Padua remains a strong market in terms of the quality of berries, which is generally satisfactory, with fresh batches or those harvested 2–3 days ago.
Blueberry prices are declining, while blackberries and raspberries continue to be expensive. Blackberries are sourced from Mexico — the European season is struggling to get underway — which explains the high prices. Raspberries are also costly and sometimes absent from shelves due to limited supply. Blueberries are mostly from Morocco, Spain, and Italy. Raspberries come from Mexico, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Italy, while blackberries are mainly from Mexico, with some from Portugal and Italy.
This data comes from the Berries Observatory (and Strawberry Observatory), which yesterday, April 14, 2025, stopped in Padua, where 20 stores across 20 banners belonging to 14 organized large-scale retail groups were visited.
The banners: Aldi, Alì, Alìper, Conad City, Conad Superstore, Coop, Eurospar, Eurospin, Famila, iN's, Iper Spar, Iperlando, Lidl, MD, Pam, Prix, Rossetto, Spak, Spazio Conad, Super A&O.
Assortment
The stores visited offered between a minimum of one and a maximum of six SKUs, with an average of 3.7 SKUs.
80% of stores offer raspberries; 95% offer blueberries; 60% offer blackberries; 30% offer red currants; and 20% offer mixed berry packs.
Range breadth
Here's how these SKUs are distributed. 5% of stores offering berries only carry one SKU; 40% offer two or three SKUs; the remaining 55% offer four or more SKUs.
Quality
Quality is assessed in terms of product condition, measured by the Observatory’s experts through the following: absence of major defects; sound product in less-than-ideal condition (not fresh, limp, shriveled, dull, lacking bloom); presence of damaged berries and juice; presence of spoiled berries and mold.
The banners with the best quality were Aldi, Alì Supermercati, Eurospin, F.lli Lando, Gruppo Vega, Lidl.
Retail prices
Raspberries (18 samples): min. €19.92/kg – max. €31.92/kg – average €27.82/kg
Blueberries (38 samples): min. €9.96/kg – max. €24.90/kg – average €16.63/kg
Blackberries (13 samples): min. €15.84/kg – max. €29.20/kg – average €25.18/kg
Red currants (8 samples): min. €23.92/kg – max. €31.92/kg – average €29.48/kg
Mixed berries (4 samples): min. €23.27/kg – max. €31.27/kg – average €27.92/kg
Total (81 samples): min. €9.99/kg – max. €31.92/kg – average €22.32/kg
Brands
Berries from a total of 23 brands were found in the stores visited. The brand with the highest average prices was Villafrut. The brand with the lowest average prices for blueberries was Onubafruit, followed by Cuna De Platero.
Packaging
39% of the blueberry SKUs were sold in packages with a net weight of 125 grams.
| Retailer | Two-pack | Raspberries | Blueberries | Mix | Blackberries | Red currants | Three-pack | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iper Spar | 31,92 | 23,92 | 27,92 | |||||
| Spazio Conad | 30,32 | 18,38 | 30,60 | 29,20 | 30,60 | 27,82 | ||
| Conad City | 31,12 | 19,51 | 24,85 | 29,20 | 31,27 | 27,19 | ||
| Eurospar | 24,95 | 31,92 | 18,32 | 26,32 | 31,92 | 23,27 | 26,12 | |
| Super A&O | 27,12 | 23,92 | 27,12 | 26,05 | ||||
| Coop | 15,69 | 27,84 | 31,84 | 25,12 | ||||
| Pam | 24,95 | 23,92 | 22,81 | 27,92 | 24,90 | |||
| Conad Superstore | 21,45 | 30,32 | 15,78 | 29,20 | 24,19 | |||
| Rossetto | 22,24 | 18,76 | 23,84 | 28,64 | 26,53 | 24,00 | ||
| Alì | 31,92 | 15,29 | 23,92 | 23,71 | ||||
| Alìper | 31,92 | 14,95 | 23,92 | 23,60 | ||||
| Iperlando | 23,84 | 20,92 | 15,84 | 31,84 | 23,11 | |||
| Famila | 27,12 | 18,32 | 22,72 | |||||
| MD | 23,92 | 15,15 | 19,53 | |||||
| Eurospin | 27,92 | 9,96 | 18,94 | |||||
| iN's | 21,52 | 15,92 | 18,72 | |||||
| Aldi | 13,30 | 19,92 | 16,61 | |||||
| Spak | 15,96 | 15,96 | ||||||
| Prix | 14,94 | 14,94 | ||||||
| Lidl | 10,84 | 10,84 |
