EU TO END GREENGROCER BEAUTY CONTEST (Fiona Hall MEP)

Fiona Hall MEP <info@fionahall.org.uk>

EU TO END GREENGROCER BEAUTY CONTEST

November 14, 2008 12:00 AM

Curved cucumbers, peculiar peppers and twisted turnips look set to join perfect fruit and vegetables in local shops.

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's has argued that scrapping rules that prevent misshapen produce reaching the shelves could reduce prices by up to 40%.

EU laws to ensure fruit and vegetables were sold in standard shapes and sizes were put in place following requests from food buyers to assist them in contracts for large-scale purchases.

But after calls from groups such as Sainsbury's the European Commission has decided to scrap many of the rules to allow the sale of knobbly produce.

Local Euro-MP Fiona Hall has welcomed the decision and looks forward to cheaper products for those customers who want to buy this way.

The Liberal Democrat MEP said: "Supermarkets demanded these standards in the first place so they knew exactly what they would be getting if they ordered 1000 cucumbers. But if they are now asking for changes so they can sell odd-shaped fruit and vegetables at discount prices then it is right that the EU should not outlaw this trade.

"It will be interesting to see whether supermarkets now start offering misshapen fruit and vegetables for sale. It will depend on whether customers are prepared to buy "ugly" products however wholesome they may be."

Not all countries are happy with the decision and some such as France, Italy, Spain and Hungary want to prevent unusually shaped produce as they argue it is easier to trade in standard sizes.

ENDS