Lidl rolls out £1.50 boxes of damaged but edible fruit and veg

The supermarket began a six-month trial of the scheme in a select number of stores in August, which was well received.

Over the last six months, Lidl has gradually extended the wastage program to 122 stores in England.

The company said it has so far sold more than 50,000 Too Good To Waste boxes, and prevented 250 tonnes of food going to waste.

Now, the German discounter is rolling out the veg boxes in all branches in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Wide range of veg

The £1.50 boxes contain about five kilos of slightly damaged, discoloured or deteriorated fruit and veg. But while “imperfect”, everything included is still perfectly good to eat.

Boxes are put together daily by staff and are available to customers from opening until midday, after which they are given to local charity and community programs through Lidl’s surplus food redistribution programme, Feed it Back.

Lidl has been keen to stress its £1.50 boxes are different to similar “wonky veg” campaigns, which allow supermarkets to sell fruit and veg grown which don’t meet unnatural and rigid size and shape specifications.