Tesco has begun selling green-skinned satsumas and clementines as warmer autumn temperatures in Spain have delayed colour development.
In a move it describes as a first for UK retail, Tesco said its greener easy peelers are also helping cut food waste. Growers had previously been placing easy peelers in ripening room to accelerate the colouring process, but this extra handling had led to some damage and quality issues, Tesco said.
Over the last few years, warmer Spanish temperatures in the early growing season for satsumas in September and October have remained high into the autumn.
Tesco citrus buyer Debbie Lombaard said: “At the moment green easy peelers fall outside of the general quality specifications set by UK supermarkets but Tesco has made the leading move in order to cut down on food waste.
“As a result of this move to take out a handling stage in the journey from farm to fork shoppers will gain extra freshness for their satsumas and clementines.”
The fruit will be sold as ‘Perfectly Ripe Early Season Satsumas’ and will cost the same as the fully-orange fruit.
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