Caring for our planet is not only our duty, but it should be our priority as well. Every now and then, we come across innovative and exciting ways in which we can contribute to saving our planet for future generations. With the same idea in mind, supermarkets in New Zealand have committed themselves to follow the ‘food in the nude’ concept, in which they will sell fresh produce either as such or packaged in only reusable, recyclable, and compostable bags. Read on to know more about this noble gesture.
In a great initiative to stop the irresponsible use of plastics, several popular supermarkets in New Zealand have committed themselves to curb the use of plastic for packaging fresh produce, such as fruits and vegetables. This campaign goes by the name of ‘Food in the nude’ and is advocating people to literally take home ‘nude’ fresh produce or pack this grocery in reusable and recyclable plastics.
The initiative aims to end the use of plastic packaging for fresh grocery, and some of the leading food giants, including Foodstuffs, are enthusiastically joining this revolutionary movement. In fact, Foodstuffs have already charted out their milestones as they aim to make all of their store’s unsafe plastic packaging free by 2025.
As reported by a much-loved daily, the sale of some vegetables has sky-rocketed and soared to a high of 300% since the use of plastic has been curbed by supermarkets. This clearly shows that ‘food in the nude’ has turned out to be a boon for both the public and vendors alike.
By placing fresh produce uncovered, customers can clearly see and smell the luring colors and aroma of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables. Many sellers are sharing the feedback that the customers are actually raving about this positive change in the supermarkets.
As the government of New Zealand has openly declared a war against single-use plastics, this step can definitely bring about the desired change and make this southern nation of the world even greener, cleaner, and more beautiful than it already is.
The idea practiced in New Zealand is actually the brainchild of the Whole Foods supermarket chain in the United States, where fresh produce is no longer wrapped and sold in plastic packaging. Even the growers and suppliers have very happily accepted this change and are now providing food in plastic-free packaging.
However, the supermarkets now have to install new refrigeration shelving systems that safely display fresh fruits and vegetables using the ‘misting’ technique. This technique has helped fresh produce to not only look better, by helping the fresh produce retain its texture and color, but also improves its nutritional content. For some of the food that still required plastic packaging, recyclable plastics and cardboard trays are used to pack them!
References:
NZ Herald Report