‘Demand for pumpkins up by 15 per cent’

Demand for pumpkins will grow by 15 per cent this year as compared with 2020, now that coronavirus restrictions have eased, one of the UK’s major supermarkets said today (7).

“We are anticipating demand to be very strong following the disappointment of Halloween parties being cancelled last year due to lockdown,” Tesco said.

The supermarket anticipates that demand for smaller, edible Sweet Culinary pumpkins will be up 15 per cent as compared to last year, driven by the plant-based food boom, while demand for novelty Red Devil and White Ghost varieties has increased by more than 60 per cent last year, reports said.

“The Sweet Culinary variety is already proving popular, especially with vegans who not only make traditional pies and soup out of them but also use them as centrepiece dishes,” said the supermarket’s spokesperson.

While England was under a tier system in October last year, restrictions in Scotland and Northern Ireland prevented people meeting indoors with other households.

Steve Whitworth, manager at one of Europe’s biggest suppliers of pumpkins which also supplies to Tesco, said, “The quality this year is fantastic and over the last few months we have had just the right amount of sunshine and rain.”

He said the company works with the supermarket to ensure there is as little food waste as possible, giving any surplus pumpkins left over to food charities.