Homegrown apples in the UK are consistently more expensive than imported bananas, despite the latter travelling thousands of miles. According to the Office for National Statistics, the average price of a kilo of dessert apples was £2.14 in January 2025, while bananas cost just £1.02. This price gap has persisted since 2000.
Bananas are often used as loss leaders by supermarkets to attract customers, as they are a staple in nine out of ten households, says Alistair Smith of Banana Link. In contrast, apples have a more complex pricing structure, with many varieties and pack sizes. Ali Capper of British Apples & Pears explains that supermarkets now look at overall margins rather than individual product pricing.
UK apple growers face higher costs, including a 50% labour cost due to minimum wage rises, making it hard to compete with imports from countries like South Africa. Almost 60% of apples sold in the UK are imported, some from as far as New Zealand, yet these are not necessarily cheaper than homegrown varieties.
Since 2021, apple prices have risen 17% on average, while bananas have increased only 6%, according to Worldpanel by Numerator. Shrinkflation has also affected apples, with pack sizes shrinking from six to five in some Tesco lines. Clara Tucker of Worldpanel notes that shoppers are feeling the pinch as apple prices climb and larger packs become rarer.
