Tesco announces major change to fruit packaging in trial affecting 220 stores

Tesco has launched an innovative trial selling grapes based on their flavour and texture characteristics, moving beyond the traditional red, green and black categories.

The supermarket giant will test new labelling across 220 stores to better understand customer preferences.

The move mirrors how other fruits – like apples – are sold by names such as Gala and Braeburn, rather than just colour.

Tesco noted that wine is similarly marketed by grape variety, flavour and style rather than simply being labelled as red or white.

The new labelling system introduces three distinct categories: tropical flavour, candy flavour and crunchiness.

These new options are being offered alongside Tesco’s existing range of table grapes.

Early feedback from the trial has revealed clear preferences among British shoppers, with UK customers showing the strongest preference for grapes with a crunchy texture.

The second most popular characteristic was tropical flavour, while candy-flavoured grapes ranked third in consumer preference.

The supermarket aims to use these insights to potentially expand its grape range based on customer preferences.

Tesco fruit technical manager, James Cackett, explained that most people only recognise three grape varieties: red, green and black.

“And that was pretty much the case until the turn of the century when fruit breeders began looking at how to naturally improve flavour, crunchiness and sweetness, which is a wholly natural process to deliver better quality grapes all-round.

James highlighted how breeding technology advances have opened up new possibilities.

The trials will help Tesco “better gauge and understand the attributes our shoppers prefer”.

Rachel Botha, head of commercial at AMT Fresh (a Tesco supplier) described the initiative, implemented through the Jaffa brand, as “the most far-reaching research ever undertaken in the UK to understand British consumers’ table grape-eating preferences”.

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“We are working with the world’s foremost fruit breeding companies to supply the grapes that British shoppers want to consistently see on supermarket shelves,” she said.

Rachel emphasised that the trial “reflects the strengths of our breeding programmes, the commitment of growers eager to explore new possibilities and Tescos openness to pioneering shopper-focused initiatives”.

Thanks to technological advances, Botha said they can now meet consumer preferences consistently.