Celery insights: Explore key sales metrics and buying habits – Feb 2026
14 April 2026
Key Findings
– Sales and Volume Change: Lettuce dollar sales increased 5.0% over the past year, broadly in line with the fresh vegetable market, while retail volumes declined ‑1.5%.
– Drivers of Growth: Value growth was driven by higher prices, with average prices rising 6.5% year‑on‑year. While household penetration held at 74%, fewer purchase occasions resulted in households buying, on average, around 100g less lettuce over the year.
– Retail Channel Trends: Lettuce volume declines were evident across major supermarkets (‑2.1%) and specialty stores (‑1.8%), while non‑major supermarkets were the only channel to record volume growth ( 3.8%), partially offsetting national losses.
– Format Performance: Across major supermarkets, prepacked lettuce volumes were flat, with overall declines driven by loose lettuce, where volumes dropped ‑5.9% as fewer households purchased this format.
– Household Engagement: Families with babies, and Established Couples were the only households to record volume growth. Higher prices had the greatest impact on low‑income households, where volumes declined ‑6.2%.
Market study
Industry data and insights
Leafy vegetables
Lettuce