“This will be a fantastic step, especially for organic growers. We are about inner quality, not outer appearance – that is our hallmark. Fresh, local and seasonal is better than a bland but cosmetically perfect piece of fruit or veg.”

Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association

As we all know , Mother Nature doesn’t spend all her energy ensuring our fruit and veg grow exactly the same … and as gardeners we know they taste just the same whatever their shape!! So thank goodness the EU Commission has seen sense and from yesterday – 1st July – supermarkets are now able to sell 26 types of produce which previously would have had to be binned as unsuitable for sale…

However…

The top ten most popular types of fruit and veg will still be subject to meeting ‘stringent’ standards – unless they are labeled as “product intended for processing”. These are:

Apples, Citrus Fruit, Kiwi Fruit, Lettuces, Peaches, Nectarines, Pears, Strawberries, Sweet Peppers, Table Grapes and Tomatoes.

So I’m guessing a lot of us will be buying fruit to be turned into something else – and then forgetting and just eating them instead!