NFU welcomes ‘ugly’ fruit face lift

The NFU today welcomed the news that a leading supermarket chain planned to offer so-called ugly fruit at discounted prices.

But Sarah Pettitt, vice chairman of the NFU Horticulture Board, was quick to call for moves to ensure that growers were the ones to benefit from the move.

Her comments followed an announcement by Waitrose that it plans to sell produce which fails to conform to strict guidelines on appearance, European Class Two produce, at discounted prices.

Sarah Pettitt said: “This decision is good news for British growers, provided that the grower benefits from any costs that are saved.

“Potentially it means that, for those who supply Waitrose, there is a market for fruit which is visually imperfect or oddly shaped.

“Although farmers work hard to produce excellent quality produce nature does not always make it possible to produce a perfectly round apple or strawberry – but they all taste just as good. We hope that other retailers follow Waitrose’s example of making best use of the whole crop and therefore reducing waste.”