Baylen Linnekin: Portuguese Food Co-op Fights Back Against EU
Fruta Feia, formed in 2013 by Isabel Soares, is a co-op that's fighting both inane EU food regulations and the food waste those regulations cause. The group pushes back against regulations that dictate the size and shape of fruit that can be sold throughout the EU. If fruit is misshapen, irregular, or fails to meet certain color guidelines, then the regulations state that it's not fit for sale. The rules, published in 2008, state that apples, for example, may not be sold if they have certain cosmetic "defects" in "shape" or "coloring."
At a time when the economic downturn means fresh fruits and vegetables are harder to come by for many—with small farmers struggling to make ends meet—and with food waste an enormous problem, these regulations couldn't be more idiotic and infuriating.
Baylen Linnekin interviews Fruta Feia's Maria Canelhas about the co-op's mission.