Tesco named apple retailer of the year by BAPL
23rd September 2024
British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) announced that Tesco has been named the 2024 apple retailer of the year.
The award is based on BAPL member sales to British supermarkets from September 2023 to the end of August 2024. As the last of the 2023 apple and pear crop has now been sold, BAPL can reveal the supermarket of the year.
In the year starting September 2023, Tesco sold 26,705 tonnes of British dessert apples, only just ahead of Aldi, which sold 26,008 and had topped the chart last year.
Behind the two at the top came Sainsbury’s, which sold 21,563 tonnes, and Lidl, selling 18,096 tonnes.
Supermarkets sold more apples than expected
In addition to naming the apple retailer of the year, BAPL also recognises retailers that achieved the best year-on-year performance.
This year’s title goes to Lidl, which managed to increase the volume of its apple sales from 17,560 tonnes in 2022/23 to 18,096 tonnes in 2023/24.
Commenting on this achievement, Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL, said: “Tesco came second last year, and we know they were motivated to go one better this year.
“We’re delighted they have achieved that. Lidl have also done really well to sell more British apples this year than they did last year – no small feat when you consider the slightly reduced volumes overall.”
Several supermarkets also over-indexed for British apples, selling more than expected given their grocery market share.
The outstanding performers there were Aldi (sold 21% of all British apples compared to their grocery market share of 10%), Lidl (sold 14.6% of all British apples compared to their grocery market share of 8.1%), and Sainsbury’s (sold 17.4% of all British apples compared to their grocery market share of 15.3%).
“This year’s crop is looking good and we’re hopeful that all UK supermarkets will work even harder this year to promote British apples and pears to their shoppers. Buying British over imported fruit saves on food miles, and we know consumers want British if at all possible,” Ms Capper added.
BAPL continues to publish monthly UK apple sales data here.
Read more fruit news.
