Sainsbury’s is trialling a new system in several UK stores that allows unsatisfied customers to throw fruit and vegetables of a poor standard into a produce bin, according to category manager Peter Batt.

Details of the initiative are being kept under wraps, but the move is one of several projects aimed at improving the in-store experience. Speaking exclusively to FPJ at the annual Sainsbury’s farming conference last week, Batt also confirmed that the retailer is looking to start selling bananas out of hammocks after successful trials.

He explained: “The hammocks have increased sales of bananas at all of our trial sites and we will now look to introduce them at stores across the country.

“It is an exciting time for our fresh produce business as we are currently reviewing our whole supply chain to move everything forward in 2013.”

Batt also confirmed that Sainsbury’s is currently struggling on its broccoli production, with a lot of growers working hard to make the most out of a crop rocked by poor weather conditions. He said the retailer is “heavily” importing broccoli from Spain ahead of Christmas.

Meanwhile, CEO Justin King spoke at the event to praise the supermarket’s growers and producers for their contribution, after group sales rose by four per cent in the first half of 2012-13.

“The vibrancy of our business is down to the suppliers and growers just as much as it is down to our shareholders; we have the best quality of fresh produce and without the supply chain we have in place, we would be at a massive disadvantage,” he said.

King also went on to praise Sainsbury’s own-brand offering, which has grown year-on-year by four per cent and is now the number-two retail budget brand, with a 9.7 per cent share.

But King was keen to acknowledge that the retailer still has a lot of work to do in order to wrestle more market share from Tesco.

He explained: “Our attitude towards farming continues to set Sainsbury’s apart as we are investing in our supply chain with a view to the next 20 years.

“However, with around 70 per cent of the country still not within a 15-minute drive of a big Sainsbury’s store, there is still a lot of work to do.”

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