Food waste: Intermarché to sell ‘ugly cookies’ after success of ‘ugly fruit and veg’

Over a three day campaign from the third to the fifth of November the supermarket will sell packages of cakes and cookies that should have been excluded from the market for visual defects.

Beyond their appearance the cookies will present “the same nutritional and taste qualities” according to the retailer. (Intermarche)

A French grocer is expanding its campaign to get shoppers to buy ugly products.

Intermarché, the third largest supermarket chain in France, is determined to reduce waste by convincing its consumers to purchase "ugly products". Over a three day campaign from November 3 to 5, the supermarket will sell packages of cakes and cookies that should have been excluded from the market for visual defects.

The biscuit campaign follows the success of its "fruits et légumes moches", or ugly fruit and vegetables campaign. Intermarché sold odd-shaped or visually flawed fruit and vegetables 30 per cent cheaper than regular items to encourage shoppers not to waste them.

Beyond their appearance these product will present “the same nutritional and taste qualities” according to the retailer.

Intermarché chose the motto “moche, mais mate les tablettes” a play on word as in French it could either mean, “ugly but check out my chocolate bar” or, “ugly but check out my six pack”.

The earlier ugly fruits and vegetables campaign featured “failed lemons”, “inglorious apples” and “disfigured eggplant” at bargain prices.

All stocks of the fruit and vegetables sold out in an initial rush and supermarket traffic overall increased by 24 per cent. (Intermarche)

Humorous posters highlighted what was offered with cheeky slogans such as “ugly orange - makes very nice juice", and “ugly potato - voted Miss Purée 2013".

All stocks of the fruit and vegetables sold out in an initial rush and supermarket traffic overall increased by 24 per cent.

In addition to its ‘ugly biscuits’ Intermarché has also announced that it will bring back the ‘ugly veggies’ over a two day campaign from October 15 to 17 ahead of the National Day against food waste on October 16.

In a 2010 report, the European Commission estimated annual food waste generation in the EU 27 at approximately 179kg per capita, or 89 million tonne which is expected to rise to around 126 million tonnes by 2020 if no action is taken.