Supermarket giant Asda is to bring a wonky veg scheme to Scotland – after an MP urged the supermarket not to miss shoppers out.
More than 120 stores have been involved in a pilot that sells boxes of misshapen veg for just £3.50.
But not one of them, so far, is in Scotland.
SNP MP Douglas Chapman contacted the shopping giant after hearing about the trial and being disappointed that no shoppers in Scotland were able to take advantage of it.
https://twitter.com/DougChapmanSNP/status/697027131088486400He
said: “I’m delighted to discover that Asda is to bring its wonky veg box trial to Scotland.“It has been a success across the 120 stores it has been trialled in, and bosses at the supermarket have been overwhelmed with the public response to it.
“While I appreciate that such pilot schemes are often limited geographically, it seems odd that not even one store north of the border was being used to take part in it.
“That’s going to change.
“I have been told this week that work is now underway on the second tranche of the trial which should see selected stores taking part, beginning at the end of February.”
He added: “Supermarkets have a duty to tackle food waste across the supply chain and to help farmers.”
“Asda should be applauded for this pilot, along with other stores in the UK which run similar schemes.”
Rosyth SNP councillor and community food champion Sharon Wilson added: “The wonky veg scheme by Asda is an innovative idea that deserves to be introduced to Scotland.
“Wasting perfectly good nutritious food when hundreds of thousands of people visit food banks is crazy.
“These boxes are just £3.50 each, which is cheaper than regular-shaped fruit and veg.
“It is now, and that’s good news for shoppers and farmers.”
See Wednesday’s Courier for more on this story.