Popularity of strawberries on the rise to the sweet tune of €51.7m

Consumers in the 25-34-year-old category have bought 33% more strawberries than they did last year, reaching €8m in value terms, a new Kantar report reveals.

The findings coincide with National Strawberry Week, which concludes on Sunday.

Total retail sales of strawberries in Ireland, across all age groups, are worth €51.7m.

Mike Neary, Bord Bia manager of horticulture said: “The growth in consumption by this age group is important, as younger consumers tend to eat less fruit and vegetables than the 35s and over, which was a worrying trend. Strawberries are an increasingly popular choice among consumers as a tasty, low-calorie convenient snack.”

National Strawberry Week, organised by the Irish Soft Fruit Growers Association, aims to encourage consumers to enjoy more strawberries as Irish crops are at peak production.