Tesco is British Apple Retailer of the Year 2025, Asda is most improved and Sainsbury’s receives two British pear retailer awards.
British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL), the UK top fruit grower association, is delighted to announce Tesco is the 2025 BAPL British Apple Retailer of the Year. The award is based on BAPL member sales to British supermarkets from September 2024 to end of August 2025. As the last of the 2024 apple and pear crop has now been sold, BAPL can reveal the supermarket of the year.
In the year starting September 2024, Tesco sold 34,043 tonnes of British dessert apples, ahead of Aldi, which sold 30,130 tonnes.
In addition to naming the British Apple Retailer of the Year, BAPL is also recognising the retailer that achieved the best year-on-year performance. That award goes to Asda, which more than doubled its volume of British apple sales from 2023/24 to 2024/25 (from 5,555 tonnes to 11,427 tonnes).
Commenting on this achievement, Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL, said: “Tesco has continued to demonstrate their commitment to British apples, and we’re thrilled to see them take the top spot again. Asda has also excelled this year, achieving the largest year-on-year growth in British apple sales — a real testament to their efforts.”
Several supermarkets also over-indexed for British apples – selling more than you would expect given their grocery market share (GMS). Outstanding performers this year included Aldi which sold 20.2% of all British apples compared to their GMS of 10.8%. Lidl which sold 14.4% compared to 8.3% GMS, Sainsbury’s which sold 17% compared to 15% GMS, M&S which sold 5.2% compared to 3.9% GMS and Waitrose which sold 4.6% compared to 4.4% GMS.
However, some supermarkets are still underperforming compared to their GMS. Even the overall winner, Tesco’s sales of British apples, is still 5.5% percentage points below its GMS. Similarly, Morrisons is 4.9 percentage points below its GMS and Asda, despite improvements, is 4.1 percentage points below its GMS.
In addition to the apple awards, British Apples & Pears Limited is also recognising outstanding performance in British pear sales for the 2024/25 season. Sainsbury’s is the 2025 BAPL British Pear Retailer of the Year, selling 5,289 tonnes of British pears between September 2024 and August 2025 — more than any other UK supermarket. Sainsbury’s also takes the BAPL award for Most Improved British Pear Retailer, increasing sales by 905 tonnes in 2024/25 over the previous season. Aldi also delivered an exceptional improvement in British pear sales this year, significantly increasing their volumes from last season and demonstrating a growing commitment to British pears.
Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL, said: “We’re delighted to recognise Sainsbury’s for their leading position in British pear sales once again and for achieving the biggest year-on-year improvement. Lidl once again came in second in the volume league table outperforming their grocery market share, but Aldi’s strong growth in year-on-year pear sales also shows how retailers can build on success when they really get behind British fruit.”
“With a strong British crop in 2024, we’d hoped to see everyone build on their sales. While some have found it more challenging, we see this as a real opportunity. By sharing this data, we want to inspire all retailers to champion British apples and pears even more in the year ahead,” said Ali Capper.
Commenting on the 2025 British apple and pear crop that is just about to be harvested, Ali Capper added: “The fruit really is looking stunning this year, with excellent colour, a superb skin finish and a deliciously sweet flavour profile. We’re very hopeful that 2025 will be a great British apple and pear year, and we know consumers will love the quality they’ll see in stores.”
Full results for 2024 British apple crop:
BAPL continues to publish monthly UK apple sales data
at: https://www.britishapplesandpears.co.uk/supermarket-sales-data.
1 Total Grocery Market Share figure represents 12 weeks ending 10/08/25 (kantar.com)
2 M&S grocery market share accessed here: https://corporate.marksandspencer.com/about-us/key-
facts-figures
3 Includes Ocado, other outlets, symbols and independent
Full results for 2024 British pear crop:
BAPL continues to publish monthly UK pear sales data
at: https://www.britishapplesandpears.co.uk/supermarket-sales-data-pears/
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Notes to Editors:
For more information on British Apples and Pears please contact Louise Raisbeck at social@britishapplesandpears.co.uk or 07966 688063.
About British Apples and Pears
British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) is a grower-funded, not-for-profit organisation that represents all commercial apple and pear growers in the UK. It is run by a committed board of grower directors who work hard to safeguard BAPL member interests and grow the market share of British apples and pears. Our ambition is for at least 60% of apples sold in the UK to be British by 2030.
BAPL activities include industry representation, government liaison, data gathering and consumer awareness raising and promotion. The organisation also funds much-needed research and development to protect the apple and pear crop.
www.britishapplesandpears.co.uk
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