Orkney banana bonanza after Tesco store orders 38,000 by mistake

A supermarket in Orkney found itself with an overwhelming surplus of bananas after accidentally ordering around 38,000 of the fruit—almost twice the population of the islands. Tesco in Kirkwall had planned to purchase 380 kilograms (750 pounds) of bananas but mistakenly ordered 380 wholesale boxes, each box containing approximately 100 bananas.

The excessive shipment arrived during the weekend, and due to bad weather and ferry disruptions, returning the fruit to the mainland was not an option. Instead, Tesco began distributing the bananas to local community groups and schools throughout the area. Paula Clarke, Tesco’s community champion, posted an appeal on social media, which attracted various local organizations, including toddler groups and football clubs, who came by to collect boxes of bananas.

Island residents actively contributed ideas on how to use the fruit before it spoiled. Suggestions ranged from baking banana bread to peeling, chopping, and freezing the bananas. Several school teachers also joined in by visiting the supermarket to gather some of the boxes for their classes. Tesco has further made arrangements to deliver the excess bananas to the outer isles of Orkney, ensuring the fruit is put to good use across the archipelago.

This is not the first incident involving a mistaken order in Orkney. Two years ago, a small independent shop on Sanday, one of the northern isles, accidentally ordered 720 Easter eggs instead of the intended 80, sparking a charity fundraiser. However, with bananas having a much shorter shelf life than Easter eggs, finding a quick solution to the surplus fruit has been crucial this time around

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