Aldi has shared its top tips for preventing avocados from browning once they are brought home, and the advice starts with how shoppers check for ripeness in the first place. The supermarket, which operates multiple stores across Birmingham, is urging customers to avoid squeezing avocados with their fingertips, as this can bruise the fruit before it ever reaches the kitchen counter.
Why squeezing avocados is a mistake
According to Aldi, pressing the fruit with your fingertips can leave it bruised, leading to unsightly brown patches and a less enjoyable texture. Instead, the retailer recommends a gentler approach: hold the avocado in the palm of your hand to gauge softness, or remove the small stalk at the top. If the stalk comes away easily and reveals green flesh underneath, the avocado is ripe and ready to eat.
This method helps shoppers avoid damaging the fruit while still determining ripeness accurately. Aldi’s guidance comes as part of a broader effort to help customers get the most from their purchases and cut down on food waste, a growing concern for households across the UK.
How to store cut avocados to prevent browning
For those who only use half an avocado at a time, Aldi has a simple storage solution. Keep the stone in the half you are saving, brush the exposed flesh with a small amount of lemon or lime juice, and place it in an airtight container in the fridge. This slows down the oxidation process that causes browning and helps retain the avocado’s flavour for longer.
The supermarket notes that avocados are not just for toast. They can be added to salads, wraps, sandwiches, smoothies, or used to make homemade guacamole, giving shoppers plenty of ways to enjoy them and avoid waste.
The bigger picture: sustainability and sourcing
Aldi also highlights the environmental and social challenges associated with avocado production. Tropical fruits like bananas, pineapples, and avocados are often grown in developing countries, including by smallholder farmers. Human rights issues, such as low and irregular wages and incomes, remain key challenges in these supply chains.
Fresh fruit production can be water-intensive and highly dependent on rainfall or fresh water. Beyond droughts and water scarcity, deforestation has become a major environmental risk for the sector, particularly in banana and avocado cultivation. By encouraging better storage practices, Aldi aims to reduce waste and, in turn, lessen the demand for overproduction.
Expert advice from Aldi’s Chief Commercial Officer
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, emphasised the importance of getting avocado storage right. She said: "No one wants to cut into an avocado only to find it's bruised or past its best. Getting the timing right can sometimes be tricky, but knowing how to choose, ripen and store avocados properly can make all the difference."
Ashfield added: "By making a few simple changes, shoppers can enjoy better quality avocados, keep them fresher for longer and get the most from every purchase."
Aldi’s advice is timely, as avocado consumption in the UK continues to rise. With proper handling, shoppers can reduce the estimated 1.4 million tonnes of food waste generated by UK households each year, a significant portion of which comes from fresh produce like avocados.
