Carrots in the UK

In this graph we present aspects of the carrots production and trade in the UK. There is also a section on nutrition data about raw carrots.

Like the graph that we presented about potatoes, the graph is divided in three sections:

A. Nutrition

Some basic nutrition data are presented for raw carrots. Interestingly, the consumption of a single carrot (of any size) per day is enough to cover the needs of the human body in vitamin A (according to US Recommended Daily Allowance). More than 88gr per 100 (88%) of a carrot is water!

B. Production and Supply in the UK

There are several growers of carrots in the UK and they can provide carrots almost throughout the year; in fact in 2007, 95.7% of the UK carrots’ supply was home production marketed. There is a number of Chantenay variety growers and some producers grow carrots organically.

During our basic ‘field’ research we also found carrots imported from France, Israel, Spain and Italy.

C. Price of carrots

We have compared the prices of seven (7) ‘high street’ grocers and (for comparison) Abel & Cole, an online trader of (mainly) organic food.

The date of our research (‘field’ and on-line) was the 17th of June, 2010. We visited grocers in Brixton (Iceland, Lidl, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s & TESCO), Old Kent Road (ASDA) and Balham (Waitrose).

59p per Kilogram was the lowest price (Lidl-Class I & Tesco-Class II, both in 1 Kg packs). [For your information, ASDA feature on their website a pack of 2 kg of carrots for £1 (i.e. 50p per kg) which is a lower price (per kg) than Lidl’s and Tesco’s 59p. However, the Old Kent Road ASDA that we visited (twice for this particular reason) did not have any of those packs at any point. In the end we asked the people who work there and they informed us that they (ASDA at Old Kent Road) don’t offer them there.]

If it is useful (for comparison), the day before that (16 June 2010) the price of carrots (Loose) at Gyzi street market in Athens, Greece was 1 Euro per Kg; rather expensive (no matter that in street markets you can normally get the freshest produce possible) if you consider that the price (online) of loose carrots at Carrefour supermarket was 0.41 Euro.

TABLE of grocers examined and types of carrots sold

Grocer Product Origin Package Total Price Price per Kg Display until LIDL OAKLANDS British Carrots, Class I Moray, Scotland, UK 1Kg 59p 59p LIDL Organic carrots, Class II Spain 750gr 96p £1.28 TESCO Value carrots, 10-50mm, Class II UK 1Kg 59p 59p 18/06/2010 TESCO Carrots, Loose, Class I UK – – 77p TESCO Carrots, Organic Italy 750gr £1.18 £1.57 22/06/2010 TESCO Carrots, Chantenay (variety)

UK, Alan Bartlett and sons 500gr 75p £1.50 19/06/2010 TESCO Carrots, Class I, 20-42mm UK 1.2Kg £1.00

or 2 for £1.70 83p

or 71p 20/06/2010 ICELAND Carrots, 20-40mm, Class I France 750gr 75p £1.00 20/06/2010 SAINSBURY’S Carrots France, P. Charpentier 500gr 50p £1.00 18/06/2010 SAINSBURY’S* Carrots, Loose, 30-45mm, Nairobi (variety)

Fife, Scotland, UK 77p SAINSBURY’S* Carrots, Organic Spain, A. R. Cabello 750gr £1.02 £1.36 21/06/2010 M&S Carrots, Organic, Class I Israel 600gr 99p £1.65 22/06/2010 M&S Carrots, 25-35mm, Class I Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, G. Jamieson 500gr 50p £1.00 23/06/2010 M&S Carrots, Loose, Class I Scotland, UK 77p 21/06/2010 Waitrose Carrots England, UK 1kg 99p 99p 20/06/2010 Waitrose Carrots, Loose, Organic Spain £1.69 23/06/2010 Waitrose Carrots, Organic Spain 1kg £1.79 £1.79 20/06/2010 Waitrose Carrots, bunch (Almost like the baby carrots of ASDA, but larger)

Italy 400gr £1.79 £4.47 20/06/2010 Waitrose Carrots, Chantenay (variety)

Israel 500gr £1.39 £2.78 20/06/2010 Waitrose Carrots, Large, Class I, Chantenay (variety)

Israel 600gr £1.59 £2.65 19/06/2010 ASDA Carrots, 20-40mm, Class I France 1kg 98p 98p 19/06/2010 ASDA Carrots, Loose France 76p 20/06/2010 ASDA Carrots, Organic, 20-45mm, Class II Israel 750gr 96p £1.28 19/06/2010 ASDA Carrots, 20-35mm, Class I, Chantenay (variety)

Israel 500gr 76p £1.52 ASDA Carrots, Baby, 10-20mm, Class I UK, M.H.Poskitt 150gr £1.27 £8.47 20/06/2010 Abel & Cole Carrots, Organic, Class II (minimum) Italy 500gr 75p £1.50

*Sainsbury’s: Holborn branch, 18 June 2010

Sources:

nutritiondata.com / Raw Carrots

Basic Horticultural Statistics – Defra

Abel & Cole – Carrots

ASDA – Carrots





Credits:

Nicholas Primentas (for providing prices from Athens, Greece)

If you found this post interesting, why not have a look at our post about Potatoes in the UK