Ugly Fruit

Who knew? I’ve always heard its not easy being green, but apparently it’s even worse if you’re a crooked cucumber! Unfortunate fruit and vegetables that had the misfortune to be misshapen in Europe have actually been banned from supermarkets over the last two decades. This highly unpopular law meant that oddly curved fruits or bulbous veggies would simply be discarded by vendors who wanted to avoid being fined. As food prices have continued to rise around the globe over the last several months it’s hard to believe the existence of such a pointless and wasteful law. It really makes no sense to “throw away” perfectly good produce because they aren’t “beautiful”. Well, no longer. The European Union has ended the ban on “ugly” produce as of July 1^st. At a time when most countries, the US included, are working to ensure food safety Europe’s antiquated ugly produce law was an embarrassment to say the least. Bravo Europe for finally embracing your homely produce. Now maybe you can focus on those highly subsidized agricultural products.