EU TO END GREENGROCER BEAUTY CONTEST

CURVED cucumbers, peculiar peppers and twisted turnips look set to join perfect fruit and vegetables in local shops.  Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has argued that scrapping rules that prevent misshapen produce reaching the shelves could reduce prices by up to 40%.

EU laws to ensure fruit and vegetables were sold in standard shapes and sizes were put in place following requests from food buyers to assist them in contracts for large-scale purchases.  But after calls from groups such as Sainsbury’s the European Commission has decided to scrap many of the rules to allow the sale of knobbly produce.

Local Euro-MP Chris Davies has welcomed the decision and looks forward to cheaper products for those customers who want to buy this way.  The Liberal Democrat MEP said:- “Supermarkets demanded these standards in the first place so they knew exactly what they would be getting if they ordered 1000 cucumbers. But if they are now asking for changes so they can sell odd-shaped fruit and vegetables at discount prices then it is right that the EU should not outlaw this trade.  It will be interesting to see whether supermarkets now start offering misshapen fruit and vegetables for sale. It will depend on whether customers are prepared to buy "ugly" products however wholesome they may be."

Not all countries are happy with the decision and some such as France, Italy, Spain and Hungary want to prevent unusually shaped produce as they argue it is easier to trade in standard sizes.

NHS websites join up to show the North West the choices on offer

PATIENTS in the North West looking for information about the choices available for their healthcare will now be able to find it all on one NHS website.  NHS Choices and NHS Direct, 2 of the country’s leading health websites, are joining forces to provide people in the North West with all the health information they need in one place.

Those in the region are now able to access all of the NHS’s health content from one easy to navigate website, NHS Choices at www.nhs.uk. The site will offer trusted advice and information so the public can understand and exercise their choice about health and healthcare.  Whether you are considering which of the North West’s hospitals to choose or checking what your symptoms might mean, all of the NHS’s knowledge and expertise will be available from a single website.

This move means the NHS will have one of the most comprehensive online health information services in the world, and offers those in the North West access to self-help guides, comparative information on hospitals, guides to long-term conditions, practice profiles to help find GPs and much more.

Health Minister Ben Bradshaw, said:- “By putting all our online health information on www.nhs.uk, the public will be able to easily find out the most suitable health options for them, from where to have their treatment to the best ways of keeping fit and healthy.  This single site will make it easier for the public to find reliable health information quickly and will give relevant and accurate advice that will help them to make their own decisions and choices about their health and healthcare.”