In general, fresh fruit dollar sales in U.S. supermarkets were dominated by berries and citrus fruits in 2016. Apples rounded off the top three with a sales share of nearly 13 percent. Citrus fruits had a sales volume increase of four percent in 2016 compared to the previous year, while the sales volume of apples decreased by 3.3 percent in the same period.
A relatively new and sales-generating sub-category is the value-added fruit segment that consumers often seek for both convenient and healthy snack-size options. Value-added fruit can refer to fruit that has been pre-sliced or ready to eat. The dollar sales of value added fruit grew by about 11 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year. Furthermore, between August 2016 and August 2017, U.S. consumers increased their consumption of pre-packaged fruits by about 15 percent.
The vast majority of Americans purchased their fresh fruit and vegetables in supermarkets in 2017. Some the most effective tactics used by grocery retailers to influence their customers into purchasing fresh produce include eye-catching displays, great promotions, and free samples. In recent years, there has been widespread debate about the safety and environmental impact of modern agricultural methods, which has led to an explosion in the organic produce market. A 2017 survey found that 60 percent of Americans who purchase organic produce do so to avoid pesticides, while 37 percent believe in the positive long-term health effects of consuming organic fruits and vegetables.
