London, United Kingdom
June 29, 2009
Mind your peas and cu(cumber)s
Consumers will now be able to
see fruit and vegetables as nature intended.
Strawberries or apples for making jams and pies at home - which
in the past might not have been available because of cosmetic
imperfections - should now be easier to spot on the shop
shelves.
New EU marketing regulations come into force on 1 July which
clarify the rules relating to wonky fruit and vegetables - good
news for anyone keen on curvy cucumbers or partial to
out-of-proportion plums.
Until now, there has often been a misconception that anything
which does not look “perfect” can’t be sold by retailers. But
the new rules simplify how retailers can market produce without
misleading consumers – whether it’s polished, knobbly, or bent.
Food and Farming Minister
Jim Fitzpatrick said: “The new marketing regulations will help
supermarkets and greengrocers label their fruit and vegetables
correctly, and will provide more choice for people who aren’t
bothered by what shape their five a day comes in. It also means
that producers and suppliers won’t be stuck with as many
leftovers, so there’ll be less food waste.”
Twenty six types of fruit and vegetables which were covered by
Specific Marketing Standards will now instead be covered by the
General Marketing Standard (GMS), which is below the old ‘Class
2’ standard. Retailers will be able to market these fruit and
vegetables without giving the impression that the produce is
imperfect.
So long as it is clean, free from pests or diseases, is not
rotten, and is labelled with the country of origin, retailers
will be able to market it as they see fit.
Ten other types of produce remain subject to Specific Marketing
Standards (SMS) which are stricter but there is an allowance for
the fruit and vegetables covered to be marketed for processing
(such as into jams or pies) if they fall below the SMS. |
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