Western Europe

Meat in the UK continues to see persistent inflationary pressures stemming from higher production costs, particularly in the areas of animal feed and energy. This has spilled down to consumers in the form of increased unit prices, combined with a…

Most fresh food categories were negatively impacted by extreme weather conditions in the UK and other countries over 2022 and 2023, which fluctuated between extreme heat and droughts and very wet climates. However, this was not the case for nuts, as…

In 2023, retail demand for pulses in the UK continues to grow. As meat, fish and other animal proteins are increasing in price due to inflation and the rising cost of living, local consumers are looking for cheaper sources of protein, and one of…

Extreme weather conditions in 2022 and 2023 have had an impact on the production of starchy roots in the UK and around the world. Droughts and hot weather occurred in 2022, while a wet spring and summer delayed the campaign for starchy roots in 2023.…

Following two consecutive years of double-digit declines, retail volume sales of sugar and sweeteners continue to fall in 2023. Droughts caused the cultivation campaign to be delayed in 2022, which negatively impacted sugar beet production.…

Retail volume sales of vegetables in the UK continue to decline in 2023, primarily due to severe product shortages. For instance, there was a major shortage of vegetables in February and March 2023. For several weeks, products such as tomatoes,…

The global wheat market in 2023 has seen a recovery in supply, following tight global supply and skyrocketing wheat prices in 2022 resulting from the onset of the war in Ukraine. Increased wheat exports from Russia, readjustments of supply chains and…

Volume sales in eggs continue to be relatively stable, despite production having been significantly affected by the avian flu outbreak in France, with around 9.5% of the laying flock of hens affected by the epidemic since its start in 2021 –…

In the eggs category, 2022 was marked by a significant increase in production costs. This increase was mainly attributable to the rise in energy costs, production factors, and especially the surge in feed prices due to the outbreak of the war in…

Sales of fish and seafood have fallen into the expected volume declines in 2023, due to high price rises alongside an ongoing drop in demand. The category is strongly supported by foodservice and institutional volumes, with the concept of fish on…

In 2023, the consumption of fresh fish continued to grow in terms of volume. There are several reasons behind this trend. Prominent amongst these is the health and wellness trend, with more and more people becoming aware of the beneficial effects of…

Climate factors are influencing fresh food in France in 2023. After the significant heatwave in the summer of 2022, 2023 saw more rain with some hot spells and droughts in certain areas, which affected crops in the agricultural regions in different…

After the negative events that characterised 2022, including the war following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and high rates of inflation, retail volume sales of fresh food started to grow again in Italy in 2023. Italian consumers continued to…

Sales in fruits are seeing a mixed performance, as the category finds a balance between value and volume – lower unit prices support volume growth, whereas inflationary pressures mean higher value but lower volume consumption, especially regarding…

In 2023, fruit growers faced numerous challenges related to climate change. For example, severe flooding affected many growing areas in regions in the central north such as Emilia-Romagna, which lost a large part of its cherry crops. This situation…

Meat is seeing more positive volume growth in 2023, compared to 2022, despite the category experiencing some of the steepest price rises overall. That said, cheaper meats, such as pork, have compensated somewhat for the declines seen in more…

In recent years, the meat category in Italy has been going through an uncertain phase, especially regarding supply. Several factors, such as high breeding costs and feed shortages, are negatively affecting the development of the meat category.…

Sales in nuts manage to remain in positive volume figures, with growth stronger in foodservice and institutional volume than seen in retail volume. This is because consumers have returned to out-of-home lifestyles following the era of the pandemic…

Like all other fresh food categories, the nuts category has been greatly affected by problems related to the entire production chain. General increases in production and transportation costs, including the significant increase in shipping costs, have…

The performance of pulses tends to vary depending on economic factors. For example, tinned and canned pulses are perceived as offering better value-for-money as they require less cooking time and are more convenience, whilst fresh pulses need more…