1. 🥕🍏Non-standard products in France: Rejected by large retailers
Imagine a field full of crooked carrots, apples that are too small or too large, tomatoes with slight irregularities... All just as tasty and nutritious as the standardized ones, yet they will never make it to supermarket shelves. Why? Because they do not fit into the strict standards imposed by large retailers.
This obsession with aesthetics has serious consequences for producers. What can they do with these rejected fruits and vegetables? Several options exist, but none are truly ideal:
- Selling at a loss: The food processing industry can be an outlet, but prices are often so low that they barely cover production costs.
- Storing and sorting: Keeping these products in the hope of finding a buyer requires time, space, and additional logistical efforts.
- Letting them rot or discarding them: Unfortunately, a portion of these crops is abandoned in the fields or destroyed due to a lack of viable solutions.
This massive waste is absurd. According to ADEME, 10 million tons of food are wasted each year in France, with a significant share consisting of fruits and vegetables deemed "too imperfect" for supermarket shelves.
The Garot Law of 2016 attempted to address the issue by requiring supermarkets to donate their unsold food to charities. However, it does not directly tackle the problem of off-size products. Some initiatives exist, but they remain too marginal given the scale of food waste.
In summary, the Garot Law prohibits supermarkets larger than 400 m² from discarding edible food and requires them to sign agreements with charities to donate it. It establishes a hierarchy of actions against waste: prevention, donations, animal feed, and finally, energy recovery. The goal is to reduce food waste and help people in need. However, it only applies to large retailers, leaving significant losses at earlier stages of the supply chain.
2.🛒🍳 Emerging solutions, but still insufficient
Fortunately, some players refuse to give up and are exploring solutions to give these products a second life:
- Processing: Why throw away when we can transform? Soups, compotes, jams... These "imperfect" fruits and vegetables can take on a new life in another form.
- Short supply chains and direct sales: More and more farmers are bypassing large retailers by selling their products directly through markets, AMAPs, or online platforms.
- Integration into supermarkets: Some retailers are embracing the idea, like Intermarché with its "Ugly Fruits and Vegetables" campaign, proving that consumers are willing to buy these products when given the opportunity.
- B2B platforms and digital tools: Consentio facilitates connections between producers and buyers through a B2B digital platform, optimizing the valorization of non-standard products. With its digital tools, it streamlines transactions and reduces waste while offering new economic opportunities.
- Restaurants and the food industry: Some chefs and food processors are taking up the challenge by incorporating these products into their menus. (Example: Thierry Marx, a Michelin-starred chef committed to fighting food waste, uses damaged vegetables for purées, soups, and sauces in his restaurants.)
These initiatives show that another model is possible, but large-scale development requires collective mobilization and a real change in mindset.
3. 💡Towards a systematic revalorization of non-standard products
The way we look at fruits and vegetables must evolve. Accepting irregularly shaped products does not mean compromising on quality. On the contrary, it supports producers, reduces waste, and promotes more responsible consumption.
Some ideas to accelerate this transition:
- Educate consumers: Too often, we buy with our eyes. Highlighting the taste and nutritional qualities of these products through awareness campaigns could shift purchasing habits.
- Evolve regulations: Why not impose a minimum quota of non-standard products in store aisles? This would encourage large retailers to revise their selection criteria.
- Improve logistics: Thanks to digital tools, optimizing stocks and ensuring efficient redistribution is now easier.
- Encourage innovation: Imperfect fruit and vegetable baskets, resale apps, and other new ideas should be supported and developed.
By valuing these products instead of rejecting them, we can turn a problem into an opportunity. What is currently considered "waste" can become a valuable resource. It is an economic, ecological, and ethical challenge. And what if, instead of judging a tomato by its shape, we chose it for its taste?
