UK diet – fruit and vegetables

Today I turn to trends in British fruit and vegetable consumption.

• “Households purchased 3.9 portions of fruit and vegetables per person per day in 2015.” This is more positive than some other sources, especially as it excludes purchases out of home as well as fruit and vegetables in composite meals, but it is based on purchases rather than consumption with no allowance for waste.

• Lowest income households purchased 11.2% more fruit and 8.2% more vegetables than in 2008, in contrast to wider general declines.

• Household purchases of fruit including fruit juice have fallen 17% since peaking in 2006. Fruit juice purchases have fallen 17% since 2012.

• Household purchases of fresh green vegetables have fallen 25% since 2005.