate, the pack costs £1.50 and contains at least 15 ingredients.

The desire to reflect the healthy nature of fruit has even spread to dates, which from the days when I used to sell them have now become a year-round commodity. Somerfield is spreading the message, on its 99p traditional glove box, that dates are a source of fibre that may help maintain a healthy digestive system.

While this fruit is sourced from Tunisia, real food miles, it appears, are having less of an impact. M&S is sourcing an exclusive range of citrus from China, with its 35-40mm Tiny Tangerines. The message to the customer is that these are grown in the Jiangxi region, where they have been cultivated for more than 1,300 years.

Maybe this is the start of a new trend, supplying “foodies” with the products they enjoy sourced from where they originated, with an authentic taste sensation. If so, I will be looking out for potatoes and tomatoes from South America.

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