Sainsbury’s has lowered prices on seven loose fruit & vegetable items following criticism in the BBC’s War on Plastic documentary.
The move comes after the programme’s first episode, which aired on 10 June, compared the cost of loose versus packaged items at both Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
The show found that selected unwrapped products in Tesco’s shopping basket cost 42% more than their packaged equivalents, while a 19% difference was recorded at Sainsbury’s.
Co-host Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall tweeted both Sainsbury’s and Tesco during the programme to say: ‘How about helping us out and making loose fruit and veg cheaper than the packaged alternatives?!’ Sainsbury’s responded ahead of the second episode to say it would reduce prices for ‘several loose fruit and veg items, meaning that the majority of loose fruit and veg will be cheaper than the comparable packaged product’.
Read more: ‘War on Plastic’ adds pressure on an industry trapped in packaging limbo
The retailer introduced the per kg price changes across the following items this week:
Loose onions: Was £1, now 95p
Loose tomatoes: Was £2, now £1.60
Loose Pink Lady apples: Was £3, now £2.65
Loose Easy Peelers: Was £2.05, now £2
Loose new potatoes: Was £2.50, now £1.95
Loose baking potatoes: Was £1.10, now 75p
Loose parsnips: was £1.40, now 95p
Fearnley-Whittingstall responded in a tweet this week saying: ‘News from @sainsburys. Thanks to everyone that joined @itsanitarani & me in asking for this after last week’s episode of #WarOnPlastic! But is it enough?’
No comments yet