The focus on healthy eating was noticeable in ads this week. Berries, avocados, packaged salads, cucumbers, bell peppers, and zucchini dominated ad space. Imported summer fruits such as cantaloupe, cherries, peaches, nectarines, and apricots to expanded offerings in the produce aisle beyond seasonal items like apples, pears, and citrus. With much of the country in winter's grasp, hearty staples like carrots, onions, potatoes, broccoli, and greens were popular.
Total ad numbers this week were 311,864, an 11% increase from last week's 281,673. The total for the same week last year was 1% lower than this year. The total number of ads broken out by commodity groups: fruit 155,292 (50% of all ads), onions and potatoes 33,499 (11%), vegetables 119,168 (38%), herbs 1,377, ornamentals 1,689, and hemp 839. The number of ads for organic produce was 53,349, 17% of total ads.
The following are the prices of major advertised items (3,000 plus stores) this week, compared to the same week last year. Significant increases in price for fruit this week included avocados at 35%, red seedless grapes at 28%, mangos at 19%, and cantaloupes at 17%. There were no significant decreases. There were no significant changes for onions and potatoes this week. Significant increases in price for vegetables this week included packaged salad (10-12 oz at 26%, 5-9 oz at 13%), zucchini at 15%, and romaine hearts at 14%. There were no significant decreases.
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Source: mymarketnews.ams.usda.gov