An audit among more than 40 of Britain's leading berry growers shows a divided industry, with some producers expressing renewed confidence while others report growing pessimism.
The research, conducted by British Berry Growers in August 2025, followed similar surveys in 2023 and 2024. The organisation represents about 95% of UK berry producers. Results indicate a gradual recovery in confidence and rising investment intentions for some, but also highlight ongoing strain in grower–retailer relationships, financial pressure, and uncertainty about the future.
© British Berry Growers
More than one-third of growers (34%) are considering reducing or exiting berry production entirely. The findings also reveal that 61% of growers believe supermarkets "buy only on price, it's not a partnership," up from 40% in 2024. Meanwhile, 32% say the relationship is the worst it has been in the past decade, compared with 8% two years ago. However, 10% now describe retailer relationships as a "true partnership," and 15% say it is "the best it's been" — categories not selected in the 2023 survey.
Fewer than half of growers (48%) report making a profit, and only 39% expect to remain profitable in 2026. Forty-three percent describe their business's financial health as bad or extremely bad. On a more positive note, the number of growers feeling more confident about the future has risen to 22%, compared with 8% in 2023, while those feeling less confident dropped to 42%, down from 68%.
Investment trends also shifted. Thirty-nine percent of growers plan to increase investment, a sharp rise from 4% in 2023, while the proportion scaling back investment fell to 49%, down from 68%. However, 58% of respondents believe the berry industry is performing worse under the current Labour government than under the previous administration.
British Berry Growers chairman Nick Marston said the results point to a sector under pressure but also adapting in different ways. "While a significant number of growers are scaling back or leaving, others are looking to invest and adapt, pointing to a split between businesses retrenching and those trying to push forward," he said.
Marston added that while sales of British strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries have been strong in 2025, challenges remain around labour availability, production costs, and regulatory burdens. He said smaller growers, in particular, face difficulties maintaining profitability in what he described as an increasingly tough marketplace.
He urged continued collaboration between retailers and growers to maintain fair pricing and called for government support through planning law reforms and simplified auditing processes to support the long-term stability of the sector.
© British Berry GrowersFor more information:
British Berry Growers
Tel: +44 (0) 7966 521779
www.britishberrygrowers.org.uk
