Lockdown creating ‘highest demand’ for fruit and vegetables this century

Data from Tesco shows many of its stores across the UK are seeing record-breaking weekly demand for vegetables, fruit, and salad.

Among the most popular are: Maris Piper potatoes (+60% year-on-year), limes (+60%), aubergines (+50%), butternut squash (+50%), leeks (+40%), red onions (30%), and apples (+10%).

Tesco produce category buying manager, Emma Richards, said: “Shoppers are buying more vegetables, fruit and salad than at any point in the last 20 years as a result of having more time on their hands to cook but also in order to eat more healthily during these challenging times.

“In particular we are seeing extremely strong demand for UK-grown vegetables used in roasts, stews and soups so it looks as if many people are going back to old family recipes or digging out cookery books now they have more time at home.

“Chestnut mushrooms, which are high in Vitamin D, have also seen a major increase in popularity over the last 12 months and fruit such as apples, pears, and berries have all seen record growth in the last year.”

In addition, the supermarket giant says demand for loaf tins is up by more than 100% and sales of baking tins is up by more than 60%.