AGE PROFILE of strawberry consumers Children 0-1015% 11-165% Male 17-345% 35-6415% 65+11% Female 17-349% 35-6423% 65+17% Info: Usage overview of strawberries. In-home and lunchbox The strawberry market is worth £390m More than 40% are eaten at the evening meal Health is the key driver behind half of all consumption Consumption at the weekend is higher than average Consumers aged 45+ eat just over 55% The weekend treat that's healthy The older consumption profile of strawberries is driven by females who tend to be more health aware but also favour sweeter foods and fruit. Last year the 45+ age group ate fewer strawberries than usual, partially because of the poor summer weather, which led to lower levels of summer fruits overall being eaten. As Britain has an ideal climate for soft fruit production, only 1% of strawberries are sold frozen. Strawberries are 10% more likely to be eaten at the weekend than total food, and are 36% more likely to be eaten at the weekend than total fruit. While strawberries are high in vitamin C, antioxidants and zinc, one of the main reasons for consumption is that they are seen as a "favourite" or "treat" by a third of consumers. This leads to a significant proportion being eaten on a Saturday or Sunday unlike staple fruits such as apples, oranges and bananas, which have become part of the weekday health routine. Consequently fruit in general is more likely to be consumed for health reasons, with two thirds of all occasions being "healthy". Drummond Richards

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