Northern nations are the biggest consumers of berries in Europe; the UK and Germany especially consume a lot of berries, over 10% more than other European countries. Berries have been the most valuable produce category in Europe over the last decade.
Red berries have overtaken all other types of fresh produce in terms of growth. In 2015, berries hit the spot in the UK, the top sales market in Europe in term of value, with £1.1 billion sales in summer.
Over the last 10 years, berry sales have risen by 132% in the UK alone. Where common fruits stayed stable, red berries have doubled in volume and value over the last 10 years in Europe.
From 2004 to 2015, the figure rose from around €620 million to approximately €1.3 billion. Rises were particularly strong in 2011 and 2015, with an increase of more than 18% in value.
Forecasts for the next 4 years are even more optimistic and foresee steady growth, becoming twice as fast for the five following years. Raspberries and blueberries are the most highly demanded, while strawberry consumption and trade should remain quite stable.
Strawberries remain the most widely consumed berries, accounting for 75% of total red berry consumption.
Spain, France and Italy consume relatively low volumes of berries. Even in the type of berries, tastes differ from one country to another in Europe.