Agricoltura
More than half of the European population consumes fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and value greenhouse vegetables positively
As regards the criteria for buying fruit and vegetables cited by Europeans (quality, freshness, colour and taste) stands out with 28% and price (cited by 20% of consumers), although the importance given to seasonal products (17%) and local, national or European origin (13%) also stands out in significant percentages. To a lesser extent, nutritional values (6 %), organic (5%), safe (5%), from open-air farms (3%) and sustainable (3 %).
When asked about the aspects that most concern them with regard to the production methods used, the fruit and vegetable sector is concerned about pre-established misconceptions, as many consumers falsely believe that greenhouse production modifies nutrients and flavour and even that it can have a negative environmental impact: "Hence the importance of our promotion and dissemination programmes with the aim of banishing hoaxes, fakenews or false beliefs that are deeply rooted in the consumers' imagination", FruitVegetablesEUROPE points out.
54% of the population is confident that greenhouse products are safe, 51% that they are seasonal, 45% that they are affordable, 43% that they are as nutritious as outdoor systems and 40% that they are environmentally friendly.
CuTE, Cultivating the Taste of Europe , is implemented by an international consortium coordinated by the FruitVegetablesEUROPE association and also including APROA, AOPn Tomates et Concombres, AOPnFraise, ZGPOiW and INCOFRUIT. The programme is 80% funded by the EU and aims to take a giant step forward in Europeans' knowledge of fruit and vegetable production systems.
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Ginés Mena
Tactics Europe
+34 91 5062860
gines.mena@tactics.es