MEPs vote to bring back ban on misshapen fruit and veg

MEPs have voted to restore a European ban on the sale of unusually shaped fruit and veg.

The much-condemned ban was lifted by the European Commission last July, ending food waste by cutting red tape surrounding the shape and uniformity of fresh produce. The move also cut retail prices by as much as 40 per cent.

But Spanish MEPs tabled a plan to bring the ban back – and yesterday they won the support of a majority on the European Parliament's agriculture committee.

The issue now goes to the full parliament for a vote and, although it is unlikely to be approved by EU ministers, the attempt was attacked as nonsensical by Tory MEP Richard Ashworth.

"Food is food, no matter what it looks like," he said. "To try to stop stores selling perfectly decent food simply because of its shape or size is morally unjustifiable, especially when we are worried about global food supplies."

The Spanish government was among a handful of protectionist countries which opposed the lifting of the 20-year-old ban last year.