This week, shoppers across the UK have been faced with empty supermarket aisles in the fruit and veg section, with Asda, Morrisons and Aldi ultimately issuing restrictions on the amount of fresh product consumers are able to buy at one time.
According to British Retail Consortium director of food and sustainability, Andrew Opie, this has come as a result of “difficult weather conditions in the South of Europe and Northern Africa”.
“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,” he said.
Former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King acknowledged supply has been affected by poor weather abroad, telling Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC that UK greenhouses, previously known to grow tomatoes, have suffered in recent years.
Mr King went on to say that fair purchase policies, which have been introduced by Asda, Morrisons and Aldi, are the “right way to manage in the short term” and should help them to resolve the issue in a “small number of days.
However, supplies from British farms have also been suffering as many farmers have cut back due to the rocketing costs of heating greenhouses, with domestic production of salad currently at its lowest level since records began in 1985.
Grocery Gazette finds out how each of the UK’s leading supermarkets have been affected by these shortages and how they plan to manage the gaps in supply.
Asda
Asda is temporarily limiting the number a select range of fruit and vegetables to three of each item per customer. Affected produce includes tomato packs, peppers, cucumber, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.
An Asda spokesperson said: “Like other supermarkets, we are experiencing sourcing challenges on some products that are grown in southern Spain and north Africa.
“We have introduced a temporary limit of three of each product on a very small number of fruit and vegetable lines, so customers can pick up the products they are looking for.”
Aldi
Discount grocer Aldi is one of the latest supermarkets to ration fruit and veg with shoppers being told they can only buy three packs at a time, due to poor weather conditions in Europe.
Aldi said it is working hard, alongside its suppliers, to ensure customers can get everything that they need during the industry-wide shortages and has introduced some products limits as part of that.
An Aldi spokesperson told Grocery Gazette: “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.”
Morrisons
Morrisons had said that its supply of cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and peppers have also been affected.
As a result, it has imposed a limit of two products per customer on these affected items.
M&S
M&S told Grocery Gazette that although it is “not immune to the current shortage issues across the whole industry”, it is mitigating those shortages where it can by maximising its use of “alternative supply routes”.
Tesco
As the UK’s largest retailer, Tesco has seen some temporary supply challenges on a number of tomato and pepper lines as a result of recent weather and environmental factors.
It has introduced limits on sales of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to three of each item per customer.
According to BBC news, the limits come as a precautionary measure to ensure shoppers get the produce they require, however it has said that it is working hard to ensure there is good availability of these products across its stores for its customers.
Tesco also highlighted that localised shortages do not represent overall availability or – as stores receive regular deliveries – indicate show long-term availability on a store-specific basis.
Waitrose
Upmarket retailer Waitrose told Grocery Gazette that while it is continuing to monitor the situation closely, it currently has has no plans to introduce restrictions or rationing.
Lidl
Discount grocer Lidl has become the latest supermarket to limit the sales of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers to three per customer.
Sainsbury’s
Big 4 grocer Sainsbury’s has also confirmed that it does not currently have purchase limits in place.
Grocery Gazette will continue to update this article. Last updated at 11:22, 27 Feb.
