Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Fruit and veg shortages

199 replies

Buttalapasta · 20/02/2023 07:42

I'm not in the UK but I keep on seeing pictures on Twitter of empty supermarket shelves for fruit and veg. Is it really a problem or are they isolated issues?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
13
catandcoffee · 20/02/2023 14:12

Galadriel90 · 20/02/2023 13:36

@catandcoffee

Did I imagine no tomatoes or red peppers in three supermarkets this weekend? Can you see further than the end of your nose?

What a rude reply !

GoodChat · 20/02/2023 14:16

@catandcoffee it's not rude in response to your scaremongering statement, really

catandcoffee · 20/02/2023 14:39

GoodChat · 20/02/2023 14:16

@catandcoffee it's not rude in response to your scaremongering statement, really

My scaremongering statement ?
I think you're confused.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General food
GoodChat · 20/02/2023 14:41

Your post at 11:41 @catandcoffee

daffodilandtulip · 20/02/2023 15:06

It seems to be that you can't get something for a while then it'll be back and it'll be something else you can't get. I couldn't find any cereal for weeks in January, now you would know there was a problem. Eggs and pre-packed sushi are the impossible items DD keeps moaning at me to find at the moment.

xogossipgirlxo · 20/02/2023 15:11

I went for top up shopping on Friday and there was nothing. Managed to buy some bananas, cherry tomatoes,onion and courgettes. Back to Asda today, hoping I can actually find something (like peppers and lettuce).

OhNoNotThatAgain · 20/02/2023 15:14

Buttalapasta · 20/02/2023 07:42

I'm not in the UK but I keep on seeing pictures on Twitter of empty supermarket shelves for fruit and veg. Is it really a problem or are they isolated issues?

It's Twitter, not somewhere to go for an impartial balanced viewpoint.😂

There have always been occasional lapses in the availability of some fresh produce.

blacksax · 20/02/2023 15:21

I don't know where you lot are shopping, but I haven't noticed any issues in any of the supermarkets round here (home counties).

Anyway, it is probably a self-fulfilling prophecy. If someone announced in the media that there is a global shortage of lemons (for instance), the supermarket shelves would be totally stripped of anything resembling a lemon within hours.

Crumpetdisappointment · 20/02/2023 16:05

i took the last packet of sweet peppers in aldi
no tomatoes in aldi or tesco.
it is not a hoax

emmathedilemma · 20/02/2023 16:06

catandcoffee · 20/02/2023 11:41

Absolutely no shortages at all. It's people scaremongering.

They've probably taken pictures of super market shelves late Saturday evening, before it's all restocked.

No, it's an actual thing! Mainly due to poor weather affecting growing conditions.

Original poster
Buttalapasta · 20/02/2023 16:10

OhNoNotThatAgain · 20/02/2023 15:14

It's Twitter, not somewhere to go for an impartial balanced viewpoint.😂

There have always been occasional lapses in the availability of some fresh produce.

Show quote history

That's why I asked on MN instead. 😉

OP posts:
BrandNewBicep · 20/02/2023 16:25

Went to my local Tesco and there were no tomatoes or peppers. They had signs saying it was due to crop damage in Spain.

AKAsomeoneelse · 20/02/2023 16:40

This was my local Waitrose earlier today for those who think we are making it up. No tomatoes or peppers.

Fruit and veg shortages
OhNoNotThatAgain · 20/02/2023 16:59

BiddyPop · 20/02/2023 13:44

The quality has definitely dropped (I suspect due to longer time to ship from farm to shop) in the past 2 years.

In terms of availability, there is less of a lot of fresh food on shelves more recently, not just F&V. And shops often have large gaps. All types of meat, eggs, milk!!, fresh pasta sauces. Milk (and eggs) have been worst. And variety of meat available has definitely dropped.

Specifically on F&V though, in the past 2 months:
No Brussels sprouts 3 times
No mushrooms 6 times
No tomatoes 3 times
About 3 peppers left twice
No courgettes 4 times
No carrots once
No parsnips twice
Not a few packs of potatoes left 3 times

I'm less likely to notice fruit but I haven't been able to get lemons or limes a couple of times and definitely fewer varieties of apple (all pink lady and gala - I much prefer Jazz or Braeburn).

When it comes to F&V, we have had two periods of exceptionally cold weather in the last two months. Farmers can't harvest carrots, parsnips or potatoes when it is -10 and the ground is frozen solid for days. A few weeks later that hiatus in supply shows up in the shops.

As for other stuff - there aren't shortages. It is just that the supermarkets are screwing the suppliers into the ground on prices, and are refusing to accept increased costs. If your apples are coming from outside the UK, they are in a container on a ship. Space in those containers now costs £££ more than it used to, and that is mainly due to the Suez Canal having been blocked for so many months, causing a massive backlog in the availability of containers, which is still ongoing even now. Supermarket X won't pay the increased cost for those apples, so they buy cheaper lower quality ones instead.

postitpatty · 20/02/2023 17:36

catandcoffee · 20/02/2023 11:41

Absolutely no shortages at all. It's people scaremongering.

They've probably taken pictures of super market shelves late Saturday evening, before it's all restocked.

So because you've personally not witnessed it it is scaremongering. Ok then. Clearly all the people on here are liars.

SoHereWeGo · 20/02/2023 17:37

Sainsbury's was low this morning but I've never seen any veg/fruit shortages at Waitrose where I usually top up the veg box

Lulu1919 · 20/02/2023 17:49

Tomatoes and Peppers ..soft fruits too not always available

ChittyChittyBoomBoom · 20/02/2023 18:06

Aldi was stripped of tomatoes and peppers today. Morrisons across the road has loads 🤷🏽‍♀️.

Alltheprettyseahorses · 20/02/2023 22:06

Huh! Had to get clients' shopping tonight from Lidl and Tesco. Lidl had tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers but there was nothing in Tesco. Some shops and areas must have better supply chains than others at the moment.

TrinnySmith · 21/02/2023 06:12

You would expect fewer veg due to the cost of electricity and more expensive fertiliser.
I don't think frozen peas are as nice as usual due to the v hot summer.

greenacrylicpaint · 21/02/2023 06:17

not in the uk and whilst the fruit&veg section looks ok, it's stacked differently.
the cucumber/tomato/peppers area is smaller with a lot less variety.

more cabbage/brussel sprouts and instead of stacking crates they are displayed side by side instead..

malificent7 · 21/02/2023 06:27

My tescos veg shelves were bare with the above sign.
Most eggs gone too.
Aren't tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers grown in greenhouses anyway?

greenacrylicpaint · 21/02/2023 06:32

Aren't tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers grown in greenhouses anyway?

they are. if the farmer can affort the gas needed to heat them... some have decided it's not worrh it as supermarkets will not pay the increase in cost.

commercial greenhouses use a very nifty system of gas heaters. the co2 from burning the gas makes fruit ripen faster so that more can be grown.

TrinnySmith · 21/02/2023 06:41

It could be partly because of bad publicity due to over stocking and wastage.

So they are stocking less now.