Freshfel Europe's latest edition of the Consumption Monitor indicates that the average fruit and vegetable consumption in the EU decreased to 350 g/day/capita in 2022. The positive trend that started during the coronavirus pandemic has been curbed by the economic crisis, impacting the purchasing power of consumers.
Fruit and vegetables are part of the solutions to societal concerns and consumption should be stimulated well above the minimum daily goal of 400 g per capita/day recommended by the WHO. The report provides a comparison of consumption trends in the EU-27 as a whole and in each Member State based on official statistics from EUROSTAT and FAOSTAT. In the past two decades, the Freshfel Europe Consumption Monitor has become increasingly important in evaluating the trends of fresh fruit and vegetable production, trade, and consumption in Europe.
The report has used a consistent methodology throughout the years and has become a unique reference document for the sector and decision-makers looking both at the business development and the evolution of the daily diet of fresh produce in Europe.
This year's edition shows that the average fruit and vegetable consumption in the EU decreased to 350 g/day/capita in 2022, a 5% decline from 2021 and almost 3% below the average of the previous five years. This level is still more than 12% below the minimum 400 g/day/capita recommended by the WHO. The Freshfel Europe Consumption Monitor shows that only 6 countries in the EU reach the recommended goal of at least 400g of fresh fruits and vegetables/day/capita, leaving a great margin for improvement to stimulate consumption.
In 2022, the EU-27 fresh produce market size shrank to 71.350.965 t. This decrease has ended the positive trend that started in 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic, which had altered the lifestyle of Europeans towards a healthier approach, in addition to improving their attitude towards environmental causes and climate change. As of 2022, fruit and vegetable consumption came back under pressure across the European Union because of the economic crisis, the rising prices, and the generalized inflation impacting the purchasing power of consumers, limiting volume and searching for the most price-friendly option.
Philippe Binard, General Delegate of Freshfel Europe commented: "In times of economic uncertainties, consumers tend to move towards a less healthy diet, which is perceived to be more energy satisfactory and a cheaper food option than fruit and vegetables. Beyond the findings of 2022 Monitor, the preliminary data for 2023-2024 confirm the ongoing decline trends which reached in many cases more than 10%, meaning that the post-pandemic consumption growth has now been totally lost."
The report is freely available for Freshfel members but can be purchased by non-members for €2,500.
For more information:
Gil Kaufman
Freshfel
Email: g.kaufman@freshfel.org