Retailers warn that the tomato shortage affecting UK supermarkets is expanding to other fruits and vegetables and is likely to persist for weeks due to a combination of bad weather and transportation issues in Africa and Europe, said a recent statement.
As a result of dwindling stocks of fresh produce, Asda has implemented a customer limit of three on several items, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower, and raspberries.
Morrisons has also announced it will introduce a limit of two items per customer on tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and peppers from Wednesday, with other supermarkets considering similar measures.
“As with other supermarkets, we are encountering sourcing difficulties with some products that are grown in southern Spain and North Africa,” said an Asda spokesperson.
“We have temporarily restricted a very small number of fruit and vegetable lines to three of each product so that customers can find the products they want.”
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, stated, “Difficult weather conditions in the south of Europe and northern Africa have disrupted harvest for some fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes and peppers.
Although disruption is anticipated to persist for a few weeks, supermarkets are skilled at managing supply chain issues and are collaborating with farmers to ensure that customers can access a wide variety of fresh produce.”
Due to their inability to locate certain products at their local stores, shoppers throughout the country have voiced their frustration on social media. Growers and suppliers in Morocco have encountered cold temperatures, heavy rain, flooding, and cancelled ferries over the past three to four weeks, all of which have resulted in a decrease in the amount of fruit reaching Britain.
Spain, Britain’s other major winter source, has also been severely affected by weather-related production difficulties. In January, production issues in Morocco began with abnormally cold night-time temperatures that affected tomato ripening, which was subsequently compounded by ferry cancellations caused by poor weather conditions, impacting lorry deliveries.
Producers have also stated that they have had to cut back on their use of greenhouses due to higher electricity prices.
However, UK producers are expected to begin their growing season soon, which is expected to help with the longer-term situation as retailers seek alternatives to produce from Spain and northern Africa.
