In February 2012, Freshfel Europe has released the latest edition of its Freshfel Consumption Monitor, analysing trends in the production, trade and supply of fresh fruits and vegetables across the EU-27, as well as consumption information in Norway, Switzerland and the USA. The Consumption Monitor was developed by the Freshfel Working Group on Promotion, Communication and Image, under the auspices of the Freshfel Supply Chain and Retail Division. This study is part of the actions undertaken by Freshfel in the framework of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health. Freshfel is the member of the platform representing the fruit and vegetables sector at European level.

The 2011 ‘Fresh fruit and vegetable production, trade, supply & consumption monitor in the EU-27’ is the ninth edition of the report. It covers the period from 2005 to 2010. The monitor identifies a number of EU-wide trends on production, import and export and includes specific information on fresh fruit and vegetable net supply and consumption trends on aggregate basis for the EU-27 as well as for all its Member States specifically. Findings from the 2011 ‘Consumption Monitor’ show that in 2010 the total net supply of fruit per capita stands at 235 g /day, while the vegetable total net supply per capita stands at 223  g/day. On an aggregate EU-27 basis, this figure is higher than the World Health Organisation (WHO) 400 g/day minimum recommendation, but below that threshold in too many Member States. After a sharp decrease in 2009, the per capita fresh fruit consumption within the EU-27 declined in 2010 again dramatically by 7.8%, which means a decrease of 9.4% in comparison to the average consumption of the previous five years. Fresh vegetable consumption declined also drastically by 7.4% compared to 2009, remaining clearly below the average of the last five years by 10.3%. Urgent actions at all levels are needed to stop this downward trend and bring consumption levels back to satisfactory levels.

The Consumption Monitor constitutes an important instrument for both public and private stakeholders. According to Ramon Rey, Freshfel’s President, “the monitor contains an impressive source of information on trends in the EU-27 Member States and also identifies consolidated EU trends. It is a unique report and a valuable tool for companies in the fresh produce sector and public sector alike.”

“Although consumption data should only be understood as a trend indication, rather than the precise amount of fresh produce really consumed by the population, on average the trend indicators in the monitor also confirm that around half of EU Member States remain below or just above the 400 grams a day minimum recommended by the World Health Organisation. Besides the overall declining trends, it also shows that important efforts remain to be made in order to bring consumption up to satisfactory and healthy levels across all EU Member States” stated Philippe Binard, General Delegate of Freshfel.

HOW TO ORDER THE MONITOR:

Copies of the ‘Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2011’ (150 pages) are available from the Freshfel Secretariat. Freshfel Members receive the report free of charge; non-members are asked to pay a price of €500. The document includes the following sections:

1. total gross supply of fruit and vegetables in the EU-27 including trends in production, exports and imports of fruit and vegetables;
2. a comparative review of consumption trends across the EU-27;
3. a review of the total gross supply, trends in production, exports and imports of fruit and vegetables in the countries of the EU-27; and
4. consumption trends in Norway, Switzerland and the USA.

You can order the “Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2011” by downloading the document below or by filling the electronic form. (All fields are mandatory)

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