Six months since the start of the British apple and pear season (starting October 2023), British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has analyzed which supermarkets have surpassed last year's performance and which are lagging behind.
Of the 10 supermarkets analyzed, 7 managed to increase the volume of British apples and pears bought from BAPL growers compared to the same period in 2022/23. The top performers were Sainsbury's which bought 2,737 more tonnes of British apples and pears and Lidl which bought 2,597 more tonnes than the previous year.
Tesco has fallen just slightly behind its 2022/23 performance – selling 714 tonnes fewer British apples and pears in the first six months of the season. However, it was hampered by a slow start in October and is now catching up with the other top performers.
Unfortunately, not all supermarkets have improved in terms of supporting British apples and pears and buying more this season compared to last. The biggest underperformer was Morrisons, selling 2,613 fewer tonnes between October and March 2023/24 compared to the same period in 2022/23.
"Things are getting very tight at the top of the league table this year." Explained executive chair of BAPL, Ali Capper. "Aldi is currently beating Tesco, but only by 333 tonnes. Sainsbury's and Lidl are both closing the gap on the top two. It's going to be fascinating to see how the rest of the year turns out.
"We're delighted that most supermarkets are buying more British apples and pears than they were this time last year. We know that's what consumers want, and we welcome the recent moves by some supermarkets to make it easier for online shoppers to choose British. That's another great step towards making buying British as easy as possible."
Source: britishapplesandpears.co.uk