Retail prices for British tomatoes have crashed, according to Sainsbury buyer Tristan Kitchener.
Speaking at the sector’s annual conference, he said prices had fallen by up to 45% compared with last season,
“This week last year, loose tomatoes were retailing at £1.79/kg and this year it is 99p,” said Kitchener. One of the main reasons was lack of demand throughout a poor summer and substantial crops, he added.
However, privately growers were claiming the deflation had been exaggerated by retail pressure on price.
Some were worried that increasing fuel and labour costs would mean that profitability remained a problem.
Kitchener also told delegates that the tomato fixture was continuing to change in nature.
“In the last three years cherry tomatoes as a proportion of the total offer have remained static, while round tomatoes’ share has fallen from 43% to 38%. Vine tomatoes have increased from 21% to 26% and there has been growth in plum tomatoes, which includes baby varieties.”
Taste would continue to be the driving force, but varieties must show a real difference, he said.“I would even argue that Aranca and Flavourino grown on the vine and sold in most retailers are too similar.”
Sainsbury has increased its proportion of British tomatoes stocked from 50 to 65%, he revealed. However, UK growers still faced increasing competition from importers, which now include Poland, warned Mary Bosley, technical director at Wight Salads, the UK’s largest grower.
She argued that a greater insight of consumers’ demands had become critical and would allow the industry to talk on an equal footing with multiple customers.
“Don’t sit around waiting for orders and directions from the retailers,” she told the audience.
David Shapley
Speaking at the sector’s annual conference, he said prices had fallen by up to 45% compared with last season,
“This week last year, loose tomatoes were retailing at £1.79/kg and this year it is 99p,” said Kitchener. One of the main reasons was lack of demand throughout a poor summer and substantial crops, he added.
However, privately growers were claiming the deflation had been exaggerated by retail pressure on price.
Some were worried that increasing fuel and labour costs would mean that profitability remained a problem.
Kitchener also told delegates that the tomato fixture was continuing to change in nature.
“In the last three years cherry tomatoes as a proportion of the total offer have remained static, while round tomatoes’ share has fallen from 43% to 38%. Vine tomatoes have increased from 21% to 26% and there has been growth in plum tomatoes, which includes baby varieties.”
Taste would continue to be the driving force, but varieties must show a real difference, he said.“I would even argue that Aranca and Flavourino grown on the vine and sold in most retailers are too similar.”
Sainsbury has increased its proportion of British tomatoes stocked from 50 to 65%, he revealed. However, UK growers still faced increasing competition from importers, which now include Poland, warned Mary Bosley, technical director at Wight Salads, the UK’s largest grower.
She argued that a greater insight of consumers’ demands had become critical and would allow the industry to talk on an equal footing with multiple customers.
“Don’t sit around waiting for orders and directions from the retailers,” she told the audience.
David Shapley
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