Consumption of fresh produce falls 3.2% as Spaniards engage in “austerity shopping”

Spaniards are eating lower volumes of fresh products, with consumption falling by 3.2% so far this year, compared to the same period in 2021, according to data presented by IRI Worldwide at the conference ‘Perspectives on Fresh Products 2023’, organised by AECOC. The consultant’s report points out that the drop in the volume of purchases of fresh produce is notably higher than that of consumer products as a whole, where the drop is just 0.5%. In terms of value, sales are up by 5.3%, which is lower than the 8.2% level for consumer products overall. Vegetables (-4.1%) are one the hardest hit fresh categories.

“The current context is driving consumers to austerity purchasing behaviours that we saw in the 70s and 80s, and are the result of inflation fatigue,” said commercial director of IRI Worldwide, Antonio Khalaf. Some of the habits linked to spending control are comparing prices between products and brands, increasing promotional purchases or changing establishments.

Despite the drop in the volume of sales, fresh produce continues to be the protagonist in the Spanish shopping basket, representing 30% of total consumer spending, just behind dry food, which accounts for 38.5% of the household budget. The report also states that promotional sales account for 19.4% of the turnover from fresh products. In fact, it is the category in which promotional sales have the greatest weight, above beverages and household and cleaning products. The products with the most sales in promotion, according to data from IRI Worldwide, are seafood, fish and fruit.