On the other hand, the growing market for ugly fruit and vegetables could be an economic threat to traditional retailers. This benefits shoppers by lowering prices for regular and ugly produce, versus selling both types of products alongside each other in one shop.
Having two parallel channels for selling produce (the main one and the dedicated "ugly" channel) would increase competition. Our research also shows that selling the ugly produce through a dedicated channel is likely to increase total demand for fruit and vegetables, while also decreasing on-farm loss. When selling both types of product to a single retailer, the ugly items might be undervalued compared with the standard-looking products. For retailers, this provides an opportunity for further revenue over and above current sales of standard produce to shops. So how can producers and retailers boost the amount of non-standard fruit and veg that not only reaches our shelves, but also our plates? Our recent research suggests a separate channel for selling ugly produce would increase profits for growers, lower prices for consumers and boost overall demand for produce.įor growers, a dedicated channel - either independent or set up by a supermarket - to supply wonky fruit and veg creates a new line of business. One study showed consumers are likely to throw away an apple with a spot, but would eat a bent cucumber.
But other research indicates consumers can still be picky and difficult to predict.
And research has shown that 87% of people say they would eat wonky fruit and vegetables if they were available. In recent years there has been a growing trend of selling such "ugly" fruit and vegetables, both by major supermarket chains, as well as speciality retailers that sell boxes of wonky produce. This means fruit and vegetables that are misshapen, discolored or even too small or too large, are rejected before they make it to supermarket shelves.
#Misshapen vegetables free#
Supermarkets and consumers often prefer produce of a fairly standard size that's free of blemishes, scars and other imperfections. When imperfect fruit and vegetables don't make it to supermarket shelves, it can be due to cosmetic standards. Any solutions that increase locally grown produce on shop shelves could improve the availability of fresh food, particularly in urban areas. This means that producers' efforts to meet stringent specifications from buyers can lead to perfectly edible produce being discarded before it even leaves the farm - simply because of how it looks.Īside from the ongoing environmental implications of this food waste, UK shoppers currently face produce rationing in some supermarkets due to shortages of items like tomatoes, cucumbers and raspberries. Other research suggests that as much as 25% of apples, 20% of onions and 13% of potatoes grown in the UK are destroyed because they don't look right. Globally, around 14% of food produced is lost after harvesting but before it reaches shops and supermarkets.Īlongside food prices (66%), food waste is a concern for 60% of people that participated in a recent survey published by the UK Food Standards Agency. The world is facing a significant food waste problem, with up to half of all fruit and vegetables lost somewhere along the agricultural food chain. This article was originally published on The Conversation.
0 kommentar(er)
