Supermarket Shortages: Skyrocketing costs and reduced security
Even though Italy won’t be as affected by the shortages, food may be less plentiful. There will be...
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Due to a wave of poor weather across Europe and Africa, supermarket shelves have been left empty due to a lack of fruit and vegetables. The shortage includes broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflowers, cabbages, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes.
British Retail Consortium director of food and sustainability Andrew Opie said: “Difficult weather conditions in the south of Europe and northern Africa have disrupted harvest for some fruit and vegetables including tomatoes.
“However, 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."
The main reason for the bare shelves and skyrocketing wholesale prices is the volatile growing conditions which include blistering heat, droughts and a deep freeze.
Asda and Morrisons started to ration some fruits and vegetables amid these widespread shortages that have led to empty supermarket shelves, they were quickly followed by Tesco and Aldi.
According to the BBC 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.
Olive oil is another product which has been hit by extreme weather, with summer heatwaves in Spain affecting yields. As a result prices in UK supermarkets have surged in recent months.
Industry sources suggested the UK may be suffering because of lower domestic production and a more complex supply chain, but said Brexit was unlikely to be a factor.
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