News corner﹕An end to food waste
【明報專訊】Many people pick fruits and vegetables that look good and, as a result, "ugly" produce may be wasted. To encourage people to stop wasting food, a French supermarket has launched a campaign called "Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables".
Intermarché, the third largest supermarket chain in France, tried selling unattractive fruits and vegetables earlier this year at a 30% discount. The experiment has proved such a success that it is planning to launch the initiative across its 1800 stores.
"Ugly" fruits and vegetables are those twisted or deformed. Growers often throw them away. French officials say seven million tonnes of food is thrown away each year and the government aims at reducing such waste by 50% in the next decade.
Intermarché has produced three video clips to urge people to buy odd-shaped oranges and apples and two-legged carrots, which taste as good as their regular-shaped counterparts.
(source: Ming Pao, The Telegraph, Daily Mail)
■Quiz
Circle "T" if the statement is true, and "F" if it is false.
1. Intermarché offered a 50% discount on "ugly" produce. T / F
2. Intermarché sold unattractive produce at lower prices to attract customers. T / F
3. The French government wants to solve the food waste problem. T / F
4. Twisted or deformed vegetables are always considered fit for consumption. T / F
5. Customers do not like "ugly" fruits and vegetables. T / F
■Words
produce 農產品
campaign 活動
twisted 變形的
deformed 畸形的
■Glossary
encourage (v) 鼓勵
initiative (n) 措施
decade (n) 十年
counterpart (n) 極相像的人(或物)
