Tesco has become the latest supermarket to introduce limits on sales of certain fruit and vegetables due to shortages caused by extreme weather impacting harvests abroad and the energy crisis.
It follows similar moves by Aldi, Asda and Morrisons, with Tesco putting limits of three per customer on sales of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Sainsbury’s, Lidl, Waitrose, and M&S have not introduced limits yet.
In recent days, pictures of empty shelves at various supermarkets have been circulating on social media. The shortages are largely the result of extreme weather in Spain and north Africa, which has affected harvests.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said the shortages are expected to last “a few weeks” until the growing season in the UK gets underway and supermarkets find alternative sources.
However, in recent months UK farmers have warned that local production will no longer be viable for many items due to high energy prices making it uneconomical to heat greenhouses.
Commenting on the current shortages, Justin King, a former CEO of Sainsbury’s, highlighted the decline in UK greenhouses that grow everyday products and criticised the government for failing to include the sector in its energy support scheme.
Speaking to LBC, he said: “These are products that we do produce, or at least have produced all year round in the UK. In north Kent, in Thanet, there are the largest greenhouses in Europe, which used to be full of cucumbers, peppers, and tomatoes. Sainsbury’s used to have year-round British tomatoes.
“But those greenhouses have suffered, really, from two big things. It’s a sector that’s been hurt horribly by Brexit, but by far the biggest issue for that sector has been the government’s choice not to make it part of the energy support package.
“Without the support on energy, it’s not been economically viable to produce under glass this winter in the UK.”
NAM Implications:
- Whatever the cause, lower supplies = higher prices.
- And switching to alternatives.
- Watch this space…
