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• An estimated 18 million fewer strawberry punnets could be on supermarket shelves in 2024. 
• The decline is a result of the rising cost of production and flat returns to growers from UK supermarkets. 
• If production continues to drop at this rate, the British berry industry may halve by 2031. 

• A break in hot weather brings the arrival of bigger and juicier raspberries   

• Peak British raspberry season begins this week and will continue throughout July. 

• Unlike strawberries – which like sunny, clear skies – raspberries thrive under partial cloud cover.   

• Modern varieties and growing techniques mean that Brits will be able to enjoy great quality British raspberries through to December, weather permitting.  

• The berry industry is now worth £1.7 billion in retail sales year-round1 and is estimated to contribute £3.18 billion to the UK economy in the next five years.2  

A cooler than average April and May means that the nation can expect to enjoy bigger and juicier strawberries than previous years due to a slower ripening period. 

Last year Brits bought over 12,500 tonnes of British-grown raspberries 

The iconic British fruit will be filling supermarket shelves in mid-May compared to June last year. 

41% of Brits have become more open to talking about sex in the last decade.

• Behavioural Psychologist Jo Hemmings and Nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire back the campaign by industry body British Berry Growers as The British Urology Foundation praise its research findings.
• Over half agree conversations on sex can help reduce taboo around sexual health.
• Just 12% try foods to boost sexual wellness; with five in six unaware blueberries may benefit.
• ‘Luberry’, a free limited-edition blueberry flavoured lube, has been launched as part of the campaign to raise awareness of the links between food and sexual wellness. 

For soft fruit production – principally strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries – labour is the most significant cost, typically representing 40-60% of all expenditure.

The National Farmers Union, the British Growers Association, British Berry Growers and British Apples and Pears have jointly instructed John Pelham of Andersons Midlands to prepare a report on the potential implications of Covid-19 for UK fruit and vegetable growers’ costs of production in 2020.

The Anderson Report.