Tackling food waste: Vegetables now available in retail outlets with minor imperfections

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For the first time since 2014, the quality standards of 65 products were extensively revised. Tolerance to minor defects in vegetables is now increasing, the Swiss Vegetable Producers Association (VSGP) announced on Thursday. That means there may soon be some funny-shaped carrots or little nicked tomatoes on the shelves. By adjusting quality standards, Swiss vegetables should become even more sustainable overall.

The Swiss fruit, vegetable and potato trade association (Swisscofel) is convinced in its press release that consumers will welcome and accept the new standards. The industry says that it has reacted to various developments in recent years by adopting quality standards. Thus, it makes an important contribution to the implementation of the action plan against food waste. The aim is to halve food losses by 2030 compared to 2017.

New sweet potatoes from Unique at Coop

Coop is also campaigning against food waste with its Unique brand. Coop now also sells non-regular sweet potatoes. “Due to last year’s weather, sweet potatoes are of a caliber that doesn’t fit the norm. By including these sweet potatoes in the Ünique series, they are not processed in the biogas plant.” Coop saved about 20 tons of sweet potatoes with the campaign.

With Unique, the retailer saves more than 1,750 tons of fruit and vegetables in total every year. The potato, pepperoni and vegetable mix from Ünique is basically available all year round. In addition to sweet potatoes, there are also carrots in the range right now.

According to a UN report, food loss and food waste is the third largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Agricultural Information Service (LID), the environmental impact of avoidable food waste in Switzerland is about half that of all motorized private transport.

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Avoidable waste is mostly caused by harvest failures to comply with strict trade regulations and lack of buyers or seasonal overproduction. Alongside Coop, other retailers such as Migros are committed to tackling food waste. For example, with “Too good to go”: Now food can be bought cheaply through the app and thus saved.

According to LID, vegetable producers welcome the new quality standards. But they are also aware that they cannot sell rotten, gluttonous products.

The Consumer Protection Foundation was also pleased with the new arrangement. He said on Twitter that the less stringent quality standards for Swiss vegetables are very good. However, the store must be informed and the effect must be measured. In addition, more steps must be taken to reduce food waste.

(SDA/kae)

Source :Blick