Big supermarkets in spotlight as 'crazy' cosmetic standards send 'perfectly good' food to landfill

An NSW Parliamentary report has recommended that restrictions should be imposed on major supermarkets to prevent agricultural produce being thrown away due to minor visual defects or slight deformation.

Key points:A parliamentary report found that major supermarket chains' cosmetic standards were causing significant food wasteWholesalers and farmers say the practice of rejecting fruit for visual defects creates unrealistic expectations on the part of of consumersThe report recommends that restrictions be placed on what retailers can reject for visual reasons

The food safety survey found that cosmetic standards create significant food waste.

Committee Chairman Independent MP Alex Greenwich said it was unacceptable during a cost of living crisis.

"We have perfectly good food that doesn't meet some of the cosmetic standards of the big supermarket chains that are forced to waste because, you know, a zucchini is bent in the wrong way or a banana is the wrong color,” he said.

According to figures from the Department of the Environment, Australians waste the equivalent of 312 kg of food per person per year, which saves the economy around 36.6 billions of dollars a year.

At Sydney Markets, Australia's largest wholesale fresh fruit and vegetable market, seasoned vendors who sold to supermarkets and the public said food was thrown away by the tons if the shape or size wasn't perfect.< /p>

"When you come here and see all this waste…it's crazy, it doesn't shouldn't happen," said Zayde Naman of Sydney Imperial Deliverys. -component="Figure" data-uri="coremedia://imageproxy/101866672">Sydney Market wholesalers say tons of good produce is thrown away. (ABC South West: Kate Stephens)

Mr Naman said consumers and supermarkets need to tackle the high standards that cause food waste.

"I feel like the standard is pretty high…at the end of the day as long as it cuts well and tastes good they can put it on a plate,” he said.

The Food Safety Report recommended the government impose restrictions on major retailers that would limit the amount of produce discarded and sent to waste.

"N We need to make sure there is a clear framework, that there are enforceable policies to make sure that these are perfectly good fruits and vegetables that won't go to waste," Greenwich said.

< p class="_39n3n">"This will reduce the cost of fruits and vegetables, making them more accessible to more people."

Guy Gaeta says the amount of wasted food is spiraling out of control.