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 In January 2009, Freshfel Europe has released its ‘Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2008’, 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 chaired by Dr Laurence Swan, 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 “2008 Production, Trade, Supply and Consumption Monitor in the EU-27” is the sixth edition of the report, and it covers the period 2002 to 2007. The Monitor identifies a number of EU-wide trends, including specific information on fresh fruit and vegetable supply and consumption trends in all EU-27 Member States. Findings from the “Consumption Monitor 2008” show that in 2007, total gross supply of fruit per capita stand at 91 kg (compared to an average of 97 kg over the previous five years), and total vegetable gross supply per capita stand at 104 kg (compared to an average of 125 kg over the previous five years). This represents a decrease in 2007 in gross supply by 5% for fruits and by 15% for vegetables, when compared to the average for the previous five years.
The ‘Consumption Monitor’ constitutes an important instrument of the Freshfel Working Group on Promotion, Communication and Image. According to Laurence Swan, Chairman of this Freshfel Working Group ‘the annual Freshfel consumption monitor has fast become the vital document against which the performance of Europe in getting fresh fruits and vegetables into the diets of its populations can be judged. It is a unique report and a valuable tool for companies in the fresh produce sector and public sector alike. You will see that we are not doing well.’ He further commented ‘The recent initiative of a new European School Fruit Scheme by the European Commission is anyhow a step forward as we know we must first reach out to our young children and train them to eat healthily’.
‘The situation varies significantly from one Member State to another. On average, the trend indicators in the monitor signal that around half of EU Member States are below or just above the 400 grams a day minimum recommended by the World Health Organisation, and the situation is not any better in the countries analysed outside the EU. This shows that important efforts remain to be made in order to bring consumption up to satisfactory levels across all EU Member States’ stated Raquel Izquierdo de Santiago from Freshfel Europe.
Copies of the ‘Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2008’ (148 pages) are available from the Freshfel Secretariat. Freshfel Members receive the report free of charge; non-members are asked to pay a price of €400. The document includes the following sections:
- total gross supply of fruit and vegetables in the EU-27 including trends in production, exports and imports of fruit and vegetables;
- a comparative review of consumption trends across the EU-27;
- 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
- consumption trends in Norway, Switzerland and the USA.
You can order the “Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2008” by downloading the document below or by filling the electronic form. (All fields are mandatory)
Freshfel Consumption Monitor - Printer friendly order form 2008
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