Tesco has claimed that misshapen fruit and vegetables, so-called 'wonky veg', has been a huge success since its roll-out in March.
Originally limited to potatoes and parsnips, the UK retailer's Perfectly Imperfect range has been extended to strawberries and apples and may be extended to 15-20 lines soon.
Speaking to The Grocer, Tesco UK commercial director for fresh food and commodities Matt Simister outlined its plans for the range. “We will roll it out to any fruit & veg where there is a surplus we feel can be sold rather than thrown away,” he said.
Sales have increased tenfold since the Perfectly Imperfect range first hit shelves. Sales of strawberries have gone up and the Imperfect punnet now accounts for 10-15 per cent of all strawberry sales.
The initiative was introduced in a bid to cut down on food waste, selling misshapen produce at a reduced price rather than discarding them as previously had been the case. Tesco now accept 95 per cent of strawberries from suppliers, up from 85 per cent before the scheme was launched.
Other UK retailers such as Morrisons and Asda have launched similar schemes, with the latter reporting an "unprecedented" response from customers.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by John Golden. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
