A recent dataset derived from YouGov Ratings offers a compelling snapshot of consumer perceptions around fresh berries in the UK as of Q1 2025. The survey data—collected from a nationally representative panel—focuses on fame (awareness) and popularity (favorability among those aware) for key berry categories: strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
As the UK berry sector continues to expand, understanding the nuanced preferences of different consumer segments is more critical than ever.
While strawberries remain robust pillars of the category, blueberries and blackberries represent both a challenge and an opportunity for the industry.
Strawberries: still the undisputed champion
Strawberries remain the UK’s most celebrated berry, with 100% fame across all adult segments and a popularity rating of 91%, securing the #1 position in both metrics. Whether among Millennials, Generation X, or Baby Boomers, strawberries consistently topped the charts.
Even among specific demographic splits like men and women, their popularity showed minimal variation (ranging from 89–92%). The strawberry's enduring supremacy in consumer perception makes it a cornerstone product.
For growers and retailers, this supports continued investment in premium and sustainable formats and varieties, particularly for seasonal campaigns and national promotions.
Blueberries: popularity still rising, but challenges remain
Despite being hailed as a superfruit, blueberries are not as universally liked as industry narratives might suggest. According to YouGov Q1 2025 data:
- Fame among UK adults is 99%, with slight variation across demographics
- Overall popularity sits at 70%, placing blueberries only #14 in the popularity ranking
This reflects a noticeable gap between awareness and true affection.
A more granular view reveals that blueberries have a mixed reception:
- Millennials: 72% popularity (Fame: 98%)
- Generation X: 65% popularity (Fame: 100%)
- Baby Boomers: 73% popularity (Fame: 98%)
- Men: 68% popularity (Fame: 99%)
- Women: 72% popularity (Fame: 99%)
This shows that older consumers (Baby Boomers) and women tend to rate blueberries more favorably than younger or male respondents.
However, even the top segments fall short of the 90%+ popularity enjoyed by strawberries.
Blackberries: high awareness, uneven appeal
Blackberries perform better than anticipated, especially considering their more divisive sensory characteristics. According to YouGov Ratings:
- Fame among all UK adults is 98%
- Overall popularity is 74%, placing them at #17 in the national popularity ranking
While this places blackberries well below strawberries and slightly behind blueberries, they still enjoy solid awareness and moderate favorability.
The performance across demographic segments offers a nuanced view:
- Millennials: 78% popularity (Fame: 97%) — one of the highest among the segments
- Generation X: 77% popularity (Fame: 100%)
- Baby Boomers: 80% popularity (Fame: 100%) — the strongest segment
- Men: 77% popularity (Fame: 97%)
- Women: 72% popularity (Fame: 99%)
This reveals that Baby Boomers and Millennials are more receptive, while women and Gen Z (not listed, but inferred from parallel patterns) might be less enthusiastic.
About the data
The insights come from YouGov Ratings, based on millions of ongoing survey responses within the UK. Respondents are asked two core questions: “Which of the following fruits have you heard of?” and “Of those you’ve heard of, which do you like?”
This provides dual metrics: fame (awareness) and popularity (favorability). The rankings reflect the relative position of each fruit among the UK adult population and major demographic groups.
Photo: kaboompics
