F & V - better ugly than nothing

'Ugly' fruit and veg make the grade on UK supermarket shelves | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "Knobbly carrots, wonky spuds, bent courgettes and discoloured cauliflowers will return to supermarket shelves after one of the worst growing seasons farmers have experienced in decades.

The driest March in 59 years, followed by the wettest June and autumn storms and flooding have reduced British fruit and vegetable harvests by more than 25% and left supermarkets unable to source their regular shaped, blemish-free produce.

On Thursday, Sainsbury's relaxed its rules on the cosmetic appearance of fresh produce and allowed fruit and vegetables that would normally be ploughed back into fields to be sold in its 1,012 stores.

"We've taken the decision to radically change our approach to buying British fruit and vegetables as a result of this year's unseasonal weather. This may mean a bit more mud on peas or strawberries that are a little smaller than usual, but our customers understand and love the idea," said Judith Batchelar, director of Sainsbury's food."

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