On Monday, 1 July, supermarket giant Pick n Pay announced it would be launching a ‘nude’ fresh produce wall.
In a bid to play a more active role in the war on plastic, Pick n Pay has launched a trial for a selection of loose fruits and veggies without any plastic packaging. According to the African News Agency, this trial has launched in 13 supermarkets so far across the country.
Each nude food wall will feature a selection of everyday, seasonal produce. Paper bags will be made available instead of the thin, lightweight plastic bags we’re all too familiar with.
Paula Disberry, Pick n Pay’s Commercial and Retail Executive, said plastic waste remains a concern for many customers, and that this trial would give them the choice to shop for more everyday fruit and vegetables free from plastic packaging.
Disberry added that the nude wall will include 12 new seasonal loose Pick n Pay fruit and vegetables: brown steak mushrooms, portabellini mushrooms, red and green chillies, cocktail tomatoes, sweet Palermo peppers, baby aubergine, green beans, broccoli, zucchini, sweet corn, and baby cabbage. These join the 35 other loose fruit and vegetables already available to customers.
While packaging plays an important role in protecting fresh produce, the supermarket chain has noticed an increased interest in loose, unpackaged produce.
‘Previously our loose produce range wasn’t as popular as our pre-packed products. We believe this is shifting as consumers become increasingly more conscious about the environment. The impact of plastic is now front of mind for customers. We will closely monitor shopping behaviour and if this trial is successful, we can expand the initiative to more stores’ explained Disberry.
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