Fresh produce availability in UK supermarkets could come under pressure in the coming weeks after heavy flooding and storm damage hit key growing regions in Spain and Morocco, two countries that supply a significant share of Britain’s winter fruit and veg. A new analysis has highlighted how exposed several staple categories are at this time of year. Spain and Morocco together account for 57.9% of UK tomato imports, while 65.2% of imported cucumbers and 71.4% of sweet peppers

Data for January 2026 show that Tesco accounted for the largest share of British apples sold by BAPL growers, with around 4,000 tons supplied during the month. Aldi followed at approximately 3,200 tons, with Lidl close to 2,600 tons. Sainsbury's recorded about 2,400 tons, while Asda took roughly 1,500 tons. Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons, Coop, Ocado, Others, and Iceland each handled lower volumes, all below 1,000 tons. When comparing each retailer's share of British apples sold ag

Nearly nine in 10 UK farmers believe their sustainability efforts are being ignored by the wider food supply chain, according to fresh research from Pinstone Pulse. The findings paint a striking picture of frustration on the ground — even as many farmers are actively changing how they operate. The new insight tracker, developed by PR and communications agency Pinstone, reveals that 92% of farmers feel unrecognised for their on-farm sustainability work. That concern comes desp

Valentine’s Day 2026 delivered another powerful boost to the floriculture sector, with 464 million flowers traded through Royal FloraHolland’s clocks and direct channels in the run-up to 14 February — up from 452 million stems last year . Of those, around 150 million were roses, underlining the enduring appeal of the classic Valentine’s bloom. But alongside strong sales, this year’s Valentine’s period also saw a lively conversation emerge around flower choice and sourcing. El

Bradford's "truly impressive" Darley Street Market has been judged the best food market in the UK – just over six months after opening. Image courtesy of Bradford Council The venue was awarded the title by The National Association of British Markets, which described it as a "bold, modern food destination." The market opened in July after numerous delays and a spiralling budget, as a replacement for the long-standing Oastler and Kirkgate markets. Alex Ross Shaw, Bradford Counc

Love is in the air - and apparently the vegetable crates - after a pair of "cuddling carrots" were discovered among the fresh produce donated to a food recycling organisation just before Valentine's Day. While sorting though the donations, volunteers at Food Works Sheffield uncovered two carrots so tightly entwined they looked as though they were embracing. The team decided the pair were far too charming to chop, so they gave them pride of place near the till. Warehouse manag

More winter rain and warmer temperatures are expected as climate change causes the UK’s weather to become more extreme, driving the need for further innovation to help UK fresh produce growers adapt and survive.  At current levels of global warming, wet winters could become even more frequent, affecting housing, transport, and food supply, say scientists. If global temperatures increase by more than 2oC, the Met Office predicts the number of days per year with heavy rainfall

Tesco has turned rapid grocery delivery from a competitive threat into a growth driver by scaling its Whoosh service, which delivers from stores in as little as 20 minutes and now accounts for an important share of the retailer's online sales.  Image: Tesco The collapse or withdrawal of many quick‑commerce startups, such as Getir exiting the UK in 2024, has given Tesco the space to use its large store estate and greater TV advertising to capture fast‑delivery demand.  Traditi

UK consumers are shifting to home-cooked meals and dine-in deals for Valentine’s Day this year, with fruits, especially avocados and berries, among the key basket drivers for friends and couples planning a home-centred occasion from breakfast through dinner.  Valentine’s Day spending is forecast to rise by 12% to £1.6bn in 2026, according to shopper marketing agency Savvy, and consumers are choosing to stay at home to avoid busy restaurants and to cut costs. Two thirds of adu

A widening disconnect exists between on-farm sustainability action and the recognition and support that farmers receive from policy makers and the wider food chain, posing a barrier to faster progress for British agriculture, warns new research.  An overwhelming 92% of farmers say their environmental work goes unrecognised, according to the first Pinstone Pulse report titled  'From Pressure to Partnership' .  Despite sustainability expectations increasing and significant on‑f

