Salad producers have begun a drive to create a more positive profile for their sector, which they believe has suffered from unwarranted negative publicity.
Trade body the British Leafy Salads Association has launched a web site, which it believes will promote better exchange of information between producers, the media and consumers.
BLSA chairman David Piccaver said: “There have been quite a number of contentious issues covered in news articles about what we do in producing salads. Rather than sitting there and taking it all, we felt we would at least respond and explain what we do.
“We believe that we have got to be more up-front about the crops that we grow, the treatments that we give them, and why we give them those treatments.
“Also, we want to explain about lettuces from a historic point of view, their nutritional value and generally be more proactive about the products that we grow. It’s about us promoting what we do and saying this is us and this is what we provide, and that it’s all part of the healthy eating scene.”
The web site - at www.britishleafysalads.co.uk - is part of a wider PR campaign by the BLSA promoting bagged salads
Greg Meenehan