Asda removes best before dates from almost 250 fresh fruit and veg

Asda has announced its plan to remove best before dates from almost 250 packaged fresh fruit and vegetables in an effort to help customers reduce food waste and save money. The change will come into effect on 1 September 2022.

Asda fresh produce

The dates will be replaced by a code which Asda staff will use to ensure quality and freshness is maintained in store. Specialist greengrocers in over 250 stores have been trained to ensure freshness and quality.

The produce that will be part of the change include citrus fruits, potatoes, cauliflowers, and carrots, across all of its UK stores.

Asda will also provide additional guidance online and through labelling to help customers decide how to store and prepare their fresh food. The retailer hopes the change will encourage customers to use their own judgement to decide if food is edible.
Andy Cockshaw, Head of Technical at Asda IPL, said: “Reducing food waste in our business and in customers’ homes is a priority and we are always looking at different ways to achieve this.
“We know for customers this has become more important than ever in the current climate as many families are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and are looking to make savings wherever they can.”

Lidl pledges support for fresh produce suppliers during increasingly hot summer months

Lidl GB has announced its support for its fresh fruit and vegetable produce suppliers during the challenge of an increasing quantity of stunted crops due to the hottest and driest weather seen in half a century.

The supermarket has promised to work closely with suppliers to identify key crop challenges, and where possible work to accommodate these products within its existing lines.

Lidl hopes that through this process they will be able to prevent food waste due to variations in specifications, for example a different size to what shoppers are typically used to.
Lidl has also committed to funding and implementing 10 whole chain food waste projects by 2025 which aim to tackle food waste throughout the supply chain.
Ryan McDonnell, Chief Executive Officer of Lidl GB, said: “Farmers across the country are facing a big challenge this year due to the extreme weather conditions experienced over the summer months.
“Whilst the crop coming out may look and feel a bit different to what we’re all used to, it’s still the same great British quality. We therefore want to show support for our suppliers by working with them to find solutions to help.
“Lidl is built on the foundation of making good food accessible and affordable to everyone, and our fresh produce range is key to achieving this…We have always strived to work collaboratively with our suppliers to ensure that we are flexible with variations in specifications at different times of the year.
“However, now, more than ever, it’s critical that we and the rest of the sector get behind our suppliers. That’s why we have written to all of our British fresh produce suppliers, and I would urge other supermarkets to do the same, so that together we can ensure that perfectly good produce isn’t going to waste.”

Belfast City Council calls for donations of unwanted spectacles

Belfast City Council is encouraging residents to donate old unwanted spectacles at its recycling centres through its ‘Spectacle Reuse’ scheme. The spectacles will be repaired and sent to people in countries with populations that struggle to access spectacles for reuse.

The Council has partnered with the Newcastle Lions Club charity and has presently received 3,500 donations. The Club collects the spectacles and sends them to Lion Medico in France – the international humanitarian arm of Lions Clubs – for repair and redistribution around the world.

Councillor Christina Black, Lord Mayor of Belfast, said: “This is such a wonderful and unique scheme that is ultimately supporting and helping those most in need.

“I’m delighted the council has partnered with the Lions Club to bring this project forward and I would encourage all residents to get involved and donate any unwanted spectacles they might have at home.

“This really is a worthy cause and a shining example of the circular economy in action, where items are repaired and used again rather than being recycled or sent for disposal.”

Terex Materials Processing (MP) acquires assets of ZenRobotics Ltd

Terex Materials Processing (MP) has acquired the assets of smart recycling company ZenRobotics Ltd. Terex MP deals with aggregate, environmental, concrete, lifting, and handling machinery.

Founded in 2007, ZenRobotics Ltd designs and creates robots that pick, sort, and recycle waste material. Its robots aim to make recycling more efficient, accurate and profitable using proprietary AI software. The company, based in Helsinki, Finland, will retain its name and become a Terex brand.

The smart recycling company functions globally, marketing multiple recyclers around the world including expansion into China and the US market in 2016. Terex MP is active within global waste markets through Terex Ecotec, Terex CBI, Terex Fuchs, and Terex Recycling.

The company says the acquisition of a highly “green-focused” company further supports its commitment to its environmental business and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) goals.

Tony Devlin, leader of the Terex MP environmental business, said: “ZenRobotics is an exciting, modern company that lends itself perfectly to our pre-existing environmental expertise, and their ethos of making a circular economy more possible aligns perfectly with our goals and targets for the future of Terex MP.

“The journey that we’re about to begin with ZenRobotics and Terex MP is one that we look forward to starting, and we extend a warm welcome to our new colleagues into the Terex MP team.”

Jarmo Ruohonen, CEO of ZenRobotics, added: “We at ZenRobotics are delighted to be welcomed into the Terex MP team and we look forward to sharing our knowledge.

“As a company, we have worked hard for the past 15 years creating technology that helps companies efficiently deal with different types of waste materials, helping to chase down targets that propel us towards a more circular economy.

“Terex MP is the perfect partner to help us achieve that, and being part of the Terex MP team will give ZenRobotics more global opportunities to grow.”