Newly discovered fruits have variously been called “queer gear” and then “exotics”, so there is perhaps room for a new category called “novelty” following the arrival at Waitrose of butterfly kiwifruit at 90p each.

Sourced in Italy, it is one of nature’s quirks when two fruit emerge at blossom-set time and grow together, so it is a bright idea to add value to something which would probably be rejected on the grading table.

Cherries have always been priced at the top end of the market, and with a luxury Christmas in mind Marks & Spencer has come up with a 450g Chilean King Cherry Collection punnet of golden Rainier and dark red Stella at £7.99.

South Africa comes into its own with stonefruit, and Tesco has a new sub-brand called Super Sweet, highlighting apricots at £3 for six.

While it may be freezing in most parts of the country, stew packs are obviously in demand, and Lidl is providing a bumper-sized, branded £1/kg variation from the The Very Very Veg Co which is sourced from Fenmarc. It contains carrots, parsnips, leeks, onions and swede, and even has storage, cooking tips and a detailed recipe on the bag.

Nevertheless despite the weather, consumer demand is still strong for prepared salads, which have now become a year-round part of the diet.

Asda has pushed the boundaries of the various baby leaf combinations and dressings even further in its Fresh Tastes sub- brand, with a new hot or cold range which features a sweet chilli and spinach salad that also includes mizuna and red pak choi at £1 for 100g. —