Friday, March 13, 2015

Loblaws to sell second-class produce



Loblaws Inc. will soon begin test-marketing second-rate produce at discounts of about 30 per cent.

Ir says it’s a response to Wal-Mart which is already selling produce such as crooked carrots and misshapen peppers, but there are others doing it, such as the Food Basics banner owned by Metro Inc.

It also comes after the Ontario government adopted legislation enabling farmers to claim charitable donations for partial value of second-rate produce donated to food banks.

The supermarket chains have long faced criticism for insisting that the produce they offer be free of any blemishes. That means they reject produce that is equally nutritious and increases costs for producers and distributors.