Europeans consumed 14% less vegetables in 2008
Freshfel Europe releases the 2009 edition of its Consumption Monitor revealing a fall in fresh vegetable consumption
Total gross supply of vegetable per capita stood at 103,54 kg in 2008 (compared with an average of 120,68 kg over the previous five years), according to the Freshfel Monitor 2009. This represents a decrease in vegetable consumption of 14.2% in 2008, compared with an average consumption over the previous five years.
It is interesting to note that the situation varies significantly from one European Member State to another. Thus important efforts remain to be made in order to bring consumption up to satisfactory levels across all EU Member States. In fact, regarding vegetable consumption, it increased only in Austria and Slovakia.
More efforts are required to bring consumption up to satisfactory and healthy levels across Europe
Just 14 countries out of 27 comply with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) minimum intake recommendation for fruits and vegetables.
Own elaboration with data from Freshfel
“Although consumption data should only be understood as a trend indication, rather than the precise amount of fresh produce really consumed by the population, on average the trend indicators in the monitor also confirm that around half of EU Member States remain below or just above the 400 grams a day minimum recommended by the World Health Organization. Besides the overall declining trends, it also shows that important efforts remain to be made in order to bring consumption up to satisfactory and healthy levels across all EU Member States,” stated Philippe Binard, General Delegate of Freshfel.
Freshfel Europe
Freshfel Europe has published this information in its recently released ‘Freshfel Consumption Monitor 2009’, in which it analyses trends in the production, trade and supply of fresh fruit and vegetables across the EU-27, as well as consumption information in Norway, Switzerland and the USA. The ‘Consumption Monitor’ was developed by the Freshfel Working Group on Promotion, Communication and Image under the auspices of the Freshfel Supply Chain and Retail Division. This annual study forms part of the actions undertaken by Freshfel within the framework of the EU Platform for Action on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.
Freshfel is the member of the platform representing the fruit and vegetables sector at European level. The “Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Production, Trade and Consumption Monitor in the EU-27” is the fifth edition of the report, and it covers the period 2003 to 2008. The Monitor identifies a number of EU-wide trends, including specific information on fresh fruit and vegetable supply and consumption trends in all EU-27 Member States.
Freshfel Europe – June 2010
