Food: Consumer advocates criticize specifications for fruit and vegetables

The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and the consumer advice centers are calling on retailers to move away from their strict requirements for the “perfect appearance” of fruit and vegetables in order to avoid food losses.

In two current publications, both bodies complain that there are still too few fruit and vegetables with “blemishes” in the supermarkets in Germany. UBA and consumer advice centers see the reason for this in the “numerous self-imposed requirements” of the trade, it is said.

For example, “apples are only sold with a flawless skin”, with carrots or kohlrabi “the fresh green leaves are only for visual purposes”, but let the vegetables wither faster, criticize both places. According to a current expert analysis, the Federal Environment Agency also sees a burden on the environment and climate, since the strict trade regulations cannot be achieved without the additional use of pesticides and fertilizers.

“The legal requirements are sufficient for high-quality food. The trade does not have to follow suit here unnecessarily. In order for the environment to be less burdened by fruit and vegetable cultivation, everyone must take action – including trade,” said UBA boss Dirk Messner.

Further points of criticism emerge from the current nationwide market check of the consumer centers, which takes a close look at 25 supermarkets, organic markets and discounters. The study found that only around 28 percent of the markets surveyed offered “imperfect” fruit and vegetables at a reduced price instead of throwing them away.

Some types of vegetables – such as kohlrabi, cauliflower or iceberg lettuce – are only available at a unit price instead of by weight. A sales practice that “offers little incentive to reach for smaller vegetables,” says the statement.