Why is there a shortage of tomatoes in the UK? – BBC News

Sales of some fruit and vegetables have been limited by most of the country’s largest supermarkets, Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Morrisons.

The UK government has said it is largely down to bad weather in Europe and Africa.

There is also the impact high electricity prices are having on produce grown in greenhouses in the UK and the Netherlands.

The UK’s largest supermarket, Tesco, and discounter Aldi have said they are putting limits of three per customer on sales of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Asda has capped sales of lettuces, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflowers and raspberry punnets to three per customer, along with tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

And Morrisons has set limits of two on cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuces and peppers.

Tomatoes and peppers seem to be the worst affected but it’s unclear whether this is simply because they are popular.

Other major supermarkets have also been hit by the shortages but have not yet introduced limits for customers.

Former Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King told the BBC that limits were being put in place to prevent other retailers buying stock.

“Even High Street greengrocers, when they can’t get their stock from wholesalers, will start buying off the [supermarket] shelves.”

In the winter months the UK imports around 95% of its tomatoes and 90% of its lettuces, most of them from Spain and north Africa, according to trade group the British Retail Consortium (BRC).

But southern Spain has been suffering unusually cold weather and in Morocco crop yields have been affected by floods, while storms have caused ferries to be delayed or cancelled.

It led to Morocco barring exports of tomatoes, onions and potatoes to West African countries earlier this month as it tried to protect exports to Europe.

The UK also gets some produce at this time of year from domestic growers and the Netherlands. But farmers in both countries have cut back on their use of greenhouses to grow winter crops due to higher electricity prices.

The National Farmers’ Union has called for more support for UK growers, noting the horticulture sector was not included in the government’s support scheme for energy-intensive industries.

The shortages are only expected to last “a few weeks” until the UK growing season begins and supermarkets find alternative sources of supply, according to the BRC.

It added that supermarkets were “adept” at managing supply chain issues and were working with farmers to ensure there was enough fresh produce for customers.

The Lea Valley Growers Association – which produces around three-quarters of the UK’s cucumber and pepper crops – says some producers have delayed planting crops due to high energy costs over the winter.

Anecdotal evidence suggests the UK has been bearing the brunt of the shortages, but problems have also been reported in Ireland, which is part of the EU. Other European countries appear less affected with shelves across continental Europe, from Spain to Poland, heaving with fresh produce.

Wholesalers, importers and retailers the BBC has spoken to suggested the UK may be suffering because of lower domestic production and more complex supply chains, as well as a price-sensitive market.

But they said Brexit was unlikely to be a factor.

However, Ksenija Simovic, a senior policy adviser at Copa-Cogeca, a group which represents farmers and farming co-operatives in the EU, said Brexit wasn’t the primary reason but it hadn’t helped.

In her view, businesses within Europe benefit both from being closer to where products are grown, and from simpler, better-coordinated supply chains.

Ultimately, she thinks, if there is a shortage of supply then the produce that is available is simply more likely to remain within the Single Market.

“It doesn’t help that the UK is out of the EU and single market, but I don’t think this is the primary reason the UK is having shortages,” Ms Simovic added.

The full impact of the Brexit changes have also yet to be felt when it comes to fresh produce entering the country from the EU.

Customs declarations are required, but border controls are not due to be implemented until 1 January 2024 – while imports from Morocco, which is outside the EU, are already subject to border checks.

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