GHI Tried and Tested: Organic fruit and vegetable boxes

GHI tried and tested consumer reports

The Good Housekeeping Institute is a leading research centre that has tested goods and stood up for consumers for more than 80 years. Our expert staff assess hundreds of products and respond to queries, feeding your concerns back into the magazine.

 

Here, the GHI tests the leading organic fruit and vegetable boxes for you. Click through our gallery to find out how they performed. Our entire database of test reports will be online at allaboutyou.com soon - in the meantime if you require a particular test report email consumer.query@natmags.co.uk and we will send it on to you.

Company

Grow Wild

Growwild.co.uk; 0845 226 3393

Catchment Area/delivery

Edinburgh, Glasgow and Central Scotland   

Box and cost

Mixed, £14.45; £1 delivery charge in some areas      

Value for money

6/10    

Comments

Full marks for freshness. No potatoes included. No recipes or fact sheets except Soil Association and UKROFS Standards info on all foods grown.   

Overall score

88/100

 

Company

Abel & Cole

Abel-cole.co.uk; 0845 262 6262        

Catchment Area/delivery

Most of South, Midlands, northwest 

Box and cost

Mixed, £14.80

Value for money

4/10

Comments

Free delivery. Good selection of vegetables but only three fruits. All items are loose so no excess packaging.      

Overall Score

88/100

 

Company

Riverford

Riverford.co.uk; 0845 600 2311

Catchment area/delivery

Southern England, Midlands, parts of Wales

Box and cost

Fruit and veg box £13.95

Value for money

8/10

Comments

Free delivery. Full marks for freshness. Good supporting literature. Surprised potatoes weren't included in the box. Box left out in the rain not in the specified place.

Overall score

85/100

 

Company

The Ethical food Company

Ethicalfoods.co.uk; 01296 733737

Catchment are/delivery

Oxfordshire, home counties; London SW6,10,11,13,15,18 UK-wide couriers        

Box and cost

Medium veg box, £15; plus delivery £2 local; £3 London specified post-codes or 7.50 courier.     

Value for money

10/10  

Comments

Excellent selection of products. One small potato was black. Did not arrive on specified day but full explanation given. No information supplied with box.     

Overall score

81/100

 

Company

Everybody Organic

Everybodyorganic.com; 0845 345 5054

Catchment area/delivery

London, Home Counties; UK-wide couriers 

Box and cost

Mixed, £13.77, plus £1 non-refundable deposit for box; free delivery. Courier delivery £5.99.      

Value for money

8/10

Comments

Wide range of different boxes available. Good packaging, wooden crate with cardboard dividers. Spinach a bit squashed.       

Overall score

78/100

 

Company

Farmaround

Farmaround.co.uk; 01748 821116     

Catchment area/delivery

London, northern England    

Box and cost

Standard veg box , £8 and mini fruit box £3.90 plus £1 delivery.    

Value for money

10/10  

Comments

Boxes include 3-4 staple items plus seasonal extras. Organic groceries, dairy and bread also available.  Some of the fruit was unripe.

Overall score

90/100