Retail walnut quality – an analysis of walnut quality and value in three major global markets

This study compared the attributes of retail walnuts across three major global markets to determine whether consumers are presently equally well served and whether walnut marketing chains from growers to consumers provide the quality of product possible and needed. Retail samples (81) of walnuts were purchased from UK (58), French (15) and Hong Kong (8) supermarkets and significant retail outlets. Most UK shelled nuts were old, low quality and low priced compared with French and Hong Kong retail products. UK products had the highest level of package warnings while French products had the highest packaging quality. It is not clear whether UK consumers desired cheap, low quality walnuts (as measured by international standards) or whether the supply chain failed to promote and deliver walnuts of higher quality. However, it is clear large retail markets can provide quality, reasonably priced fresh walnut if the marketing chains are established to do so in all three regions