Sainsbury’s is introducing crownless pineapples in a bid to reduce waste by 700 tonnes annually.
Sainsbury’s is the only ‘big 4’ grocer to offer crownless pineapples, which are the same as traditional pineapples but with the green leaves removed.
These will be available from 1 November both online and in-store and will be ready to eat upon purchase, with no need for customers to ripen the fruit at home.
The move comes as the crown of a pineapple is typically thrown away by customers at home, so by removing it for recycling during the production process, shoppers can cut down on food-related waste.
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The removed crowns will either be replanted in the pineapple fields or shredded and given to local farmers to be used for animal feed.
The change will allow the supermarket giant to fit more of the product into each box it ships to stores, resulting in a reduction of 2,500 boxes transported per year, while Sainsbury’s is also removing all packaging previously attatched to the standard size pineapple.
To offer customers choice, the retailer will continue to sell a large pineapple which will remain with its leaves attatched.
Sainsbury’s director of product and innovation, Claire Hughes, said: “We’re passionate about reducing our impact on the planet wherever we can, and we’re always looking for new and unique ways to make bold changes with sustainability in mind.
“Our new crownless pineapples may look a little out of the ordinary but they offer very clear benefits in reducing waste and packaging. We hope that our customers will embrace the change with the knowledge that this quirky fruit is helping us to repurpose waste within our supply chain, as well as helping to reduce waste in their homes too.”
