To think it’s ridiculous no supermarket nearby has British apples

[Sladuf]

Not expecting a lot of traffic for this one but hear me out.

For the second consecutive year every supermarket near me has 0 British apples and it’s nearly September. British apple season is well underway and yet the “seasonal” apples (this is what they were marked up as) in Tesco when I checked yesterday were from Chile.

Some of our best varieties that actually have a decent flavour and crunch are the early ones like Discovery, which I never struggled to get hold of come August, from Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl, Aldi, Waitrose or Sainsbury’s any year before 2023. Thought it was a fluke last year but alas it’s the same this year.

Morrisons was no better than Tesco: even Polish apples were in stock last Friday! Marks & Spencer and Waitrose, supposedly quintessentially British, also letting the side down. Don’t even go there when it comes to Asda: they’re hopeless every year.
Plenty of South African or New Zealand apples. Nothing from Britain.

How do you like them apples? I’d rather British ones you can only get when they’re in season please!

After a lot of looking I managed to find some British in Tescos yesterday. I've been buying Pears instead as they are British or from Europe

Nobody to pick them.

Yes! Not a single British apple in M&S this afternoon! Went up and down looking...

They must be sold somewhere as there are plenty of orchards around. I agree with you OP. Let's hope more appear in the shops soon.

The apples in my garden are not quite ready yet -3 trees, 3 different varieties. Our local coop usually sells British varieties.

It is early for many varieties.

We've got several apple trees and 2 local orchards and there are very few apples on the trees and none ready to pick. Not sure if it was due to the weather at the beginning of the year.

I’ve pretty much done the next best thing and contacted a grower. Thanks for the tip though!

Well, my local Sainsbury's has had them, but we have a very good local greengrocer that has them. If there are any greengrocers near you, my advice would be to look in there. Might cost you a bit more, but worth it.
I have had the same problem with English tomatoes in season in Supermarkets. Found them in our greengrocers.

Early apples have been really poor this year - we have 6 trees and the 2 earliest have nothing on at all. The spring when the early blossom was out was really wet and cold.

I've been getting Discovery from boxes outside peoples houses for the last few weeks.
Looking at my fruit trees, everything is a bit late this year. And I'm down south in a sheltered spot.

Well I am glad it isn’t just me who does this! I was introduced to Discovery and Worcester Permains when I was in primary school and every year they’ve been something I look forward to eating. Last year I found Worcesters eventually in Waitrose but had missed Discovery completely.

I agree completely OP. South Africa was the closest apple location for all the apples in local supermarket. Greengrocers has UK apples and my veg box delivery has some lovely UK ones atm.

Absolutely bonkers that the supermarkets won't stock them, for whatever reason.

We’re South too. In my mothers’ garden she has some decent looking Cox apples growing at present. I’m due to get some Discovery from a grower this weekend.
Thanks to @ObelixtheGaul - great username too - for sharing about Sainsbury’s. I was about to start ringing around the greengrocers. Might still try that to be honest.

Have you got a local greengrocer? I get most of my fruit/veg delivered by one, and whilst they also have some exotic stuff, they have a fair few local suppliers.

The orchard at our allotment has a dozen or so varieties and none are ripe yet

This,
Another unintended consequence of “taking back control”.

It’s early, and it was a short, late summer. They probably aren’t ready.

They’re becoming very inconsistent for this. For me the earlier varieties are second to none for flavour, to the point I don’t tend to bother with apples after Christmas.
I ended up buying some Cripps Red on Sunday after a - pun intended - fruitless visit to the nearest Waitrose. They’re crunchy but boring taste.

Our Sainsbury's is generally good for British veg. It's just the tomatoes this year that they haven't had.

Well sort of, but also, the weather - everything is going to be a bit later this year. And another impact where I am in SE, lots of selling off for solar farms impacts a lot of different crop. And finally, prices paid by supermarkets - have you checked your local markets or farm shops? More likely to get what you want there. I don’t go to supermarkets for British produce tbh, but then I live I the middle of one of the largest crop producing areas in the country so lots of options for buying elsewhere here. Let’s hope they stop building on all of it or else we’ll all suffer…..

My local greengrocers have Discovery apples and a new Discovery type called Raspberry Ripple. August is early for apples imv. It’s worth seeking out independent greengrocers and farmers markets

indeed! I am lucky enough to have a neighbour with a seemingly endless supply of apples from just 1 tree!

Do you have any outside space? Have you thought of growing your own? Don’t even need a big garden for some espaliered fruit trees. And they give a lot of fruit.