​​​​​​​Berry industry being squeezed: Rising costs and retail pressures could put 40 percent of growers at risk of going out of business by 2026. 

Jul 23, 2024

·       37% of UK growers surveyed are thinking of reducing production or moving out of berry growing. 

·       Michelin-starred chef and Great British Menu main course winner Tom Shepherd, says nothing compares to British berries as he backs growers. 

·       The value of the British berry industry in year-round retail sales hits high of £1.87 billion.  

London, England: According to new research conducted by British Berry Growers (BBG), the industry body representing over 95 percent of British berries sold in the UK, the UK berry industry is in jeopardy. Almost half (47 percent) of British berry growers surveyed say they no longer make a profit,1 and over half (53 percent) assess their financial health as bad, or extremely bad.2 

The BBG research also finds 84 percent of all respondents estimate that they would survive just two years or less without making a profit.3 Given close to half of growers (47 percent) are not making a profit, if nothing changes, then four in 10 could go out of business by the end of 2026.4  

Given the profitability challenges, it is not surprising that 37 percent of growers surveyed are considering reducing their production or moving out of berry farming entirely.5 If not addressed, the UK could see a future massive reduction in the supply of fresh British berries for consumers.  

The UK is famous for growing some of the best quality berries in the world. Its temperate climate and water availability, coupled with world-leading technology in substrate production and automation has made Britian the envy of the berry-growing world. Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd, has also pledged his support for local growers, saying British berries are amongst the very best available.  

Concerns about the future of the sector come as the value of the British berry industry in year-round retail-sales reaches an all-time high of £1.87 billion. In the last 12 months, shoppers spent a record £847.5 million on strawberries.6 

However, conditions for British berry growers have been worsening over recent years; 89 percent of growers who are no longer profitable say they stopped making a profit after 2020.7 This is due in no small part to the rise in the cost of production. 

Costs of labour, fertilisers, packaging and transport have all increased by £836 per tonne for British strawberries in the last four years – with British raspberries, blackberries and blueberries increasing £1,911 per tonne, £1,996 per tonne and £2,326 per tonne respectively.8  

Over half of the investment in producing a punnet of strawberries is hourly paid labour, a cost that has increased significantly over the last four years. 

Despite these challenges, the British berry industry is working hard to continue growing the highest quality fruit for UK shoppers. All four British berries are in the height of their seasonality this July, which marks National Berry Month, celebrating the versatility and health benefits of berries.  

Nick Marston, Chairman of British Berry Growers said: “Supermarkets are starting to listen. They are recognising that growers need a fair return to cover the increased costs of production, otherwise they’ll simply move out of berry growing. However, relationships with supermarkets have been hurt by the lack of support in recent years – 39% of our growers say their relationship with retailers has never been this bad.9 

“We must take this survey as a wake-up call and a sign to take urgent action. The future of this great sector hangs in the balance. It would be a travesty to lose British berries. 

“We need support from retailers in the form of fair returns, but we also need support from the government to ensure we have an uninterrupted supply of pickers during our peak season. Increasing the length of seasonal worker scheme visa from six to nine months would ensure we get the people we need to pick our fruit throughout our extended growing season. We are also calling for an agile and more responsive approval process for berry exports from the UK that would allow British growers to take advantage of market opportunities in the EU and further afield. 

“This feedback from UK berry growers is a warning – a warning we need to take seriously if we are to secure the future of our iconic berries.” 

Michelin-starred chef and Great British Menu main course winner, Tom Shepherd, commented: “There’s nothing that compares with British-grown berries. They’re sweet, fragrant and full of magnificent colour and flavour. They are incredibly versatile and can be used to create a range of vibrant, fresh and tasty recipes. Throughout my career, I’ve always been so excited and proud to use British berries when in season, I use them throughout my menus, freshening up a salad, adding acidity to a main course and naturally, at the end of the meal, as a beautifully fresh dessert. 

 
“As a chef who loves to use local produce, I feel so lucky to have some of the very best berries in the world right on my doorstep, and to have them available for so much of the year. It would be a disaster if Britain were to lose this great product. I would encourage everyone to go out and buy some berries, enjoy them and support local growers. We must secure a sustainable future for one of the nation’s leading products.” 

List of British Berry Growers policy asks:  

·       Seasonal worker visa scheme extension from six to nine months 
·       RPA scheme extension 
·       A robust national planning framework 
·       A thriving British berry industry 
·       A better relationship with retailers 
·       A simpler way to export British berries overseas 

Further information on these policy asks can be found here.  

END  

For more information, interviews and images please contact:       
britishberrygrowers@redbrickroad.com  

020 7575 7654      
07788 671 272     

NOTES TO EDITORS     
About British Berry Growers      
British Berry Growers is the industry body for the British berry industry, which is worth £1.87 billion to the UK economy. Its members supply over 95 percent of the berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries) in UK supermarkets. Formerly known as British Summer Fruits, British Berry Growers directs world-leading berry research, represents the interests of berry growers to Government and funds Love Fresh Berries, a year-round consumer campaign that celebrates the taste, health and value of British berries. 
 
Research:  
·       Andersons Midlands Report prepared by John Pelham, May 2023, ‘Increases in the UK costs of production of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries for the five year period 2020-2024’. The information on which this report is based has been drawn from a panel of UK soft fruit growers and validated by Andersons Midlands from their own data and experience of the economics of UK soft fruit production. 
·       A survey of 38 British berry growers who represent 43% of British Berry Grower members which represent 98% of the industry, June 2024.   

References:  

1. British Berry Growers survey, Q2 2024. 
2. British Berry Growers survey, Q2 2024. 
3. British Berry Growers survey, Q2 2024 
4. British Berry Growers survey, Q2 2024; 84 percent of 47 percent = 40 percent 
6. Kantar monthly soft fruit sales data w/c 14th April 2024 
7. British Berry Growers survey, Q2 2024 
8. 2020-2024 Andersons Midlands Report, 04.06.2024 
9. British Berry Growers survey, Q2 2024 

23rd Jul 2024