Supermarkets across the country are restricting the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables people can buy after a national shortage - which could last for weeks to come. The current spate of empty shelves has been caused by bad weather in North Africa and Southern Europe, where much our produce comes from.
There are fears the shortages could last even longer as UK producers, who normally take over supplying UK supermarkets from the spring and summer, cannot afford to grow as much this year because of the cost of energy.
Tesco has followed Aldi, Asda and Morrisons in introducing customer limits on certain fresh produce as shortages leave supermarket shelves bare.
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, which represents UK supermarkets, said: “Difficult weather conditions in the south of Europe and northern Africa have disrupted the harvest for some fruit and vegetables including tomatoes and peppers.
“While disruption is expected to last a few weeks, supermarkets are adept at managing supply chain issues and are working with farmers to ensure that customers are able to access a wide range of fresh produce. In the meantime, some stores are introducing temporary limits on the number of products customers can buy to ensure availability for everyone.”
Growers and suppliers in Morocco have had to contend with cold temperatures, heavy rain, flooding and cancelled ferries over the past three to four weeks – all of which have affected the volume of fruit reaching Britain. Supplies from Britain’s other major winter source, Spain, have also been badly affected by weather.
Production problems in Morocco began in January with unusually cold night-time temperatures that affected tomato ripening. These were compounded by ferry cancellations due to bad weather, hitting lorry deliveries.
Tesco fruit and veg rules
Tesco has introduced a temporary buying limit of three items per customer on tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers as a precautionary measure.
The supermarket said it was working hard with its suppliers to ensure a good supply of vegetables for customers in light of temporary supply challenges on some lines due to adverse weather conditions abroad.
Aldi fruit and veg rules
Aldi has placed limits on peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes as retailers warned the shortages – although expected to be temporary – were likely to last weeks.
An Aldi spokeswoman said: “We are limiting purchases of peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes to three units per person to ensure that as many customers as possible can buy what they need.”
An initial shortage of tomatoes affecting UK supermarkets has since widened to other fruit and vegetables due to a combination of bad weather and transport problems in Africa and Europe.
Asda fruit and veg rules
Asda has introduced a customer limit of three on tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.
Morrisons fruit and veg rules
Morrisons has set a limit of two items per customer across tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers.
Other supermarkets are understood to be considering similar temporary measures.
Full list of fruits and vegetables being rationed
Morrisons has introduced a limit of two items per customer across these foods:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Peppers
Asda has started rationing customers to just three of these products:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Salad (bagged)
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Raspberries
The products limited in Aldi to three per customer are:
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
Tesco now has a three per person limit on:
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Tomatoes
