Full list of supermarkets axing buying limits as fruit and veg shortages ease
THREE major supermarkets have started axing limits on certain fresh products as shortages ease across the UK.
Last month, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Asda and Tesco started rationing a number of fresh fruit and vegetables.
The shortages were caused by, among other issues, bad weather and transport issues in north Africa and Europe.
But three major supermarkets have now started lifting restrictions on selected products.
Here is the full list:
Asda
Yesterday, Asda confirmed it has removed limits of three on cucumbers, lettuces, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.
Limits of three per person still remain on tomatoes and peppers though.
The supermarket said tomato and pepper stock levels should be back to normal within a couple of weeks.
Morrisons
Morrisons has removed the max two per person cap on cucumbers.
However, limits of two maximum per person remain on tomatoes, lettuce and peppers.
Lidl
Today, Lidl confirmed restrictions on all its products will be lifted by Monday.
Its customers have been limited to a maximum of three peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers per person in recent weeks.
What are other supermarkets doing?
Tesco and Aldi have confirmed restrictions on their products remain in place.
Tesco customers can only buy three peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes each at tills currently.
Meanwhile, Aldi customers can only get a maximum of three tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers each.
Sainsbury’s, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose are three supermarkets that don’t have any restrictions on fresh fruit and veg in place currently.
Shortage issues started in January as cold weather impacted tomatoes ripening.
This was followed by heavy rain, flooding and cancelled ferries, which further affected the volume of fruit and veg arriving into Britain.
Spain, one of Britain’s other major sources of stock, was also hit with bad weather and ferry journeys were axed.
Producers were also reporting having to cut back on their use of greenhouses due to higher electricity prices.
Environment secretary Therese Coffey made headlines following the shortage when suggesting to MPs the public should opt for home grown turnips instead of tomatoes.
Meanwhile, deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Tom Bradshaw, said a reliance on foreign imports had left the UK vulnerable to “shock weather events”.
It’s not the first time in recent years shoppers have been faced with bare supermarket shelves due to bad weather.
In 2017, poor growing conditions in Europe, largely in Italy and Spain, meant consumers in the UK saw a lack of vegetable stock in shops.
In 2018, pea growers were warning of an impending shortage due to boiling hot weather.
In the same year there was also concern that an onion shortage could occur because of hot weather damaging crops.
