CELEBRITY TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has hit out at Marks and Spencer for selling apples that have been flown over 11,700 miles during one of Britain’s best harvest seasons in years.
The River Cottage star confronted the upmarket retailer on social media on Friday and asked them why they were selling apples from as far as New Zealand and South Africa.
Fearnley-Whittingstall was baffled after spotting the imported apples on display at a M&S branch in Bristol.
He said that this year has without doubt been one of the best harvests in Britain for apples in years so couldn’t get over why they have not been using more locally sourced fruit.
The 57-year-old, who encourages supporting seasonal produce on his show and in his books, tweeted: “It’s the height of the British apple season and without doubt one of the best harvests in years.
“So why does the Marks and Spencer food concession in Bristol Temple Meads only sell apples from New Zealand and South Africa?”
The post has received an overwhelmingly positive response with over 9,000 likes.
Hundreds of Brits left comments after agreeing with the food campaigner.
Lin Richardson said: “Struggled to find English apples in my Asda (not so) superstore yesterday.”
Paul Warmington said: “I’ve eaten loads, given bagfuls away and still had loads on the floor.”
Rob Dales said: “Same in most of the UK supermarkets – you have to look pretty hard to find English apples these days.”
Richard Hannay said: “I couldn’t agree more. We should be maximising seasonal produce.”
Fearnley-Whittingstall, from Hampstead, London, also bemoaned the amount of plastic used, writing: “As some of you have pointed out they [the apples] are also insanely over-packaged in plastic.”
A spokesperson for Marks and Spencer today said: “We are incredibly supportive of our UK farmers and always source locally where we can.
“British Jazz apples are being harvested at the moment and they will begin to appear in stores next week.
“British varieties already in store include Braeburn, Bramley, Cox, Gala, Rocket and Russet. Customers love our Pink Lady apples, but they aren’t traditionally grown in the UK, although we are working on that.
“We’re also supporting the UK’s bumper Gala crop by converting our loose Pink Lady apples to loose Gala in November.”
Apples have been grown and harvested in the United Kingdom for over a thousand years and it is believed that Isaac Newton discovered gravity after watching an apple fall from a tree in 1665.
The increase in warm weather in the UK this year has enabled an abundant crop of British apples.
Late September and October is a key apple picking time in Britain when growers and gardeners harvest their apple crops.
