Fresh veg and fruit sales rise

CONSUMERS spent €833 million on fresh produce in the year ending May 2003. That was a 10% increase on the year before, according to Bord Glas.

Of this total, vegetable sales account for 322m, potato sales for €174m and fruit sales, €337m. Irish households spend €641m on fresh produce, making 141 purchases on average per annum.

The figures also shows the largest bulk of consumer spending is in multiple supermarkets which account for 77% of fresh produce retail sales.