Mis-shapen fruit and vegetables to reappear on shelves

The European Commission has been praised for putting wonky fruit and veg back on supermarket shelves. Producers, politicians and supermarkets were united in support of a decision banishing EU rules regulating the size and shape of 36 types of produce. For 20 years - at food industry request - the EU has set strict marketing standards ensuring only the finest-looking produce reaches the shops. But to reduce red tape and bureaucracy - and make cheaper fruit and veg available as household bills rise - Eurocrats have lifted unnecessary restrictions. EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel declared: "We don't need to regulate this sort of thing at EU level. It is far better to leave it to market operators. "The changes mean that consumers will be able to choose from the widest range of products possible. It makes no sense to throw perfectly good products away, just because they are the 'wrong' size and shape." Leading supermarkets welcomed the return of perfectly good but mis-shapen goods, from apricots and carrots to watermelons and courgettes. Tesco spokesman Adam Fisher said: "We welcome this move and it's not before time. We look forward to selling curly cucumbers and knobbly carrots while ensuring the quality of our ranges isn't compromised."

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ITN | July 1, 2009

Tags:. .wonky. .goods. .reappear. .quality. .types