Greengrocer's fury as hundreds of cauliflowers are delivered in plastic packaging

Peter Patterson, manager of All Seasons Fruiterers in the High Street, Lee-on-the-Solent, couldn't believe his new cauliflower supplier started to send the veg wrapped in wasteful packaging. 

'I've been a greengrocer for over 30 years and I've never been supplied plastic-wrapped cauliflowers before. 

'Over the past three weeks, I've had 20 boxes - that's 200 to 300 of cauliflowers, all wrapped in plastic.

'Why on earth are they wrapping cauliflowers in plastic, when everyone is making such a conscious effort to use less plastic?'

Peter has had to unwrap and recycle every cauliflower bag, and was left exasperated when he tried to find out the reason for the packaging.

Mr Patterson said: '˜The supplier didn't respond to my questions. I wasn't impressed really.'

All Seasons Fruiterers cauliflower supplier, Lincolnshire Field Products, did not reply to The News to explain the packaging.

The greengrocer's plastic headache comes as Gosport Borough Council and Gosport environmental groups look to tackle the area's rubbish recycling rate. 

Gosport Borough Council was named as the seventh worst authority, out of 350 in the UK, for green waste, with less than 22 per cent of all of the area's rubbish recycled in 2016 to 2017. 

Bianca Carr, co-founder of The Final Straw Solent, an anti-plastic waste campaign group, said: 'We're working with more than 70 businesses in the Portsmouth area to tackle their plastic waste.'

'They are all infuriated by the amount of wasteful plastic they are sent. 

'Restaurants and food shops are astonished '“ everything is wrapped up.'

Cllr Graham Burgess, ward councillor for Lee East, said: '˜We have asked many times for the government to address plastics and recycling.

'˜The problem is made worse as so much packaging isn't recyclable '“ yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, and more. We want a government policy to make all plastics of recyclable composition.

'˜Locally, Gosport is looking a lot cleaner thanks to Hampshire policy and like-minded residents willing to give a little bit extra.'