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Groceries at the supermarket checkout: Inflation dampens the desire for fresh food
Photo: Sven Hoppe / dpa
Germans are considered frugal when it comes to food. Many people react all the more sensitively in view of the significantly increased food prices. Because that drives up everyday costs significantly. According to the German Fruit Trade Association, many consumers have therefore changed their purchasing behavior and are increasingly saving money on fresh fruit and vegetables. “Private household consumption has fallen in recent months,” said association managing director Andreas Brügger to the dpa news agency. "People have less money in their wallets - and then they save money on food - and would rather spend money on other things than on fresh food."
In an EU comparison, Germans are significantly below average when it comes to consuming fresh fruit and vegetables. With an average of 287 grams, Germans are far away from the World Health Organization's recommendation of consuming 400 grams of fruit and vegetables daily.
From this Wednesday onwards, the fruit and vegetable industry will be meeting at the Fruit Logistica trade fair in Berlin with more than 2,770 exhibitors from 94 countries. According to the association, companies in Germany are suffering from the effects of high inflation and a lot of bureaucracy. »Companies are drowning in bureaucracy and documentation requirements. “That just makes everything more expensive – but the goods don’t get any better,” said Brügger.
According to a statistics handbook on Fruit Logistica, 5.2 million tons of fruit and vegetables were harvested in Germany last year. According to Brügger, around two thirds of the fresh fruit and vegetables in German shops are imports from other countries. Last year, 17.44 million tons of fruit and vegetables were harvested in Italy, and 21.596 million tons in Spain.
From the perspective of the fruit trade association, it is understandable that many farmers are currently expressing their dissatisfaction with agricultural policy. Agriculture and horticulture are confronted with “endless requirements”. The reduction in agricultural diesel subsidies was the reason for the protests, but the problems are more extensive.
Brügger believes that considerations about a packaging ban for fresh fruit and vegetables are wrong. Packaging is absolutely necessary for an appropriate presentation of the goods, for longer shelf life and correspondingly less food waste. Of the total amount of packaging in the food sector, that for fresh fruit and vegetables made up only a small amount.
mmq/dpa