Tesco has said it is looking at the possibility of cutting back on multibuy promotions in areas other than fresh salads, as part of its bid to cut food waste.
Giving evidence to a House of Lords committee on the issue, food sourcing director Matt Simister said yesterday the retailer had “a lot to learn” about the impact of multibuy promotions, despite Wrap having previously said they were not a major hotspot in overall waste figures.
Tesco announced plans to axe multibuy deals on short-lifespan bagged salad products in October, after it went public with figures that showed it generated almost 30,000 tons of food waste in the first six months of the year.
Simister told the committee: “Multibuys is something we’re looking at. I think we still have a lot to learn about them.
“Wrap tells us that multibuys are not a big driver of waste and clearly a lot of our customers like promotions so there is not necessarily a link between waste and promotions.”
Ugly food
Simister also told the committee that part of Tesco’s problem in trying to tackle food waste was customers’ natural inclination to pick the best-looking produce, leaving uglier food to go to waste.
They “always pick the cream of the crop”, he said, adding that in places such as Central Europe consumers were more prepared to accept misshapen produce.
“We’re certainly not criticising the choices our customers make or calling them fussy – despite what some headlines have said”
Matt Simister
In a follow-up blog published today, Simister said: “We know that if you put out a box of apples and they are all of the same quality but some look better than others, at the end of the day it will be less perfect looking apples that are left over.
“We’re not saying that’s right or wrong and we’re certainly not criticising the choices our customers make or calling them fussy – despite what some headlines have said. My point was that these choices happen, we observe it every day, and they are part of the complex challenge of trying to reduce waste.
”This isn’t about blaming anyone – we recognise that our scale means we can make a positive difference and help to solve a problem. That’s what our customers want us to do. And if we are to make a real difference, everyone involved in the food supply chain – from farmers to customers – has a role to play, too.”
Updated at 15.15 to include comments from the Tesco blog.
No comments yet