Health kick sees Irish spend €1bn on fruit and veg

IRISH shoppers have spent almost €1 billion on fruit and vegetables in the last year.

Bord Bia yesterday revealed that as more consumers opt for healthier diets, the consumer spend on fresh produce in retail outlets is now equivalent to 13% of the country’s total grocery market. Sales increased more than 5% to €996.75 million in 2005.

Fresh fruit, which accounts for 46% of the fresh produce market, has made the most significant gain, up more than 8% on the previous year.