Supermarkets have begun to put limits on fruit and vegetable purchases as they face shortages of fresh produce.
Asda has told shoppers they can only buy three tomatoes, salad bags, broccoli, raspberries, cauliflower, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce.
The temporary measure has been brought in so there is enough for all shoppers after the firm said it was facing ‘sourcing challenges’.
From yesterday, Morrisons will put a limit of two per item of tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and cucumber.
Aldi and Tesco have also rationed vegetables. They both have a limit of three per person on peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.
Supermarket shelves have been looking bare for days as extreme weather has affected harvests in Spain and Africa and soaring energy prices have stopped farmers in the UK and the Netherlands have reduced use of greenhouses – reducing their production of winter crops.
A cold snap in Spain, which produces around 80 per cent of salad and vegetable crops in the UK, has decimated the supply. Alternative crops are normally brought in from Italy and Morocco, but these areas have also had a recent spate of cold weather, and Moroccan shipments have been held up by storms.
