Grapes have overtaken apples to become Britain's best selling fruit for the first time ever thanks to the increasing popularity of "snack packs".

A record £604 million was spent on grapes in the last 12 months, industry statistics show. Just £600 million was spent on apples and £551 million on bananas.

Apple sales rose by £12.1 million, a 2.1 per cent increase in value, but this was down to price rises for the fruit which was hit by poor weather conditions.

Volumes fell by 1.5 per cent, the report in The Grocer said.

Grape sales, though, rose in both value and volume with an extra 3.6 per cent being spent on bunches and a 4.1 per cent rise in the number sold. Bananas, too, saw their sales rise by £19 million and remain the top selling fruit by weight if not by value.