Watch the Markets – July

Food news – digested. 4Food finds out what’s hotter than the weather and what’s colder than a 99 (with a flake)

Going up
Strawberries
We’re tucking into strawberries like there’s no tomorrow. Supermarkets are shifting bushels of berries, with Morrisons reporting strawberry sales up 50 per cent on last year and rising. “Sales of strawberries go through the roof in the weeks leading up to Wimbledon,” revealed Glen Cooper, the supermarket’s strawberry buyer.

See how Hugh got merry with the berry at the River Cottage strawberry fair

Supermarket own brands
The recession is hitting big brands square in the tills but savvy shopping is proving great news for supermarkets’ own ranges. Research carried out by media consultants, Arena BLM, suggests a staggering nine in 10 shoppers have switched from known brands to supermarket own brand versions.

Penny sweets
It’s not just children spending their pennies on a 10p mix-up. “The recession makes people think of the good old days,” explains Micheal Bennett from Tangerine, makers of newsagent staples Sherbet Dib-Dabs, Black Jacks and Fruit Salads. “When times are tough, consumers seek reassurance from familiar products.” And do penny sweets still exist? “Absolutely. You can still get Mojos, Cherry Kisses, Cola Bottles, Jelly Beans and Gummy Bugs for a penny.”

Ch-ching!

Make your own sweets

 

Going down

Dominant discount supermarkets
The early days of the credit crunch sent shoppers flocking to discount stores like Aldi and Lidl but a Which? report shows the big boys are bouncing back, with Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Waitrose showing an upturn in sales. There’s gold in them there tills.

Supermarket, veg box or grow your own – how to save money on food

Mouldy veg
In the ongoing battle to combat food waste, the Co-operative have printed storage instructions on their loose produce bags to help shoppers get the most from their fruit and veg. Did you know keeping apples in the fridge can help them last an extra two weeks? “We welcome this initiative,” said Richard Swannell, from anti waste campaign, Love Food Hate Waste. “This is the latest example of how The Co-operative is helping customers to save money by throwing away less food.”

Find out how to cut your food waste

Meat on a Monday
Sir Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono are encouraging carnivores to back away from meaty meals on Mondays. The Meat Free Monday campaign says foregoing flesh one day a week will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock – a cause of climate change – as well as offer health benefits to consumers who will stock up on veg instead.

Dine in style with these virtuous veggie recipes

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