British supermarkets are rationing fruit and vegetables as shortages bite

LONDON — Britain’s biggest supermarkets are limiting purchases of certain fruit and vegetables as supply shortages lead to empty shelves.

Britain’s biggest supermarket chain, Tesco, has limited purchases of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to three items per customer. It said the move was due to poor weather conditions overseas and was working with suppliers to “get things back to normal.”

Asda has further set a three-item limit on lettuce, salad bags, cauliflower and raspberries, while Morrisons is limiting shoppers to two items for cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes and peppers. Germany-based discount supermarkets Aldi and Lidl have also introduced restrictions.

Groups including the National Farmers’ Union had previously warned that British farmers were struggling with higher energy costs, which is reducing their ability to grow certain fruits and vegetables in heated greenhouses. Other Northern European farmers are facing similar issues; while tomato disease and elevated fuel costs are further challenges.

In an emailed statement, Andrew Opie, director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said the situation had been brought to a head by weather conditions in Southern Europe and Northern Africa disrupting harvests.

The adverse conditions include heavy rains hitting Morocco and a cold snap in Spain.

The disruption is expected to last a few weeks, Opie said.

According to the BRC, Britain imports around 95% of tomatoes over the winter.

Analysts say that a supply squeeze resulting in higher costs, the tendency for unseasonal products to be popular in the U.K. year-round, and the greater logistical challenge of getting to the island nation means that shortages are hitting where they are not in countries such as France, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands.

The U.K. government has not stated Brexit as a factor, blaming…