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For the shopper in a hurry, they seem a godsend - ranges of avocados, kiwis, peaches, nectarines and other fruit that come with a promise they're perfectly ripe to eat.
But there's a downside, since the price can be inflated by as much as 200 per cent - and, as many have found to their cost, sometimes the fruit is still rock hard and inedible.
Supermarkets claim to use a raft of tricks to make sure their fruit is perfectly ripe - from blowing hot air on to produce, to using 'acoustic testing' and 'infra-red' technology to make sure that each item is ready-to-eat. Femail put their efforts to the test…
'I check the 'ripe and ready' avocado by cupping it in the palm of my hand to see if it yields to pressure'
AVOCADOS
Sainsbury's
Ripe and ready Avocados £2 for two (£1 each) Ordinary punnet: £1.50 for four (38p each) Price difference: 163 per cent
I check the 'ripe and ready' avocado by cupping it in the palm of my hand to see if it yields to pressure at the stalk end. There's barely any give, which is not a good sign. When I cut it open, the flesh is hard. I take one bite and leave the rest - it's too hard to enjoy on its own.
Ripeness rating: 1/5
Tesco
Ripe and Ready Avocados £2 for two (£1 each) Loose avocados: 99p each Price difference: 1 per cent
The packaging promises me an avocado with a 'creamy texture and nutty flavour' but the flesh is hard. Disappointing.                               Â
Ripeness rating: 1/5
Marks & SpencerÂ
Perfectly Ripe Avocados £1.99 for two (98p each) Ordinary punnet: £3 for four (75p each)
Price difference: 31 per cent
Grown in Spain, my Hass avocado feels ripe and I'm not disappointed when I cut it open. The flesh is lovely and creamy. It could do with another day's ripening before I can mash it easily, but it's perfect for a salad or sandwich.
Ripeness rating: 4/5
Waitrose
Perfectly Ripe avocados £1.99 for two (98p each). Loose avocados 99p each. Price difference: 1 per cent
I cut into this Hass avocado from Israel to find creamy flesh. It's not quite soft enough to mash, but great in an avocado, tomato and mozzarella salad. And at no extra cost, this is great value.
Ripeness rating: 4/5
Asda
Perfectly Ripe Avocado £1.75 for two (87.5p each). Loose avocados: £1 each. Price difference: 14 per cent cheaper
This Hass avocado, from Chile, feels just right, and I cut into it to find perfect juicy flesh - ideal for mashing into a guacamole or sliced in a salad. Unbelievably, it's cheaper than buying one with no guarantee of ripeness.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Morrisons
Ripened Avocado £1 each. Ordina ry punnet: £1 for four (25p each). Price difference: 300 per cent
Admittedly my single avocado is a lot bigger than the avocados in the multi-pack, but with a 300Â per cent mark-up, I'm expecting perfection. Sadly this is the most under-ripe avocado I've tasted. One bite is one too many. Bitterly disappointing.
Ripeness rating: 1/5
Tesco: The label promises 'sweet, juicy and tender' kiwis. But the skin is too tough to peel easily
KIWIS
Sainsbury's
Ripe and Ready Kiwis £1.65 for four (41p each). Ordinary punnet: £1.25 for six (21p each).Â
Price difference: 95 per cent
Costing nearly twice as much, I'm expecting an all-singing, all-dancing kiwi. But the fruit is tart and under-ripe - a waste of money.
Ripeness rating: 1/5
Tesco
Ripe and Ready Kiwis £1.50 for four (38p each) Ordinary punnet: £1 for six (17p each) Price difference: 123 per cent
The label promises 'sweet, juicy and tender' kiwis. But the skin is too tough to peel easily, and the flesh is slightly under-ripe. Not worth the huge mark-up.
Ripeness rating: 2/5
Marks & SpencerÂ
Perfectly Ripe Kiwis £1.85 for four (46p each) Loose kiwis: 40p each. Price difference: 15 per cent
I cut the top off my French kiwi and scoop out the flesh. It's tangy and tasty - just as it says on the label.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Waitrose
Perfectly Ripe Kiwis £1.60 for two (80p each). Own brand kiwis £1.25 for six (20.8p each) Price difference: 285 per cent
These extra-large kiwis are twice the size of the average fruit. Even so, when I'm paying so much more for them, I expect something very special. I'm not disappointed.
The flesh is packed with flavour. I add a couple of bananas, some strawberries and a squeeze of lime juice for a delicious fruit salad.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Tesco: They're juicy, but a few more days of ripening would bring out even more flavour
NECTARINES
Sainsbury's
Ripe and Ready Nectarines: £3 for four (75p each) Ordinary punnet: £2.50 for four (62p each) Price difference: 21 per cent
This South African nectarine feels hard. When I cut it, I have to struggle to separate the flesh from the stone. There's hardly any juice: this is seriously under-ripe.
