'Travesty': £22m pounds of fruit and veg wasted due to labour shortage, NFU warns

clock • 2 min read
Credit: iStock
Image:

Credit: iStock

Food waste driven by lack of pickers prompts concern over impact on farmers, food supplies and the climate

As much as £22m-worth of fruit and vegetables have been wasted across the UK during the first half of this year because there aren't enough people to pick the crops, a fresh survey by the National Farmers'...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Waste

Waste firms urge government to introduce deposit return scheme for vapes

Waste firms urge government to introduce deposit return scheme for vapes

Biffa and the Environmental Services Association (ESA) call for a deposit to be put on vapes to encourage people to dispose of them safely through approved recycling streams

clock 03 June 2026 • 4 min read
Government urged to tackle disposable vape ban 'loophole'

Government urged to tackle disposable vape ban 'loophole'

A year on from introduction of disposable vape fan, new figures show number of fires caused by vape batteries is continuing to rise

James Murray
clock 01 June 2026 • 5 min read
Consumer Goods Forum warns food waste remains 'high' despite member progress

Consumer Goods Forum warns food waste remains 'high' despite member progress

Consumer Goods Forum urges members of its Food Waste Coalition of Action to 'step up to the plate' on transparency and data collection following data showing food waste levels remain high

clock 29 May 2026 • 2 min read