Multiple sells abundant supplies at lowest prices on record' Tesco volume sales soar Tesco has claimed a massive increase in sales of English apples in the season coming to a close. Buyer Simon Latham said it had reached 57 million, the equivalent of one for every person in Britain. The multiple says it sold "abundant supplies at its lowest prices on record". Taylor Nelson Sofres confirms Tesco's market share for the 12 weeks to March 3 hit 29% of total retail sales by volume, representing an 84% leap year-on-year. Tesco's market share for English apples for the year to March was 23.2% by volume. The varieties concerned were Discovery, Worcester, Spartan, Egremont Russet, Cox, Cameo, Royal Gala and Bramley. In the 20 weeks ending December 9, it accounted for 21.5% of all Cox sales. Latham explained: "A year ago we set a very ambitious aspirational target, and to have achieved that growth in a negative market is an extremely positive sign for the future. We have shown the biggest percentage gains year-on-year by a huge margin and our challenge now is to keep our share running at the same high level." Adrian Barlow, chief executive of English Apples and Pears, praised the results, calling them "both dramatic and good news for the whole industry ­ a far cry from two years ago when Tesco was underperforming on English fruit". He added: "This performance has also to be considered against the background of a far higher Class I content to the crop. "There was a short crop in 20002001, but we are already working closely with Tesco on next season." {{FRESH PRODUCE }}

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