TWO more major supermarkets have announced they will ration fruit and vegetables.
Tesco and Aldi are the latest chains to put buying limits on fresh produce.
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Both of the supermarkets will be limiting peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes to three per customer.
An Aldi spokesperson said this is “to ensure that as many customers as possible can buy what they need”.
It comes after Asda and Morrisons both announced the rationing of certain products yesterday.
Shoppers have been faced with empty shelves at their local supermarkets.
Shortages have been caused by the unusually cold weather in Spain and Morocco.
Floods, snow and hail have hit harvests which usually supply the bulk of our winter salad crop.
Britain imports around 95% of its tomatoes and 90% of its lettuces, most from the affected region, during the winter months.
UK farmers have cut back owing to soaring prices of gas and fertiliser required to grow crops and heat their greenhouses.
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This isn’t the first time shoppers have seen shortages at the supermarket because of unusual weather.
Back in 2017, poor growing conditions in Europe – mostly Italy and Spain – meant there was a lack of vegetables.
Experts estimated the shortage would cost UK supermarkets at least £8million.
There was also concern in 2018 that an onion shortage could occur because of hot weather causing damage to crops.
In the same year, hot weather also stunted the growth of peas.
The British Retail Consortium said shortages are expected to last a few weeks until the UK growing season begins and retailers found alternative suppliers.
Tesco
Tesco has put a buying limit in place on peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.
Each customer can buy three items each at the checkouts.
The supermarket giant said it is working hard with suppliers to ensure a good supply of vegetables for customers.
The limits are in place at all of Tesco’s 2,829 stores.
Aldi
Aldi has revealed that it will be putting a limit in place too.
The supermarket said there is now cap of three items per customer for three fresh products.
These items are tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers.
Limits are in place at all of Aldi’s 990 stores.
Asda
Asda has introduced buying limits on eight different fruits and veg products.
Shoppers will only be able to get three each of the following items:
- Tomatoes
- Peppers
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce,
- Salad bags,
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Raspberries
A spokesman for the supermarket said: “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.”
The cap on what you can buy applies at all of Asda’s 630 stores.
Morrisons
Morrisons has in place a maximum cap of two items per customer.
The new rules came in at all its 497 stores from February 22.
The limits will apply to tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers.
Co-op
A spokesman for The Co-Op told The Sun it has no plans to ration fruit and vegetables at this time.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s said it does not currently have any plans to bring in purchase limits for shoppers.
Lidl
German discounter Lidl said it doesn’t currently have plans to put limits in place.
Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer told The Sun it currently has no plans to introduce a buying limit on fruit and vegetables.
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