National Retail Report - Feb. 8

From the USDA's National Retail Report:

Valentine’s Day Sales Prevalent Nationwide

The majority of retailers followed up last week’s Super Bowl themes with Valentine’s Day themes this week. Features included floral and novelty items, candy, bakery items and strawberries. Many retailers also featured seafood for the Lenten season; various potatoes for Potato Lover’s month; and items such as Asian pears, bok choy, Napa cabbage, and sugar snap peas for the Chinese New Year. Produce ads this week were up more than 6 percent with vegetable ads increasing nearly 19 percent and fruit ads down slightly compared to the previous week. The majority of produce ads this week were focused on imports as is normal this time of year. The top features this week, with the exception of potatoes, were primarily imported products. The top five items included: grapes, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, and potatoes. Notable changes included: a hefty decline in avocadoes and limes post-Super bowl; an increase in strawberries as Valentine’s Day approaches; and an increase in potatoes as Potato Lover’s month progresses.


Fruits as Percentage of Total Fruit Ads - February 8, 2008
Bananas 2%
Avocadoes, hass 2%
Watermelon, mini 1%
Strawberries 6%
Plums 6%
Pineapple 4%
Peaches 12%
Oranges, navel 4%
Nectarines, yellow flesh 11%
Honeydew 0%
Lemons 2%
Mangoes 7%
Limes 1%
Grapefruit, red 5%
Bananas, organic 1%
Blueberries 9%
Cantaloupe 8%
Cherries 0%
Clementines 0%
Grapes, green/red 17%
Apples, red delicious 3%



Vegetables as Percentage of Total Vegetable Ads
February 8, 2008
Tomatoes, grape 6%
Tomatoes, grape organic 3%
Tomatoes on the vine 0%
Cucumbers 5%
Lettuce, romaine 1%
Celery 2%
Carrots, baby organic 6%
Carrots, baby 7%
Cabbage 5%
Beans, round green 1%
Broccoli 2%
Broccoli, organic 1%
Asparagus 9%
Tomatoes 6%
Sweet Potatoes 2%
Squash, zucchini 2%
Potatoes, russet 11%
Peppers, bell red 9%
Peppers, bell green 5%
Onions, sweet 4%
Lettuce, iceberg 1%
Mushrooms, white 6%
Onions, yellow 7%