Amazon has extended its partnership with Iceland Foods to give customers in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Nottingham online access to a wide selection of groceries, from fresh food to everyday essentials, delivered in as little as 60 minutes.  Image: Amazon UK The launch in Belfast marks the first time customers can shop from Iceland on Amazon in Northern Ireland. The roll-out to more UK cities forms part of Amazon's expansion of its online grocery partnerships with Icelan

The UK Government has signed a £650,000, four-year contract to give civil servants a first-hand grounding in farming — a move designed to tackle growing concern that agricultural policy is too often shaped by officials with limited practical experience of rural life. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has appointed the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Allerton Project to deliver the Baseline Agricultural Training programme — blending classroom l

If there’s one thing every business in the fresh produce and floriculture world knows, it’s this: people make it happen. From the warehouse teams keeping supply flowing, to brilliant managers inspiring innovation and wellbeing champions shaping workplace culture — your people are your biggest asset. And now, there’s a stage as grand as their impact to celebrate them. Entries for the 2026 FPC Fresh Awards are officially open, and this year’s People and Workplace Achievements c

The UK is “sleepwalking into a quiet epidemic” of joblessness with millions of people out of work and on benefits, the boss of the nation’s biggest supermarket chain has warned. Ashwin Prasad, who runs the UK arm of Tesco, said he believed far fewer people were in work than should be and that taxpayers were spending “an ever increasing proportion of our national income on out-of-work benefits”. The rate of unemployment sat at a four-year high of 5.1%, according to official da

Weeks of relentless rainfall have left farmland across England waterlogged and rivers swollen, with more than 100 flood warnings active and over 180 flood alerts signalling ongoing risk to rural communities and farm businesses. The Environment Agency’s flood warnings — which mean flooding is expected — sit alongside a wide swathe of alerts where flooding is possible as clay soils struggle to absorb any more moisture. Saturated fields are delaying essential fieldwork, heighten

New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) has been officially named Britain’s Best Wholesale Market 2026 at the Great British Market Awards, held earlier this week in Birmingham. Image: NABMA The UK’s biggest horticultural wholesale hub – serving fruit, vegetables, flowers and plants to independent retailers, hospitality and foodservice customers right across London and the South East – clinched the top accolade at the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) ceremony

Veg Power have announced that its highly popular and effective dietary health campaign ‘Eat Them to Defeat Them’ is returning to schools next month. Running for eight consecutive years, the campaign - sponsored by Sainsbury’s - will return with a fresh and exciting new creative theme ‘Veg Hunters’ that encourages children to hunt out, find and eat vegetables. Other key developments for 2026, include two brand new components that have been sponsored by Tilda - The ‘Eat Them to

British agricultural exports of crops to the EU have continued to shrink in the five years since Brexit, according to analysis of HM Revenue & Customs data by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) — and as trade talks with Brussels unfold, farmers and industry leaders are urging the government not to sacrifice hard-won advances in plant innovation, particularly gene-editing, in pursuit of a deal. Overall farm exports to the EU fell by 37.4 per cent between 2019, the last full ye

British potato growers are sounding the alarm as demand for one of the nation’s staple crops dips, with many producers pointing the finger at evolving consumer behaviour driven by weight-loss injections and health-conscious eating. According to industry reports, orders from supermarkets, food manufacturers and fish and chip shops have fallen by up to 10 per cent compared with the same time last year — a significant reversal after the surge in home cooking seen during the pan

The UK has officially eradicated the Colorado Beetle following two years of intensive surveillance and biosecurity activity. The pest was detected in Kent in July 2023, with one further finding later that year. Since then, no additional beetles have been identified, allowing Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to confirm eradication status. The Colorado potato beetle can rapidly strip foliage from potato crops and also affects tomatoes, aubergines and peppers,