Give it up for grapes - National Retail Report - Dec. 5

From the National Retail Report of Dec. 5:


Retailers wasted no time switching gears from Thanksgiving to the Christmas season. Items for holiday baking were widely featured in the grocery section, while the floral departments of many stores were dominated by holiday arrangements, wreaths, and of course, poinsettias. With holiday celebrations around the corner, fruit and vegetable party trays, and decorated cakes and cookies were prominently featured items this week. Overall fresh produce ad activity decreased over 7% with a significant decrease in vegetable ads of 38%. Fruit ad activity increased approximately 18%. The top 5 featured items this week were all fruits: Grapes, avocados, blueberries, clementines, and Bartlett pears. These 5 items accounted for 53% of total fruit ads. Some retailers had 10 for $10 ads promoting apples, pears, grapefruit, avocadoes and mangoes. Grapes, clementines, oranges, blueberries, pears and asparagus were widely seen on the front page of ads this week. The new crop of peaches and nectarines from Chile have made their first appearance in ads in the Southwest and Northwest.