Fresh produce retail dollar sales came in at $7.2 billion for September, down 1.8% from a year ago, with units falling 3.2% and pounds slipping 0.5%. The biggest drag was salad and leafy greens, where units dropped 16.4% and salad kit dollars fell 28.3% — still feeling the effects of the July Cyclospora outbreak. Overall produce averaged $1.86 per pound, down 1.2%, working against dollar growth even when pound sales managed to stay close to flat.
The broader economic picture didn't help. Gas prices climbed back to $4.15 a gallon over Labor Day, forcing shoppers to split budgets between the pump and the grocery store. Meanwhile, the rest of the store saw food and beverage prices rise 2.2% — making produce look cheap but not necessarily driving volume. Frozen fruits and vegetables were the bright spot, up 6.4% to $827 million.
Not everything was negative. Melons led absolute dollar gains at $32 million, and sweet potatoes surged 29.4% in pounds. Potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers all grew in both dollars and pounds. Worth monitoring: whether the salad category continues its slow recovery heading into the holiday season, and whether shoppers return to fresh leafy greens as the Cyclospora story fades further from memory.