Ugly fruit to prove a point

A UK supermarket chain has started selling 'class two' fruit and vegetables in a bid to prove that looks aren’t everything when it comes to produce

The seasonal range is aiming to help customers realise that flavour is not affected by how produce looks on the outside, and encourages the consumption of local, home-grown fruit and veges.

Supermarkets in the UK have been criticised by environmental groups for refusing to stock fruit and vegetables based on looks alone. Waitrose, on the other hand, is stepping up its campaign to source more local produce, which it defines as one that must have been produced within a 30-mile radius of the shop in which it’s sold.

The imperfect fruit is being marketed as the 'Cooks’ Ingredients' range. The supermarket says not all the fruits would make the grade in a beauty pageant, but are just as tasty as their better looking counterparts and are ideal for jams and chutneys.

Source: www.waitrose.co.uk, August 2006