UK retailers are facing scrutiny over fresh produce from Kenya after a report claimed “unfair trading practices” are resulting in huge amounts of food being wasted, with consequences for farmer incomes and food security.
The report, by environmental organisation Feedback, alleged retail buyers were systematically subjecting Kenyan farmers to last-minute order cancellations, forecast adjustments and “unnecessarily strict cosmetic standards” for fresh produce.
“Our investigations in Kenya have discovered that on average nearly 50% of produce is being rejected by European retailers before export, despite there being no problem in quality or taste,” said Feedback founder Tristram Stuart.
Even the fresh produce that does get approved for export is often subject to wasteful trimming that increases waste and reduces farmer income, the report claimed.
Kenya’s most exported vegetables - French beans, for example, are subject to a process called ‘topping and tailing’ that results in 30% of the product being wasted.
Most of the food waste generated by rejections and trimming cannot be sold on local markets because it is considered ‘European food’ so it ends up in the bin. Even food that can be sold locally fetches a far lower price than would have been paid by the export chain.
The report claimed retailers were therefore responsible for generating huge levels of food waste and threatening the livelihoods of Kenyan farmers.
Feedback has now launched a Stop Dumping campaign, which is calling on the UK government to extend Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon’s remit to protect overseas suppliers. The group is also calling on retailers to “take responsibility for waste in their overseas supply chains” and address the unfair trading practices highlighted by the report.
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