Since launching the #ChooseLoose campaign, headlines have been dominated by news of certain fruit & veg products suffering from a severe case of Empty Shelves in UK supermarkets.

It’s clear from listening to farmers, suppliers, growers and others in the industry that the system needs changing. That the supply chain in the UK is not working is made more evident by the fact that no other country in Europe is experiencing Empty Shelves to any extent, not even war-torn Ukraine.

It seems that this has been brewing for a while. Empty Shelves are a cumulative knock-on effect of the climate crisis, Brexit, a reliance on imports, lack of investment support for UK growers, supermarkets not paying enough, labour shortages, energy inflation… there’s a heady mix of complex and interconnected factors.

Over many months, we’ve carefully researched and constructed the #ChooseLoose project and what it’s designed to achieve. it’s vital for us to react to this emerging reality with responsibility, caution and facts. Having taken a short moment to pause our campaign to read and listen, and assess our position, we’ve come to the conclusion that the #ChooseLoose campaign is as urgent as ever. 

Not only does #ChooseLoose put forward changes with a clear quantitative impact, our proposal presents a simple, proven and effective opportunity to kickstart a new system that creates real and realistic benefits for everyone. A system that promotes more responsible consumption, a low-waste business model, homegrown produce and a shift away from our throwaway culture. This is a genuine moment to re-evaluate the chain. 

So while the Empty Shelves will likely remain empty for weeks, we’re doubling down on our core objective. We’re calling for all UK supermarkets to remove plastic packaging from five top-selling fruit & veg products –– potatoes, apples, bananas, carrots and onions –– so we can fight the plastic problem, reduce food waste and save money.

Please join us, and thank you for your support.