Waitrose has announced it will begin selling 'wonky' fruit and veg in a bid to help out farmers who have been hit by the recent heatwave.
The premium UK supermarket giant has confirmed that it will be relaxing its size and shape guidance on a variety of new season fresh produce to support growers who have affected by the drier conditions recently.
It means that shoppers will find 'misshapen' seasonal produce such as potatoes, carrots, strawberries, apples, pears and peppers being sold as part of the supermarket's pioneering "A Little Less Than Perfect Range."
The supermarket has also added that millions of wonky carrots and other misshapen vegetables will be used to create their own-line of soups, smoothies and ready meals in a bid to combat food waste.
The commitment comes after UK farms experienced a drought following the recent heatwave and scorching record-breaking temperatures that soared into the high 30s in some areas.
Waitrose's line of wonky or misshapen fruit and veg was first launched more than fifteen years to help support growers whose produce had been affected by adverse weather conditions.
Waitrose Fresh Produce Buyer Paul Bidwell said: "“Our Little Less Than Perfect range is nothing new - we’ve done it for years, but we constantly look at ways we can support our farmers through challenging conditions and often that means altering our specifications.
Many of our UK suppliers have managed through the drought thanks to back up water supplies from reservoirs or rain water capture systems so we’ve focused our efforts on those that need the most help.
What’s in store may look a bit different at times but it will always represent the same great quality, taste and high standards our customers are used to.”
The news comes just after Lidl announced that they would be selling 'stunted' fruit and veg in their stores to also help support farmers and combat food waste.
The German discounter said that, where possible, they would now accommodate fresh produce that had been affected by the drier climate and record-breaking temperatures recently.
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