{"id":1849,"date":"2025-07-21T14:36:53","date_gmt":"2025-07-21T12:36:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.regioneo.com\/?p=1849"},"modified":"2026-02-24T17:14:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T16:14:14","slug":"ugly-fruit-and-vegetables-changing-trend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.regioneo.com\/en\/ugly-fruit-and-vegetables-changing-trend\/","title":{"rendered":"Trends in the market for unripe fruit and vegetables"},"content":{"rendered":"

For decades, fruit and vegetables have been selected to meet strict appearance criteria: uniform colour, standardised size, perfect shape. Yet a significant proportion of the harvest is discarded simply because it \u201cdoesn't look good\u201d, despite its impeccable taste and nutritional quality. Today, these ugly fruit and vegetables<\/strong> are gaining in visibility and popularity, driven by a growing ecological and economic awareness. Here's a look at an ever-evolving trend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

History and evolution of the trend  <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It was in 2014 that the general public really discovered the subject with Intermarch\u00e9's \u201cugly fruit and vegetables\u201d campaign. The message is clear: these products, rejected by conventional channels because of their appearance, can nevertheless be eaten without any problem. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, other chains such as Auchan, Leclerc and Carrefour have followed suit, and initiatives such as Les Gueules Cass\u00e9es<\/strong><\/a> have been created, enabling producers to recycle their harvests that are deemed to be non-compliant. This revaluation has also been encouraged by growing demand from consumers committed to combating food waste. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens to ugly fruit and vegetables?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While some of them are now finding their way onto shelves, the majority are still excluded from the market. food circuit<\/strong>. According to ADEME (Agence De l'Environnement Et de la Ma\u00eetrise de l'\u00c9nergie), between 30 and 40 % of fruit and vegetables are discarded before they even reach the market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What happens to them? Some are transformed into soups, compotes, pur\u00e9es or smoothies. Others are fed into animal feed or composted. Start-ups such as Bene Bono and Phenix also offer anti-waste baskets based on these products, delivered directly to consumers, just like those available from Regioneo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Persistent obstacles <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite this positive momentum, a number of obstacles remain. Consumption habits remain tenacious: many buyers associate appearance with quality. Irregular or stained fruit may seem less good, when in fact it is simply \u201cout of the ordinary\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the distributor side, irregular volumes and the difficulty of integrating them into supply chains sometimes slow down large-scale deployment. Finally, European standards on calibration<\/strong>, which are still in force for certain categories, are not helping to fluidify supply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits for all<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accepting ugly fruit and vegetables is first and foremost a way of combating massive wastage. It also represents an economic opportunity for growers, who can sell more of their harvest, and for consumers, who benefit from more attractive prices (sometimes 20 to 30 % cheaper than their \u201caesthetic\u201d equivalents). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From an environmental point of view, this approach also reduces the amount of waste produced.\u2019carbon footprint<\/strong> of agricultural production, by optimising the use of resources (water, fertilisers, energy). So by buying a basket of seasonal fruit and vegetables, you're doing your bit for the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find out more about the benefits for consumers, discover our 4 good reasons to buy ugly fruit and vegetables<\/a>. A smart choice that combines savings, healthy eating, support for local producers and the fight against food waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current trends and outlook <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From 2025, the European Union plans to relax certain sizing standards, particularly in the context of short distribution channels. This reform could speed up the integration of ugly fruit and vegetables into the mainstream diet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, anti-waste applications and platforms such as Too Good To Go, or the anti-gaspi e-commerce applications<\/a> like Regioneo<\/strong>, continue to gain ground. More and more players, from producers to local authorities, are getting to grips with the issue and proposing practical solutions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trend is clear: aesthetics are no longer an absolute criterion, and quality is being redefined in terms of taste, origin and ecological impact. In the long term, ugly fruit and vegetables could well become... quite simply normal, and even more visible from players like Regioneo, which promotes local produce in all its forms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FAQ<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
O\u00f9 acheter des fruits et l\u00e9gumes moches ?<\/summary>\n

On peut en trouver dans certaines grandes enseignes (Intermarch\u00e9, Leclerc, etc.), chez des producteurs locaux, dans des paniers anti-gaspi, ou via des plateformes sp\u00e9cialis\u00e9es qui proposent des colis de l\u00e9gumes et fruits d\u00e9class\u00e9s.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Les fruits et l\u00e9gumes moches sont-ils vraiment anti\u2011gaspillage ?<\/summary>\n

Oui, leur vente \u00e9vite de jeter des produits parfaitement consommables simplement parce qu\u2019ils ne sont pas \u201cparfaits\u201d. C\u2019est l\u2019une des actions anti-gaspi les plus simples \u00e0 mettre en place.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Pourquoi certains l\u00e9gumes moches ne sont-ils pas vendus ?<\/summary>\n

Probl\u00e8mes logistiques, manque de visibilit\u00e9, ou absence de fili\u00e8re d\u00e9di\u00e9e dans certaines r\u00e9gions. Beaucoup sont simplement refus\u00e9s en amont car non conformes aux normes de calibrage.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Pourquoi parle-t-on de \u201cfruits et l\u00e9gumes moches\u201d ?<\/summary>\n

On appelle \u201cfruits et l\u00e9gumes moches\u201d des produits qui ne respectent pas les crit\u00e8res esth\u00e9tiques impos\u00e9s par la distribution : forme irr\u00e9guli\u00e8re, calibre trop petit ou trop gros, couleur atypique. Pourtant, ils sont aussi bons et nutritifs que les autres.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n