A positive trend in European fresh fruit and vegetable consumption

Freshfel Europe’s latest edition of its Consumption Monitor shows that since 2013 EU consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables has very slowly picked up again after a noticeable decreasing trend since the turn of the century. Despite this, increasing the number of public and private initiatives to stimulate consumption should continue to be strongly encouraged. Noticeably, the data demonstrate a very slight decrease again from 2016 to 2017 and the European aggregate still remains below the WHO consumption recommendation of at least 400 grams per capita per day.

On 25 November, Freshfel Europe published the latest edition of its Consumption Monitor, which analyses the production, trade, supply and consumption trends of the EU-28, with the latest data of 2017 included. The data show that consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables in the EU-28 stands at 348 grams per capita per day. This represents a slight decrease of 1,1% compared to 2016 but is an increase of 2,4% compared to the average of the previous five years (2012-2016). This increase of consumption over the last four consecutive years is hopefully a positive sign of increasing awareness of the importance of fruit and vegetables in the daily diet and should encourage both the public and private sector to step up efforts to promote the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables.

In 2017 EU citizens consumed on average 192 grams of fresh fruit and 156 grams of fresh vegetables each day. Fruit consumption has decreased by 2,6% compared to 2016 but increased by 2% compared to the 2012-2016 average consumption. Vegetable consumption increased by 0,7% compared to 2016 and increased by 3% compared to the 2012-2016 average consumption.

To build the momentum of the overall increasing EU consumption trend, Freshfel Europe, together with Aprifel, have launched an information and promotion of agricultural product campaign, co-funded by the European Commission to raise
awareness of the importance of eating at least 400 grams of fruit and vegetables among 18-to-30-year-old. The campaign, ‘Follow me to be healthy, with Europe’ calls young Europeans to action via the ‘400g Challenge’ on social media.

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