Booths is rolling out new “market-style” produce fixtures to help shoppers buy more loose fruit and veg.
After trialing the bays in its Ilkley, Carnforth and Kendal stores earlier this year, Booths found that the bays had helped to reduce food waste and packaging use by allowing shoppers to avoid buying more than they need.
Booths said it had intentionally developed the pilot based on research from Wrap which shows that households contribute more than 70% of food waste that occurs after the farmgate.
The feature has also allowed the supermarket to increase its offer of loose fruit and veg.
“We continue to take a practical and pragmatic approach to reducing food waste and unnecessary packaging,” said Booths chief commercial officer Nic Karran.
“At the heart of this initiative is a very simple idea: customers should be able to buy what they need. If you need just one carrot, you can buy one carrot. Small, everyday changes can make a real difference.
“We have all reached for a prepacked bag of produce when we are in a hurry, but it takes very little extra time – and can be a genuine pleasure – to select exactly what you want.”
Buying loose fruit and veg gives customers more control over what they buy to avoid perfectly good food being left unused at home, Karran added.
Shoppers are encouraged to either use paper bags provided, or to bring their own bags from home.
The market-style fixtures are among a suite of new features being rolled out across Booths’ 25 stores across Lancashire, Yorkshire and Chestershire, as part of an estate-wide refresh following an overhaul of Booths branding earlier this year.
Booths also now allows customers to bring their own reusable containers to purchase items from its deli or hot food counters.
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