Sainsbury’s has introduced a new version of pineapples without the crown. The leaves are often discarded by customers, resulting in up to 700 tonnes of food waste annually.
Removing the crown during production will enable the leaves to be replanted in the pineapple fields or shredded and given to local farmers as animal feed.
Pineapples make up around 20% of the world’s tropical fruit production. They are the second most-grown exotic fruit after bananas. However, the crowns of the pineapples can take up to 80% of the fruit’s volume, making it difficult to pack them efficiently and causing an increase in carbon emissions and transport costs.
Sainsbury’s has devised a simple yet effective solution to this problem: decrowning the pineapples. This move not only reduces waste but also has a significant positive impact on the environment and supply chain.
By losing the leaves and decrowning the pineapples, the supermarket has reduced the number of boxes transported each year by 2,500. Additionally, Sainsbury’s has removed all packaging previously attached to standard-size pineapples, further reducing waste.
Sainsbury’s will continue to sell large pineapples with their leaves attached to give customers a choice.
Claire Hughes, who is the Director of Product and Innovation at Sainsbury’s, has stated that the company is committed to reducing its impact on the environment in any way it can. They are always looking for new and innovative ways to promote sustainability. Their new crownless pineapples may look a little unconventional. Still, they offer clear benefits in reducing waste and packaging, a significant step towards promoting a sustainable future.
Crownless pineapples have a lower risk of carrying pests as their crowns are difficult to clean or fumigate. Additionally, smoother and more uniform fruits are less likely to be inspected at borders, which results in quicker processing.
Sainsbury’s confirmed that their pineapples are ready to eat and do not require customers to ripen them at home.
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