In recent years the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in the Netherlands has been declining. No turnaround is yet in sight. In the first half of 2015 Dutch households bought 3 percent less fresh vegetables and almost as much fresh fruits as in 2014. The average price the consumer paid for a kilo of fresh vegetables, was 1 percent above the level of 2014. The kilo price of fresh fruit decreased by 2 percent. This was shown in information from GroentenFruit Huis based on GfK figures. Price offers and media attention stimulated the sales of pepper, tomato, apple and pear. Soon after the start of the Russian boycott Dutch consumers temporarily bought more of some products, including pepper, tomato, Conference pear and Elstar apple.
Especially the low prices, offers and the media attention stimulated these larger purchases. In the first half of 2015 the total vegetable sales decreased by 3 percent compared to 2014. The consumer, however, bought more tomato and pepper, whilst 10 percent less cucumber was bought. The cold spring undoubtedly influenced the Dutch consumption of a salad product such as cucumber. The consumer also had to pay 7 percent more for a cucumber than last year.
Consumer paid less and bought more Elstar
The Dutch consumer showed more interest in Elstar apples in the first half of 2015. The volume bought increased by 7 percent, but this was with a price almost a quarter lower than in 2014. The consumption of Conference pear decreased slightly by 1 percent after a strong increase in the period August to December 2014. In this period, so after the implementation of the Russian boycott in August 2014, the Dutch consumer bought a lot more Conference than the year before (+47%).
Source: GroentenFruit Huis