For this weeks Journal, I have been visiting Supermarkets to evaluate the availability of English Apples & Pears in comparison to their Imported 'cousins'. This is particularly poignant after listening to comments from visitors to The National Fruit Show 'Roadshow' at Basingstoke the week before last. A common complaint made by consumers supportive of English Apples & Pears is; 'of course you can't get those these days' can you? 'Supermarkets do not stock them'
Well, I have to say this is not always a true statement, so why is it so often said?
Is it a 'cover statement' by consumers not wishing to admit to buying imported apples & pears?
One of the most common references is to Egremont Russets and I know from my own experience that this variety is sold by all the big volume retailers and should therefore be available to the majority of consumers in all regions.
However presentation of English v Imported is often very poor; all mixed up together with no clear definition unless the box is lined with the Union Flag.
My travels around Waitrose, Sainsbury, Tesco, Morrison and M&S revealed much about the individual retailers committment to English Apples & Pears. My comments are set out below by retailer:
Waitrose (Hythe in Kent) - Presentation of all Apples & Pears was excellent, with clear demarcation between English and Imported. On display; Cox @ £1.70 kg. Russet @ £1.89 kg. Spartan @£1.79 kg. Gala @ £1.47kg. Bramley @ £1.54 kg. Conference Pears @ £1.57 kg. Comice Pears @ £ 1.99 kg.Quality of all fruit on display was very good. Top marks from the EAM! I bought English Conference Pears @ £1.57 per kg Fantastic texture and Flavour!
M&S (Hastings in Sussex) - As always this retailer exudes quality and displays all produce very well, however it is a small (but valuable) part of the national sales of English Apples & Pears. On display; Bramley @ £1.89 kg. Gala @ £1.47 kg. Cox (loose) @ £1.99 kg. Conference (loose) @ £1.99 kg. Conference x 6 pack 99p .I bought two 4 packs (one Cox & one Gala) both on offer at 2 for the price of 1. £2.29 for both The Cox are Tree Ripened and very good. The Gala 'Best of British' are crisp, juicy and sweet.
Sainsbury (Hastings) - Overall pretty good, with a good representation of English Apples & Pears. The main disappointment is management of some lines. Pears in particular can look very untidy.
Today the loose Conference & Comice looked poor (a consumer said 'looks like end of season') but looking at the lower tray in a crate revealed that the incoming fruit was perfect. From my experience this is due to consumers self selecting (trawling) pears, which are delicate by nature and suffer visually. The problem is retail staff (aware of wastage) do not remove the damaged fruit often enough and this encourages yet more 'trawling' by the consumer. I bought Polybag English Gala; BOGOF (2 for price of 1) A nice crisp and juicy eat; great for children!
This store is our regular weekly shopping point 
Tesco (Hastings)- Easily the most dissapointing of my visits. A large (new build) store, a consumers 'shop in one' paradise, however the Apple & Pear' display has in my opinion suffered from this 'Hypermarket' style store. It is muddled with no clear strategy.
That is not to say the fruit is of poor quality, just presented poorly. The only variety to show a 'managed approach' was English Gala with a block of four trays making an eye catching impression. The trays of loose Cox ( of which there were two) were empty and hard as I looked I could find no Cox in a Polybag format at all. On display; Conference Pears @ £1.65 kg. Comice Pears @ £1.77 kg. Russet @ £1.55 kg. Bramley @ £1.34 kg. Gala @ £1.47 kg. Kanzi m@ £1.75 kg.
The Disney packs of Gala were presented in a dedicated display; but all French Apples, is that really necessary at this stage of the English season? I bought English Kanzi; a very crisp and juicy eat. £1.75 per kg Try them
Morrisons (Hastings) - What a fine display. Just inside the entrance a dedicated display of British Apples & Pears in season. A real eye catcher and no problem finding the main English varieties. On display; Gala @ £1.48 kg. Russet @ £1.79 kg. Cox @ £1.79 kg. Comice Pears @ £1.89 kg. Conference Pears @ £1.55 kg.Bramley. Spartan as Traditional pack x 7 apples @ £1.39 kg.
I bought a 4 pack of English Concorde Pears. £1.49 but on offer with 25% off @ £1.11 Concorde is a fantastic Pear. A cross between Comice & Conference, but visually similar to Conference!
I also bought a pack of Organic Santana Apples grown in Herefordshire @ £1.79 x 7 apples. Crisp & very juicy. 
Reverting back to my earlier comment about lack of Egremont Russet, I found good examples of this variety in all Supermarkets apart from M&S. But I would encourage visitors to this web site to ask produce managers at any Supermarket why a particular variety is not on display! There is no excuse for non avalability of the main english varieties; Cox, Gala, Russet, Bramley and Pear varieties Conference, Comice and Concorde. Also available in selected stores; Kanzi, Cameo, Jazz, Spartan, Meridian and English Empire.
In next week issue; 'tidying up down on the farm'
Take care
The English Apple Man