Speaking at the annual meeting in Manchester, Coffey said that "it is none of the government's business to decide the shape of the banana you want to eat, curved or straight."
EU Regulation 1333/2011 states that bananas sold in the union must not contain "abnormal curvature" unless they come from designated areas of Cyprus, Greece or Portugal.
"CRAZY BRUSSELS BUREAUCRATS"
Before the 2016 Brexit referendum, this rule was cited by pro-Brexit politicians and experts as an example of excessive interference by "crazy Brussels bureaucrats".
1,800-WORD REGULATION ON CABBAGE
Other such examples include an 1,800-word directive on marketing standards for cabbages.
"FLEXIBLE" BANANA RULE
Despite the ridicule of the 'flexible banana' rule, it was still on the UK's law books almost four years after the UK officially left the EU.
As of May, more than 4,000 such laws remained on the books, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was criticized by Brexiteers for choosing to repeal only 800 laws at the time.