The European Union has adopted revised marketing standards for fruits and vegetables, effective 1 January 2025, aiming to modernise rules originally established in 2009. This update directly supports the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy by promoting sustainability, improving transparency, and targeting unnecessary food waste within the agri-food sector.
A key feature of the revision is the explicit permission to market fruits and vegetables that fail to meet visual or size criteria but remain perfectly edible. These “non-standard” products can now be sold directly to consumers, directed to food processing industries, or used for animal feed. By creating official pathways for the use of such produce, the EU seeks to minimise food loss generated by cosmetic standards—one of the primary contributors to food waste.
The new rules also introduce clearer origin labelling obligations, ensuring consumers receive accurate information about where their produce comes from. Furthermore, the regulation allows for mixed consignments, making it possible to pack different varieties or sizes of products together, provided that the correct labelling is in place. These adjustments simplify logistics while enhancing traceability and aligning EU practices with Codex Alimentarius standards.
Importantly, the updated marketing standards also strengthen the EU’s position in international trade by ensuring compliance with globally recognised frameworks. By doing so, the regulation balances economic competitiveness with environmental sustainability.
Overall, these changes represent a significant step towards reducing food waste caused by aesthetic sorting, increasing supply chain transparency, and supporting the sustainable use of agricultural products. This development strongly aligns with ROSETTA’s mission to assess how marketing standards impact food waste and to promote alternative pathways for utilising suboptimal produce.
For more details, read the full AGRINFO report here.
