Tesco Edges Aldi By 190 Tonnes As British Apple Sales Hit Record High
British apple and pear sales reached a record 180,506 tonnes in 2025/26, with Tesco narrowly taking the top apple sales award from Aldi, and Sainsbury’s leading the pear category in the 2026 BAPL Retailer Awards.
Tesco was named the UK’s biggest retailer of British apples after surpassing Aldi by just 190 tonnes in the closest contest for the title in 13 years, according to British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL).
Tesco sold 34,436 tonnes of British apples during the 2025/26 season, compared with a record 34,246 tonnes for Aldi, BAPL said in a press release.
The results were announced at BAPL’s British Apple Harvest Event which was held at The Night Yard in Canterbury, Kent, on 16 September 2026.
For the first time, the organisation also recognised retailers for early-season performance and for selling a greater proportion of British fruit than their overall grocery market share would suggest.
Across the retailers included in BAPL’s figures, British apple and pear sales reached 180,506 tonnes during the season, which is 10.4% above 2024/25 and the highest total since BAPL records began.
British apple sales rose 8.6% to a record 162,331 tonnes, while pear sales jumped 29.3% to 18,175 tonnes, representing their highest level since 2018/19.
BAPL executive chair Ali Capper said the record sales this year demonstrated the strength of demand for British-grown fruit.
“That is a tribute to the excellent eating quality of British fruit, the commitment of our growers and packers, and the support shown by retailer buying teams,” she explained.
“The competition for the top spot in British apple sales was the closest in 13 years. We knew of Tesco’s ambition to win because the UK CEO, Ashwin Prasad, name-checked the award at the NFU Conference in February. But Tesco only just made it. Aldi finished just 190 tonnes behind and achieved its highest British apple volume on record.”
Sainsbury’s Leads British Pears
Sainsbury’s took the highest British pear sales award, selling 6,012 tonnes; an increase of 13.7% on the previous season.
The retailer also won BAPL’s new Highest Early Season Sales award for pears, with 847 tonnes sold during September and October 2025.
Lidl took the equivalent early-season apple award after selling 4,313 tonnes during the first two months of the British apple season.
The new early season award is designed to recognise retailers that provide a strong launch for the domestic crop, with BAPL highlighting availability, displays, and promotional activity as important factors in building shopper awareness early in the season.
Aldi, Lidl Outperform Market Share
BAPL also introduced Market Outperformance awards this year, comparing each retailer’s share of British apple or pear sales with its average share of the overall grocery market.
Aldi won the British apple award, accounting for 21.2% of sales among the retailers included in the analysis, against an average grocery market share of 10.5%.
That gave Aldi an outperformance index of 2.02, which means its share of British apple sales was just over twice its share of the wider grocery market.
Lidl won the pear award, accounting for 18.9% of British pear sales compared with an average grocery market share of 8.3%. Its resulting outperformance index was 2.28.
BAPL’s Capper said the retailers recognised at the event had demonstrated the potential to build sales through both strong seasonal launches and sustained support for British fruit.
“When British apples and pears are available, well promoted and given the space they deserve, shoppers choose them. This year’s winners have demonstrated what is possible through a strong start to the season, sustained sales volumes and a commitment to British fruit that, for many, goes well beyond their overall share of the grocery market.
“Congratulations to Aldi, Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, and thank you to all our retail partners for their support. Growers have delivered an excellent record-breaking crop, retailers have shown that British fruit sells and consumers have demonstrated strong demand for it.”
Retailers Encouraged To Enter Next Award
BAPL used the event to encourage retailers to begin planning their entries for the Best British Apple Launch Award 2026.
The award is open to all UK retailers and recognises campaigns supporting the start of the British apple season.
Lidl won the inaugural award last year.
Entries open in mid-December and close on 31 January 2027.
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