Spuds with mud are returning to supermarket shelves – and you won’t be charged for the dirt.
More than 260 Tesco stores will be selling best Lincolnshire unwashed potatoes over the next six months.
Fifty years ago, most potatoes – and other vegetables – were sold with earth.
Leaving them covered in soil prolonged the life of the food – it blocked out the light.
Tesco and supplier Branston have worked out how much extra weight comes with a muddy spud – and adjusted scales accordingly.
Rob Hooper, Tesco Produce’s lead technical manager, said:
“Towards the end of the 1970s, supermarkets and greengrocers in general moved towards selling more cosmetically perfect produce.
“As a result, potatoes were washed before being put out on display.
“Last November we ran an initial trial at stores in Bristol and the surrounding areas to see how shoppers would respond and it was a success.
“So now we are widening this trial across the south of England.”
Potatoes last longer when their cells are protected from sunlight.
