Processed dates are generally more popular than natural dates. It is estimated that 55 percent to 60 percent of the imported dates are processed. In France and Italy, consumption is evenly distributed between natural and processed dates. In Germany and the UK, processed dates are prominent while in Spain consumption of natural dates is higher.
There are many different types of packaging in the EU, but the ravier has the leadership. There is not a real uniformity of packaging and weight. Except the 5-kg bulk, which is common to every country, various types of packaging can be found: punnets, bags, ravier, tubs, glove boxes, window boxes. There are also many different package weights, ranging from 150g to 2kg. While wholesalers mainly sell in bulk, supermarkets tend to carry small packaging.
