Back to basics for ASDA

What's old is again new. UK supermarket chain Asda has announced a new initiative that could cut the use of packaging on fruits and vegetables dramatically.

From the story by Food Ingredients:

Asda has launched a radical study which could virtually eliminate the need for packaging on fresh fruit and vegetables. It is boosting dramatically the amount of fresh produce sold loose from boxes – recreating the look and feel of a traditional greengrocer shop from the 1950s.
At the same time, the range of pre-packed items on sale will be restricted substantially, cutting overnight the amount of plastic and cardboard used to wrap our food.
The move heralds a return to old fashioned retailing methods – the first step taken towards the past by any retailer for almost 60 years.


TK: Hold on, some retailers have regressed without even knowing it. But back to the story from Food Ingredients:


Over the next 12 months the supermarket intends to slash the amount of packaging it uses on own label food by 25%. Said Asda’s anti-packaging expert Emma Sinclair-Morris: "We believe this return to traditional values could have a huge impact upon the amount of packaging thrown away every day.
"Reducing packaging is one of Asda’s key objectives, and we are considering every option to achieve this goal." A pilot scheme examining customer reaction to the plan will take place in two Asda stores in the North West of England next week.
Around 60 pre-pack products will be removed as part of the trial. Only delicate fruits like raspberries that require packaging to protect them will remain on sale, alongside a small number of convenience products like pre-prepared vegetables.


TK: I'm not sure if consumers share the passion for cutting down on packaging. I think any packaging that adds convenience or offers some other valued utility will be missed by Asda consumers.