One UK supermarket is now selling “wonky” flowers to join their wonky veg range

In an effort to reduce waste Morrisons is selling wonky flowers after they struggled to grow in the heatwave.

Morrisons selling cheaper ‘wonky flowers’ to help reduce waste

UK supermarket chain Morrisons has launched an initiative to make its flowers more affordable for customers, while also reducing unnecessary waste. The supermarket chain’s “wonky flowers” project will see stores across the UK selling flowers that haven’t developed properly due to dry and hot weather conditions.

The cheaper wonky flowers don’t look that different to the regular ones

For the first time, supermarket giant Morrisons has introduced “wonky” flower bouquets into their stores around the UK this week. They are described as wonky because the recent hot and dry weather conditions have stopped some flowers from developing normally, which in the past would have resulted in them being thrown away.

The retailer hopes its decision to sell the imperfect varieties will support flower growers in the long-term by buying up more of their crop.

The first wonky varieties to go on offer are British Sunflowers and Statice, also known as sea lavender. They have shorter stems than usual due to the lack of rain over the last few weeks, but thanks to the colourful mix of yellow and purple, these vibrant blooms are just as attractive to look at.

What’s more, they’re cheaper than the standard bouquets on offer, too. The Sunflower bouquet is priced at £3, compared to £5 for the regular version.

‘It would be a shame to see these beautiful stems go to waste just because they’re a few centimetres too short,’ Morrisons‘ Drew Kirk said in a statement. ‘Our wonky range helps growers and farmers reduce waste and at the same time helps customers to afford to buy flowers more often.’

The flowers join Morrison’s range of wonky fruit and vegetables, which come with minor defects such as missing stalks or unusual colouring. 

In a bid to help cut food waste, the supermarket has pledged to increase the number of its seasonal wonky lines to 33 this year. Blemished produce like avocados, chilli peppers, lemons and limes will be added to the popular range.

Source: HouseBeautiful.com

The ‘Wonky Veg’ issue

Society is at the beginning of tackling the problem of edible food waste. In a typical field of carrots, some might be mis-shapen or have ‘fangs’ and these can be difficult to sell. There are also very big carrots, small carrots and broken carrots and these can also be difficult to sell. 

Around 30% of the carrots Morrisons buy don’t make it into Class 1 bags. The problem is not confined to carrots and is not confined to the UK. Products, such as tropical fruit, can also end up growing in unusual shapes and sizes. Morrisons is helping by selling ‘wonky’ bags of certain vegetables but there is much more to do. Click here to read Morrisons Wonky Veg Promise.

Source: Morrisons

Wonky veg range a resounding success — other Supermarkets using similar initiatives

The move follows the supermarket chain’s successful initiative launched in 2017 to sell wonky fruits and vegetables in a bid to reduce food waste.

The range includes a mix of products, from blueberries and onions to chillies, strawberries and even rhubarb, that would normally have been disposed of after being deemed unfit for purchase due to aesthetic imperfections such as discolouration and misshapenness.

Several other supermarkets have taken on similar initiatives to reduce waste, such as Asda, who launched a “Beautiful on the Inside” range in January 2015, selling “ugly” produce at a 30% discount alongside its conventional, more expensive fruit and veg.

Similarly, chains such as Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Tesco have all embraced the art of selling less-than-perfect produce in a bit to combat food waste.

Source: Independent