Canadian food retailer launches ugly food campaign

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and a beautiful piece of fruit is judged by the one who eats it. So, why the need for aesthetically pristine foods, the slightly damaged and misshapen ones are still just as tasty!

Beauty is only skin deep, character and substance is another thing entirely. So Loblaws, Canada's largest food retailer, is selling 'ugly' groceries at a cheaper price. They are up to 30 percent cheaper than more aesthetically pleasing products.

Selling misshapen and "ugly" foods will dramatically help reduce food waste. If retailers and customers are not so concerned with the appearance of their food and more on the quality and taste, then far less food will be thrown away.

The campaign is called 'No Name Naturally Imperfect', offering aesthetically displeasing apples and potatoes at a discount price. Ian Gordon, senior vice president, Loblaw Brands, Loblaw Companies Limited states "We often focus too much on the look of the produce rather than the taste. Once you peel or cut an apple you can't tell it once had a blemish or was misshapen."

Up to 30% of food we buy is wasted, at an estimated national cost of $5 billion-plus a year! According to the U.N. Environment Program, between 20 and 40 percent of produce is thrown away by farmers simply because is not up to the aesthetic standards for the shelves.

This will both save the customers money if they buy cheaper produce and will save the Canadian government money, which loses some $31 billion dollars annually on food waste. Not to mention it will save Loblaws money too! It's an all win situation.

As the Australian Government reports, food production generates greenhouse gases from a variety of sources:

• fossil fuel energy used to mine, produce and transport packaging materials
• methane released by animals and the farming of land
• the breakdown of food and garden waste.

Whichever way you look at it, avoiding wasting food is good for the environment and good for the household budget bottom line as well.

So, well done Loblaws for this initiative!