Trade Talk

The European Commission's decision to cull 26 of the 36 Regulations on fruit and vegetable standards comes not before time.

Risible rules on the diameter of thick ends of carrots, straightness of beans, and curvature of cucumbers - to name but a small sample - all come under the cosh. This concept was flawed from the start in terms of enforceability and consumer protection. Each measure sets out unnecessarily long lists of minimum criteria. What self-respecting trading standards officer would measure the vital statistics of water melons, for example, with so many more important priorities?

Many criteria are obvious without specific regulations. Rules that produce be intact; fresh in appearance; clean; and free of foreign taste or smell are a few examples. The Food Safety Act 1990 contains a catch-all provision to the effect that food must be of the quality demanded. This is sufficient to cover such criteria without the need for repetitive spelling out in 36 individual regulations. In any case, without knowledge of these rules, consumers are likely to complain to the vendor if their purchases fall short.

Then there are requirements for different classes of product. Choosing one at random: "Extra" Class for strawberries stipulates that the berries should be of superior quality, bright in appearance and free from soil. Class I allows for what are called "slight defects" including a white patch, not exceeding one tenth of the surface area and must be practically free from soil. Meanwhile Class II permits "white patches not exceeding one fifth of surface", "slight bruising not likely to spread" and "slight traces of soil". The difference between "slight traces of" and "practically free from" soil could in theory trigger endless debate between enforcer and retailer. Moreover, how should "superior quality" be defined compared with Class I?

Some regulations specify uniformity of size of items in prepacks. In practice, how often is this breached? For instance, packs of chicory often contain 'say' two big ones and a small one - not allowed under the regulation. Does this matter? Sensible people know that the size varies. By the way, the size of chicory is described as: "diameter of widest section at right angles to the longitudinal axis"

While welcoming the initiative, we can only lament the costs of producing and implementing these superfluous measures in the first place. And that it has taken the Commission so long to target them for the chop.

Clare Cheney​​ is director general at the Provision Trade Federation​