METRO Bulgaria is giving a second chance to imperfect fruits and vegetables that do not meet cosmetic standards for size, color and shape, but are delicious and perfectly safe. These fruits and vegetables are sold in paper bags in order to reduce the use of plastic.
For the time being, "Ugly but delicious" fruits and vegetables, namely zucchini, eggplant, cucumber and stone fruit, can be found at METRO stores in Blagoevgrad, Plovdiv, Sofia and Varna. By the end of the season, these products are also expected to hit the shelves in other country stores.
The range of fruit and vegetables depends on the season and local availability. The new METRO program supports local producers in their development and is helping them reduce their costs. Meanwhile, customers benefit from a good assortment and quality at a fixed price.
Growers in Bulgaria fail to market 20% of their fruit and vegetable productions due to cosmetic quality standards. In the world, about a third of certain foods is wasted, while 1 in 7 billion people worldwide suffer from starvation. In the European Union, 9.1 million tonnes of food are wasted in the production process and 25% of fresh products are discarded due to imperfections or cosmetic damages.
If successful, the campaign will later be extended to the entire assortment of fruits and vegetables delivered to METRO Bulgaria.
Source: economic.bg