UK supermarkets are rationing fruit and vegetables amid widespread shortages

A major British grocer is rationing sales of fruit and vegetables after a bad harvest in southern Spain and north Africa led to empty supermarket shelves.
Asda, the UK’s third-largest grocer, has begun limiting purchases to three of each product including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.
Other retailers could follow suit after cold weather in key agricultural locations disrupted harvests, with the impact expected to last for weeks.
Shoppers in the UK have posted images of empty shelves in the vegetable aisles at several supermarkets on social media.

Grocery stores become more dependent on imports this time of year, especially from sunnier places like Spain. UK horticultural production normally only starts in late March or April and domestic supplies have already been hit by labor shortages and the higher cost of energy and fertilisers.
According to the National Farmers’ Union, the supply of salad ingredients such as tomatoes and cucumbers is expected to drop to its lowest level since records began in 1985.
“It is not sustainable for farmers and growers to continue to sell below cost of production,” NFU president Minette Batters said, speaking at the group’s annual conference in Birmingham on Tuesday. She has called for government support for agriculture in next month’s budget.
Catering provider Reynolds said availability was low for greenhouse-grown fruits and vegetables in Spain and Morocco, including tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, chillies and courgettes. The company’s latest crop report shows yellow or red status for these items. The cooler weather causes the produce to grow more slowly than usual and prevent it from ripening.
Asda said it was having “supply issues” from southern Spain and North Africa and that the cap was temporary to ensure availability for customers. Tesco Plc has also had supply chain issues for some tomatoes and peppers, but does not currently have any restrictions. There are no limits to J Sainsbury Plc either.
“The disruption is expected to last a few weeks,” said Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium. “Supermarkets are adept at dealing with supply chain issues and are working with farmers to ensure customers have access to a wide range of fresh produce.”