Electrolux highlights ugly food with food waste awareness campaign in Asia

Electrolux is taking its Singaporean community initiative #happyplateSG into its second year with #UglyIsTheNewGood – a campaign seeking to highlight that food doesn’t need to look pretty to be nutritious and delicious. The campaign encourages Singaporeans to embrace ugly food, in order to reduce food waste from the beginning of the food chain.

A survey conducted by Electrolux in Singapore showed a majority (83%) of respondents only purchase fruits and vegetables that look fresh and good, with over half (52%) admitting to avoiding the purchase of bruised, discoloured or misshapen fruits and vegetables. The survey also found that one in four people would never eat misshapen or bruised fruit or vegetables.

Electrolux is now encouraging everyone in Singapore to pledge their support and embrace the ugly to help reduce food waste. People can take part in the campaign in Instagram or Facebook by posting a picture of ugly food or a meal created with ugly food, and making the post public – before the end of November 2016.

Participants are asked to use the hashtags #UglyIsTheNewGood and #HappyPlateSG. For every 8 hashtags shared, Electrolux will fund The Food Bank Singapore’s Fresh Food Truck for one day, ensuring The Food Bank Singapore can collect and distribute excess perishable food items to families most in need across Singapore.

Kenneth Ng, President and CEO, Electrolux Major Appliances Asia Pacific, outlines the thinking behind a community initiative that acts as a counter-response to the survey findings:

“Food waste is a real and increasing concern and we all have a shared responsibility to start making changes in our homes. This year, we decided to focus on ugly food in Singapore because 46% of fruits and vegetables never make it from the farm to fork as they are not the right shape or colour. We want to raise awareness among the general public to embrace ugly food in order to reduce food waste from the beginning of the food chain. Ugly food can taste just as good as perfect-looking food and is as nutritious.”

Access real-time updates, recipes inspiration and find out more about the social initiative by visiting #happyPlateSG website www.happyplate.sg or www.facebook.com/electroluxsingapore.