Luxury department store Harrods in London has begun selling white peaches from Fukushima Prefecture. According to Kyodo News, the Sakura peaches went on sale last Saturday and attracted a large number of customers at the tasting corner. The peaches are being sold in sets of three for £80 (approximately 15,000 yen) until early October.
This sales campaign is part of Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ efforts to counter negative rumors about the safety of Fukushima food products that arose after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster in 2011. One customer who tried the peaches commented that they were not overly sweet and tasted better than the ones she usually eats.
Last October, when Fukushima peaches were sold at the Japan Festival held in London, they quickly sold out, prompting plans to sell them at Harrods. TEPCO collaborated with importers, the Fukushima Prefectural Association in the UK, and the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) to make this happen.
It is worth noting that import restrictions on Japanese food products imposed by the UK following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident have been lifted since 2022. According to Japan’s agriculture ministry, Fukushima Prefecture is now ranked as Japan’s second-largest producer of peaches after Yamanashi Prefecture.
