Blackberries boom despite miserable summerSales have overtaken blueberries

24 August 2007

Enjoy freshly-picked fruit straight from your garden

Blackberries are enjoying a popularity surge despite the lack of summer sunshine, a retailer said.

Sales are growing at more than double the rate of blueberries, according to Sainsbury's.

Overall, berry sales are up 15% on this time last year while British-grown blackberries have increased 45% at the chain.

Demand for berries

It follows concerns among growers that demand for berries would be hit by the miserable weather.

Sainsbury's soft fruit buyer Julien Roberts said: 'It seems our customers are determined not to be put off by the bleak summer we're having.'

Blackberries stocked by the supermarket chain are grown in south east England and Scotland.