Cherries rank on top of European consumers' preferences

16 May 2023
4164

The seven-nation European project BreedingValue is aimed at enhancing the value of fruits such as strawberry, blueberry and raspberry, and involves seven nations Italy, France, Germany, Spain, UK, Finland and Turkey.

One of the activities of the project, conducted between March and July 2022, and led by the Institute of Bioeconomics of the CNR, with the support of European partners, was to engage consumers through a multilingual online survey to understand the liking of the fruits studied in the project, compared to other popular fruits.

The cherry in second place

More than 900 consumers participated in the survey, and the most popular fruit among the 18 proposed was strawberry, with raspberry in fourth place and blueberry in fifth. Excellent placings then for these 'up-and-coming' fruits.

In second place was the cherry, with an average rating of 6.1 out of 7. 

The cherry is, among the most liked fruits, in third place in Turkey, second place in France and the United Kingdom, almost equal to the strawberry for Spanish consumers, and first place for Italian consumers (rating 6.4 out of 7). 

In Germany, the whole podium is for the berry: strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, in that order, with the cherry in fourth place. 

Only in Finland is the cherry not among the top 10 most popular fruits, but the difference between the opinions of consumers in the different countries gives an idea that the online survey was conducted carefully and with a desire to offer honest individual judgements.

The survey, it is important for the research, to segment consumers according to preferences and expectations, highlighted the high appreciation for berries, but also showed how the cherry, together with the peach (in third position

according to international ratings ... and second in Italy ahead of the strawberry), is an important reference when it comes to taste, quality and the pleasure of eating fruit.

Ranking of the proposed fruits in order of 'international' liking

  1. Strawberry
  2. Cherry
  3. Peach
  4. Raspberry
  5. Blueberry
  6. Watermelon
  7. Orange
  8. Apricot
  9. Blackberry
  10. Grape
  11. Banana
  12. Apple
  13. Pineapple
  14. Plum
  15. Pear
  16. Kiwi
  17. Pomegranate
  18. Grapefruit

Ranking of the preferences of the approximately 350 Italian participants

  1. Cherry
  2. Peach
  3. Strawberry
  4. Apricot
  5. Raspberry
  6. Blueberry
  7. Blackberry
  8. Orange
  9. Watermelon
  10. Grape
  11. Pineapple
  12. Apple
  13. Banana
  14. Plum
  15. Pear
  16. Kiwi
  17. Pomegranate

Cherry Times - All rights reserved

What to read next

Late-season cherries: new hope for Moldovan businesses

Production

10 Jul 2026

Moldova’s late-season sweet cherries are entering peak sales with rising prices, export-grade quality and fresh opportunities across European markets. Weather delays, regional competition and selective demand are shaping a crucial July for growers and traders alike.

A new manual on growing and pruning fruit trees

Planting systems

20 Feb 2026

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture (Canada) publishes a technical guide on the cultivation and pruning of stone and pome fruit trees. Focus on peach, plum, sweet cherry and pear trees, with guidance on work efficiency, crop load management and disease control.

In evidenza

Low-cost dendrometers for monitoring plant growth and water status

Tech management

31 Jul 2026

An open-source, low-cost dendrometer system tracks trunk growth, water stress and irrigation needs in apple, sour cherry and peach orchards. Built on Arduino, it supports precise, sustainable water management and makes plant monitoring more accessible at commercial scale.

Small harvests and massive imports: the Polish cherry season is set to be full of challenges

Production

31 Jul 2026

Poland’s cherry season is delivering barely 50% of the 2025 record crop. Frost, drought, extreme heat and heavy imports are squeezing prices and sales, while growers rely on cold storage, premium quality and pick-your-own events to protect margins in a brutal market.

Tag Popolari