Dive Brief:
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The produce department is still the most trafficked area in the grocery store, according to Grocery Headquarters' annual State of the Industry Almanac. According to the Nielsen Perishables Group, bananas were the top selling item in 2016 with 4,641 units sold per store per week. Potatoes were the second top seller with 3,578 units sold per store per week.
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Berries, packaged salads, apples, citrus and grapes were the top five produce categories in dollar sales.
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Grocery shoppers also were more interested in melons and beans, which had higher unit sales of 10.6% and 25% last year.
Dive Insight:
While price deflation undoubtedly helped some produce items make unit sales gains last year, shifts in consumer eating habits are probably another driver.
It will be interesting to see how consumers looking for healthy produce favorites, like grapes and berries, will respond to decreased fruit and vegetable supplies following a period of erratic U.S. weather.
This is why grape dollar sales were up while unit sales counts dropped. Record high temperatures affected much of California last year, where a sizable share of the nation's grapes are produced. Other fruits and vegetables may see declines this year as a result of heavy rains in California, which have threatened almond, celery and strawberry crops in the Salinas Valley. This region also produces the majority of leafy greens for the U.S, which could lead to sparse salad supplies.
Unseasonable cold snaps in the southern United States have also hurt blueberry and peach crops. About 85% of South Carolina's peach crop is gone, while 80% of Georgia's blueberries were wiped out, losses that could cost up to $1 billion.
Grocers should be sure to inform produce department workers of why there are certain shortages that message can be communicated to shoppers, who may be disappointed by smaller displays.