Rationing at some supermarkets has started as retail experts warn shortages of some fruit and vegetables could last for ‘a few weeks’.
Morrisons has become the latest chain to introduce limits from Wednesday (Feb 22) on a number of fresh food items it is struggling to stock in sufficient quantity.
A combination of bad weather and transport problems in Africa and Europe has resulted in UK supermarket shelves being left bare of tomatoes, as well as now dwindling stocks of some other fresh produce including cucumbers, peppers and lettuce.
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) says it expects the issues with ordinarily reliable supply chains to last for a few weeks – but that the British growing season would soon help bolster available stock on the shelves as the weather warms up and local producers begin supplying the big supermarkets.
But in signs reminiscent of the Covid-19 pandemic, when shortages of items including toilet roll, eggs and flour led to caps for customers, some stores are once again now introducing product limits for shoppers for items they’re struggling to get on the shelves in large numbers.
Asda was the first to introduce limits on a number of items in its fresh food range.
The supermarket giant, whose closest store to Bishop’s Stortford is in Harlow, is limiting customers wishing to buy tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries to three of every item.
The restrictions apply both to online shoppers and those going to a store.
Morrisons, which has stores in Hoddesdon and Chelsmford, has introduced a limit of two items per customer for its tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers. Other supermarket chains are reportedly considering whether they will need to follow suit in the coming days.
Pictures of empty salad aisles have been circulating on social media this week as shoppers express their frustration at being greeted with rows of bare shelves and boxes with very few items available to buy.
Signs in some Tesco stores which apologise for the lack of stock explain cold weather in Spain has impacted ‘crop availability’ and resulted in the ‘poor quality’ of some popular items it would ordinarily sell.
Andrew Opie, director of food & sustainability at the BRC, confirmed that parts of the continent were experiencing a ‘disrupted harvest’ but that it expected limits to be only temporary.
He said: “Difficult weather conditions in the south of Europe and Northern Africa have disrupted 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.”
