Major UK supermarkets are rationing essential items, here's what you need to know

Issues with the food supply in the UK are causing major supermarkets, including Asda and Morrisons, to temporarily limit the amount of fresh produce customers can buy. The shortages are being blamed on a range of factors fromBrexit to bad weather in Southern Europe and Africa.

Experts have warned that the rationing could last several weeks as food producers in the UK are also suffering due to the impact of higher energy costs.

Fruit and vegetable quotas

Asda has temporarily put limits on the purchase of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries with only three of each item allowed per customer.

An Asda spokesman explained as per Sky News:

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.

Meanwhile, Morrisons have announced a limit of two items per customer across tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers starting today.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Aldi and the Co-op are not currently planning to introduce restrictions but experts warn that could soon change as UK crops were damaged by frost over Christmas.

Tim O’Malley, managing director of Nationwide Produce, explained:

UK field crops such as carrots, parsnips, cauliflower and cabbage have been badly damaged by frost leading to many fields being totally written-off.

This will mean both gaps on shelves and higher prices for these products over the coming months.

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Brexit

Save British Farming chair Liz Webster blames Brexit for the issue, according to The Independent:

The reason that we have food shortages in Britain, and that we don’t have food shortages in Spain – or anywhere else in the European Union – is because of Brexit, and also because of this disastrous Conservative government that has no interest in food production, farming or even food supply.

However, most reports focus predominantly on rising energy costs and bad weather in southern Europe and northern Africa. Producers in Morocco have struggled with cold weather, heavy rain and floods disrupting their crops. Spanish crops have also been severely affected by bad weather in the last month and all this has been compounded by transport issues.

Growers in the UK have also warned that supplies from British farms are limited as many have cut back planting due to the rising cost of heating the greenhouses needed to grow salad crops.

The National Farmers’ Union president, Minette Batters warned that the situation will continue as long as inflation is high, as per The Guardian:

Domestic production of salad, including cucumbers and tomatoes, has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1985.

We can do something about it, but it needs government to act to drive down inflation in primary production.

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Sources used:

- Sky News 'Asda and Morrisons imposing purchase limits on some fruits and vegetables due to supply challenge'

- The Independent 'Supermarket rationing – latest: Brexit worsens UK food shortages, farming group claims'

- The Guardian 'Asda and Morrisons ration fresh produce including tomatoes and peppers'