Lidl GB and Waitrose
Relaxing fresh-produce specifications after weather shocks
Climate-related procurement risk: Drought, heat, flooding and extreme weather affecting crop size, shape, appearance, availability and grower viability
Solution pathway: Flexible product specifications, “wonky” or less-than-perfect produce ranges, buyer support for weather-affected growers and reduced crop rejection
Business type: Large grocery retailers
Sector: Food retail and fresh produce procurement
Geography: United Kingdom
In practice
Fresh produce procurement often depends on tight specifications for size, shape, colour and appearance. These standards help retailers deliver consistency for customers, but they can also make supply markets less flexible when crops are affected by extreme weather. Drought, heat, heavy rain or hail may not make produce unsafe or unusable, but they can affect appearance, size or uniformity. If specifications are too rigid, otherwise edible crops may be rejected, worsening shortages, reducing grower income and increasing waste.
Lidl GB and Waitrose provide examples of retailers adapting procurement expectations in response to weather disruption. During the 2022 UK drought, Lidl told growers that drought-affected crops could still be sold in stores where possible, even if they were smaller or shaped differently from usual. The aim was to support British growers affected by extreme heat and dry weather while helping keep food on shelves and reduce waste.
Waitrose has also used its “A Little Less Than Perfect” approach to support growers by selling produce affected by weather or natural variation. The retailer has described this as part of a long-running effort to buy and sell more of its suppliers’ crops, including weather-blemished apples and produce that falls outside standard size or shape guidelines.
This shows how procurement teams can make supply markets more efficient during disruption by changing buying rules. Instead of treating climate-affected produce as unsellable, retailers can adapt specifications, create customer-facing product ranges and keep more supply moving through the market.
This does not remove the underlying climate risk to farming. But it can reduce the market amplification of that risk. Flexible specifications can help avoid unnecessary crop rejection, reduce waste, support supplier income and improve availability for customers during difficult growing seasons.
Why this example was selected
This case study is a clear and practical example of retailers adapting procurement standards in response to climate-related crop disruption. The example has been covered by external food and farming media, including reporting on Lidl’s response to drought-affected crops. Waitrose’s “A Little Less Than Perfect” approach is documented by the John Lewis Partnership and in Waitrose evidence to the UK Parliament.
The case is especially useful for the Business Knowledge Hub because it shows that procurement resilience is not only about finding new suppliers. It can also mean changing what buyers are willing to accept, how products are graded, and how customers are offered climate-affected but usable goods.
