UK eating more fruit, cutting back on alcohol

LONDON, Jan 19 (Reuters) UK consumers are eating more fruit and vegetables while cutting back on confectionery and alcoholic drinks, according to a survey issued by Britain's farm and environment ministry.

The survey showed yesterday that the household spending on fruit rose by 10.6 per cent in 2005/06 (April/March) versus the prior year while vegetables, excluding potatoes, climbed by 4.5 per cent.

Estimated intake on fibre was 3.4 per cent higher.

Alcoholic drinks saw a 3.1 per cent decline in both home and eating out consumption.

Confectionery sales have been edging up in recent years but reversed direction with a 6.1 per cent decline.

''These healthier trends in food purchases are promising, but we cannot be complacent and must continue to encourage these trends through healthy eating initiatives,'' Jeff Rooker, minister for sustainable food and farming, said in a statement.

The survey also showed that households were continuing to switch from whole milk to semi-skimmed. Whole milk purchases fell 3.8 per cent and semi-skimmed rose 3.3 per cent.

Total expenditure on all food and drink rose by 1.7 per cent to 34.97 pounds per person per week.

Reuters SSC VP0932