New BAPL award looks to honour retailers who support British apples at the start of the season
Lidl has been named winner of the inaugural Best British Apple Launch Award 2025, presented by British Apples & Pears (BAPL).
The trade organisation said it chose Lidl for the new award after it delivered a strong in-store and online campaign that achieved double-digit sales growth during the crucial British apple and pear season launch period of September to November 2025.
The award was created to recognise retailers who demonstrate outstanding commitment to British apples and pears at the start of the domestic season – combining visibility, execution, education and measurable commercial impact to drive category growth.
Commercial impact sets Lidl apart
The judges agreed that while creativity and engagement were strong across all entries, Lidl’s clear and measurable uplift in sales during the launch window ultimately secured it the top position.
The judging panel comprised British apple growers, BAPL executive chair Ali Capper, BAPL marketing communications lead Louise Raisbeck, and Grace Duncan of The Grocer.
The early months of the season are pivotal for British growers, BAPL stressed. The pre-season planning that Lidl undertook, working with its British suppliers, helped manage storage space and crop volumes and led to a demonstrably strong performance between September and November.
This type of committed planning helps builds momentum, supports grower confidence and maximises the value of the domestic crop, BAPL said.
“The start of the British apple and pear season is absolutely critical for our growers,” added Capper. ”What stood out in 2025 was Lidl’s ability to translate strong execution into meaningful commercial results, delivering double-digit growth during the launch period. That kind of early-season momentum makes a real difference.”
Richard Bourns, chief commercial officer at Lidl GB, said: “Winning this award is a fantastic milestone for our teams and really demonstrates our commitment to supporting British suppliers. By working together with our suppliers, we’ve been able to get top-quality British fruit onto our shelves, helping our customers to enjoy the best of British produce at the lowest-possible prices.
”Long-term partnerships with our suppliers are exactly what allow us to deliver double-digit market share on British apples and also enable us to deliver that market-leading value without compromising on quality.”
Three standout performers recognised
Alongside Lidl, judges identified three standout performers from this year’s entries.
Booths was recognised for its creative in-store theatre and its ‘Know Your Apples’ educational materials, which helped build shopper understanding and confidence in British varieties.
Ocado impressed with strong digital execution and educational content, effectively engaging customers online during the launch period.
Judges also praised the creativity and visual impact of in-store displays from Waitrose.
A particularly encouraging theme across several entries was engagement with store colleagues, BAPL noted, with retailers investing in internal education to ensure teams were confident promoting British varieties at fixture.
“We’ve been genuinely encouraged by both the number and the quality of entries in this inaugural year,” Capper said. ”There is excellent work happening across the retail sector to support British apples, and we would love to see even broader participation next season. The aim is to celebrate best practice and continue raising the bar for British apple launches year on year.”
