Supermarket waste

We don't seem to have the 'vegetable police' here in Cyprus. Very little is imported so only veg in season, and usually straight from the field, even in the big supermarket chains. So wonky veg is all we get usually. It would be lovely to have such things as swede and fresh parsnips and asparagus, but you should see the size of the cauliflowers and cabbages. As for the shapes of the carrots!!

I thought wonky vegetables did go into the food processing industry; it was just that so much was rejected by the supermarkets the processing industry could not use it all.

Even those posh boxes of vegetables which get delivered to the door don't send wonky fruit and vegetables. It is all carefully selected at the packing stage, so there must be a lot of waste there too.

Asda have recently started selling boxes of wonky veg very cheaply. When we went up to look for them, though, we were told it had been just a trial to see how they went and the produce staff didn't even know if or when they'd be back in store. So to get them, you just have to be lucky I guess. They did say, though, that the delivery they had, 2 or 3 pallet loads, were snapped up in minutes. Must go back again and ask if they're going to be a regular feature (I don't usually shop at Asda, so it has to be a special trip!)

One tv programme showed the wonky ones being trashed by the farmers as the supermarkets simply didn't take them or, of course, pay for them.
Sorry I don't remember the name of the programme, it was at least a month ago. It also showed the near desperation of farmers when the supermarkets reduced or cancelled orders at a late stage.