Bananas for healthy eating
New sales data for the first quarter of 2021 showed that Irish consumers have embraced a healthier new year.
Irish retail group BWG Foods said that overall, vegetable sales are up 18 per cent on the same period last year, with fruit up six per cent over the same period. The best-selling vegetables included peppers, which were up 17 per cent on the first three months of 2021, and the ever-popular potato, up 15 per cent, while the humble carrot experienced the biggest uplift in sales having recorded a 26 per cent increase.
Bananas remain the most popular fruit amongst Irish consumers however, strawberries were up 25 per cent on the same period last year. The overall biggest gain was in the citrus category with easi peelers up approximately 65 per cent during the period.
Naturally, as people spend less time on the move and more time cooking at home, indulgent categories such as food-on-the-go options have seen a decrease in sales of almost 15 per cent in the first quarter of this year.
The retail group said from a seasonal perspective, consumers have been ready to reward themselves on pivotal occasions after three months of healthy eating, with Irish shoppers quick to pick up a treat for themselves, purchase a gift for someone else or try a new product.
John Moane, Chief Commercial Officer BWG Foods said: “A year on from the first national lockdown, we continue to see the pandemic impact the way that people shop, with demands for different food products changing depending on the environment and restrictions. At BWG Foods, we continue to use intelligent category management to ensure our retailers have shelves fully stocked with the right products to satisfy the changing trends we are seeing.”
Retailers have seen a phenomenal 31 per cent increase in sales of boxed chocolates and sweets, helped presumably by Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, while large sharing chocolate bars have increased by 17.17 per cent.
Data from BWG Foods, owners and operators of the Spar, Eurospar, Londis, Mace and XL retail brands which together have a network of more than 1,000 stores across Ireland, also showed that consumers revisited their love for family baking as a result of the latest lockdown, with the sale of home baking products up four per cent.