Ripeness rating:Â 1/5
Tesco
Hand-picked ripe and juicy nectarines £2 for three (66p each) Ordinary nectarines £1.50 for four (38p each) Price difference: 74 per cent
These Chilean nectarines are labelled 'super sweet'. They're juicy, but a few more days of ripening would bring out even more flavour.
Ripeness rating: 4/5
Marks & SpencerÂ
Perfectly Ripe Nectarines £2.99 for four (75p each) Loose nectarines: 50p each. Price difference: 50 per cent
The flesh comes away easily from the stone, and my nectarine is juicy, zingingly fresh and perfectly ripe.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Waitrose
Perfectly Ripe Nectarines £2.99 for four (74.8p each) Essential nectarines 75p each. Price difference: Negligible
Waitrose have reduced these huge Chilean nectarines by £1, so initially they seem like great value. They taste pleasant but they're not quite ripe enough to eat on their own, so I put them in a fruit salad instead.
Ripeness rating: 3/5
Asda
Ready-to-eat Nectarines £2 for four (50p each) Ordinary punnet: to £1.50 for five (30p each) Price difference: 67 per cent
These South African nectarines feel as tough as rugby balls and I need a sharp knife to saw the flesh away from the stone. There's no way I can snack on this. It's too under-ripe even for a fruit salad.
Ripeness rating: 1/5
Morrisons
Ready-to-eat Nectarines £2.49 for four (62p each) Ordinary bag: £1.49 for five (29.8p each) Price difference: 108 per cent
These are exactly right - the flesh is juicy but doesn't ooze everywhere. I snack on one and slice the rest into a salad with a cucumber and grilled chicken.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Waitrose: They're as hard as a slab of butter straight from the fridge, and they're definitely not sweet
PEARS
Sainsbury's
Ripe and Ready Conference Pears £2 for four (50p each) Ordinary loose pears: 33p each. Price difference: 51 per cent
Grown in Kent, these pears are just right. The flesh is sweet and juicy. They're a lot more costly, but they're worth it.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Tesco
Ripe and Ready pears £1.75 for four (44p each) Ordinary punnet: £1.95 for five (39p each) Price difference: 13 per cent
They feel tough - and no wonder. One bite and it's obvious these pears are under-ripe.
The packaging says: 'wonderful, juicy and sweet' but they're as dry as old toast - and not much sweeter.
Ripeness rating: 1/5
Marks & SpencerÂ
Perfectly Ripe Conference Pears £2.49 for four (62p each) Loose pears: 40p each. Price di fference: 55 per cent
Grown in Kent, these pears feel slightly hard. But I bite inside to find juicy, sweet, perfectly ripe flesh.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Waitrose
Perfectly Ripe Rocha Pears £2.50 for four (62.5p each) Loose pears: 50p each. Price difference: 25 per cent
These Portuguese pears are labelled 'buttery sweet', so I'm expecting creamy softness. In fact they're as hard as a slab of butter straight from the fridge, and they're definitely not sweet. They need a few more days to ripen.
Ripeness rating: 2/5
Asda: Deliciously juicy. I add some to a fruit salad and snack on the rest
PLUMS
Sainsbury's
Ripe and Ready Plums £3 for five (60p each) Loose plums: 55p each. Price difference: 9 per cent
These South African plums have a nice texture and are reasonably juicy and sweet, but I'd prefer to take my chances and pay less for the ordinary ones.
Ripeness rating: 3/5
Asda
Ready to eat Plums £2 for six (33p each) £1 for eight (12.5p each) Price difference: 164 per cent
Deliciously juicy. I add some to a fruit salad and snack on the rest. But 164 per cent is a serious mark-up, and I'm not convinced it's worth it.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
PEACHES - BEST BUY
Sainsbury's
Ripe and Ready Peaches £3 for four (75p each) Ordinary punnet: £2.50 for four (62p each) Price difference: 21 per cent
Great taste, but an extra day would make these peaches even juicier. Good for slicing into a fruit salad but not quite ripe enough to enjoy alone.
Ripeness rating: 3/5
Sainsbury's: Great taste, but an extra day would make these peaches even juicier
Morrisons
Ready to Eat Yellow Flesh Peaches £2.49 for four (62p each) Ordinary punnet: £1.49 for five (29.8p each) Price difference: 108 per cent
This is perfect. I take a bite to discover juicy flesh. It's soft enough to eat on its own, but firm enough to slice into a yummy fruit salad.
Ripeness rating: 5/5
Marks & SpencerÂ
Perfectly Ripe Yellow Flesh Peaches £2.99 for four (75p each) Loose peaches: 38p each. Price difference: 97 per cent
Shipped from South Africa, the peach is labelled ‘sweet and juicy' - but it's not particularly sweet. The sell-by date is four days away. I have to leave my peaches out in the hope that they ripen fully, and feel seriously overcharged.
Ripeness rating: 3/5
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