Grocers urged to sell freaky fruit, ugly vegetables at discount prices in campaign to cut food waste

Independent fruiterers are being encouraged to sell marked and malformed fruit and vegetables at a cut price, to reduce food waste and increase access to healthy produce.

French supermarket chain Intermarche ran a similar campaign earlier this year, promoting imperfect fruit and vegetables to reduce food waste.

Last week Woolworths announced it would join a local initiative, winning support from producers.

Woolworths is selling imperfect fruit and vegetables at discount prices. (Getty Images : Ian Waldie)

Graeme Lynch from the Heart Foundation said he wanted independent grocers in Tasmania to get on board.

"They're very easy and nutritional for people to buy and eat," he said.

"[We're] working with growers and distributors of fresh fruit and vegetables to find ways [as] sometimes the seconds of fruit and vegetables are not available easily for market."

A survey done earlier this year found Tasmanians needed to spend about half their income on food if they wanted to maintain a healthy diet.

Some major chains stock lines of marked and flawed carrots, apples and pears at a reduced price, but Mr Lynch hoped there would be a much wider variety of produce in Tasmanian stores soon.

The push was put forward as part of a grants funding application.

As much as 40 per cent of Australia's fresh produce is rejected from supermarkets because of cosmetic flaws.

Source : ABC News   Catherine McAloon   December 5th 2014