Analysts at the EastFruit project report that according to information from EU countries, consumers have dramatically increased their purchases of packaged fruits and vegetables. This led to a sharp increase in demand for packaging materials and forced suppliers to seek reserves for the use of packaging lines and facilities.
It is interesting to note that on the first day of quarantine in Ukraine, similar trends were noted. Packed vegetables and fruits quickly disappeared from the shelves.
According to representatives of retail chains, some consumers were afraid to buy bulk products in fear of infection with the coronavirus, since vegetables and fruits could theoretically be touched by other people, possibly carriers of the virus. Accordingly, the demand for packaged products has increased significantly.
And while in the EU countries almost all potatoes and vegetables of the borsch group are sold packaged almost by default, the percentage of packaged products in this group in Ukraine remains relatively low. This is due primarily to the large difference in price between packaged and loose vegetables. However, coronavirus can be the starting point for changing these trends and allow companies selling lines, equipment and supplies for packaging to increase sales.