WHY WONKY MATTERS...

Embracing wonky veg couldn’t come soon enough. On average the UK wastes £10billion worth of food every year with MPs and campaigners encouraging people to do more to cut waste. Farmers are shouldering a big part of that cost. Every year they throw out up to 37,000 tonnes of produce - around 16% of their crop - that doesn’t live up to standards, much of it down to appearance. That’s enough to provide 250,000 people with their recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables a day for a year, according to a study by environment charity Feedback. Waste is estimated to cost farmers millions every year, but it also costs families. Some supermarkets, like Morrisons are making it easier to find this odd looking produce that doesn’t compromise on taste. Typically, these ranges offer substantial savings compared to perfect-looking produce. With many families feeling the pinch, wonky fruit and veg is a fantastic way to feed everyone for less - without compromising on quality. Not only does it cut down on shocking food waste, it helps farmers sell a larger proportion of their crops and more money from the food they grow. Consumers are increasingly making the switch. In 2016 Morrisons sold over 25,000 tonnes of it and last year was selling over 500 tonnes a week. Drew Kirk, fruit and veg director at the supermarket said: “We have listened to customers who have told us they want to be given every opportunity to reduce food waste. So we’re providing a much bigger choice of naturally wonky or blemished products - so everyone can be involved in reducing waste and afford to eat more healthily.”