Farming groups have welcomed the decision by supermarkets to relax cosmetic standards on fruit and vegetables amid fears that this year's poor harvest could lead to food price increases.

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The NFU announced on Friday (30th November) that, by its own estimates, over 300,000 tonnes of British produce which would otherwise have been turned away by major retailers has been accepted due to supermarkets relaxing their specifications.  

Whilst the union has welcomed the supermarkets' acceptance of misshapen, blemished or otherwise imperfect produce, and retailers themselves have been quick to promote their decision as a display of support for British farmers, sustainable food advocates have called for further commitments from retailers to reduce food waste and increase the sustainability of the supply chain.

Author and food campaigner Tristram Stuart has argued that supermarkets should relax their selection criteria for fresh produce permanently. In August, when a number of supermarkets began accepting imperfect produce, He said, "What we are seeing is an informal relaxation of the rules during a poor harvest, but supermarkets should be doing this every year. People are wiser than supermarkets often make out; [they] know that fruit and veg will taste just the same despite irregularities of colour, shape or size."

Stuart has said an estimated 20 to 40 percent of UK fruit and vegetables are rejected by retailers, mostly due to supermarkets' strict cosmetic standards. However, waste is not accurately measured between harvest and purchase, although consumers' habits are subject to close scrutiny.

A number of supermarkets have made some concessions this season, including Waitrose, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and the Cooperative. Production of a wide range of fruit and vegetables has been hit across Europe this year; a dismal spring, following on from the cool winter of 2011 and late frosts earlier in the year got 2012 off to a bad start, which was compounded by wet weather throughout late spring and summer.

Although it welcomed retailers' decisions on Friday, the NFU has urged supermarkets to "adopt a more realistic approach" to sourcing fresh produce. The union's chief horticultural adviser, Hayley Campbell-Gibbons said, "Just because a carrot is bent, or the skin of an apple is marked, it’s perfectly useable, can offer great value and most importantly reduces wastage in the food chain."

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