The Fresh Produce Consortium has hit back at claims regarding waste in the supply chain. The trade association quoted detailed research carried out by government waste organisation WRAP which shows the level of waste through the fresh produce supply chain is less than 10 per cent. The FPC said the trade is combating waste within its supply chain, adopting flexible standards and finding alternative markets for products.

The Global Food: Waste Not, Want Not report released last week by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers contained 'nothing new' FPC claimed.

'The IME report fails to acknowledge fully that suppliers find alternative uses for their products where they do not meet their primary specification and there is a flexible range of products on offer to consumers, from premium to value lines,' said Nigel Jenney, chief executive of the FPC. 'The UK fresh produce industry has made great strides to reduce waste throughout the supply chain. At the same time we need to do more to tackle consumers' expectations which set current retail standards.'

Jenney also pointed out that the consortium FPC lobbied successfully for the removal of 20 detailed marketing standards, to allow misshapen fresh produce to be marketed. UK retailers are already taking advantage of this during the recent spell of poor weather conditions.

'We'd have even greater flexibility if detailed EU marketing standards imposed on the top 10 most popular products were removed,' said Jenney. 'FPC wants government to call for an EU review of the remaining 10 specific standards. These products could be covered adequately by the General Marketing Standards and still protect consumers' interests.'

FPC was involved in a research project commissioned by WRAP which developed detailed resource maps, quantifying food waste and packaging waste, through the fresh produce retail and wholesale supply chain. The project was led by Cranfield University, working with food and grocery supply chain analyst IGD and FPC, representing the fresh produce industry.

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