Asda has saved more than 1,000 tonnes of wonky carrots going to waste since it started selling the misshapen veg in 2015.
The milestone coincides with the second anniversary of the retailer’s award-winning Wonky Veg Box scheme.
Asda became the first supermarket to introduce wonky carrots as part of a trial to see if customers would be open to eating unusually shaped produce.
It typically allowed 10% of carrots with cosmetic defects on to its shelf as part of its Grower’s Selection range - a number that rose to 40% in May 2017, resulting in the sale of 690 tonnes of misshapen carrots in the last year alone.
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“The introduction of the wonky range taught us that customers are more than open to a crooked carrot or a blemish and a bruise here and there,” Asda’s produce technical director Ian Harrison said.
“We knew the introduction of wonky veg was benefiting farmers and contributing to the reduction of food waste, but it also made us realise how much further we could go. We decided to look at our specifications across the board in the produce aisle, starting with carrots.”
An Asda carrot grower added: “With the changes to Asda’s carrot specifications, we can work more closely to ensure we’re making the most of our crops to reduce the number of wonky carrots which previously would have been thrown away. Easter for us is a peak time for carrots, so this year we’re set to harvest four million of the vegetable as customers chomp their way through more than ever - curves and all.”
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