A national survey: What do Irish consumers value in apples?
Apples are among the most widely consumed fruits in Ireland. However, more than 90% of the apples available on the Irish market are currently imported.
To help strengthen national production, an applied apple research programme was established at Teagasc just over three years ago, with the aim of making apple production more attractive to growers and increasing the supply of high-quality, Irish-grown apples.
This research programme has been focusing on developing a competitive and sustainable apple sector adapted to Irish growing conditions. A central component of the work involves the long-term evaluation of the agronomic performance and fruit quality of more than 50 apple varieties grown in Ireland, with the objective of identifying varieties that meet the quality standards required for commercial production.
Consumer preferences
Alongside these orchard-based assessments, understanding consumer preferences is a key element of the research. Identifying what Irish consumers look for when buying and eating apples is essential to ensure that future varietal and production choices align with market expectations. To address this, a national consumer survey is being conducted to assess apple consumption habits, purchasing behaviour, and the attributes most valued at the point of purchase.
The survey forms part of the PhD research of Jean do Prado, based at Teagasc in collaboration with Atlantic Technological University (ATU), and represents an important step in linking fruit quality data with consumer expectations.
A further consumer-focused stage, involving the tasting and evaluation of different apple varieties, will follow at a later stage of the project.
The survey takes approximately five minutes to complete and is open to adult residents of Ireland who consume apples, either occasionally or regularly.
Participation is entirely voluntary, all responses are anonymous, and no personal identifying information is collected.
Access the Survey on eating apple consumption in Ireland here.
Participants are invited to take part in this survey and to share the link with family, friends, and wider community networks in Ireland. Your participation will help ensure that the results reflect a broad range of consumer perspectives and directly support research aimed at strengthening the sustainability and competitiveness of apple production in Ireland.
