What's with the lack of vegetables in shops?

[user1481838270]

I know it's January but what is with the lack of vegetables in shops?

I've been in a few supermarkers in different areas in the last few weeks and none of these shops seem to have courgettes or spinich. Other vegetables such as broccoli and carrots are also in short supply.

I don't ever remember supplies being this bad in January before.

Is there a war on that I don't know about?

Im sure its been said on the news about contaminated food. because people hiding in lorries will nor have had adequate cleaning and washing facilities in camps therefore they may not be clean. Im not talking about ALL lorries and ALL food....why do my posts always give the wrong impression? Do I not make myself clear?

and I didn't make any mention of national products, only products from overseas.

and according to the news (which Im sure many people watch as they like to know whats going on in the world) there are more illegal migrants than thought of (and I stressed IM not bashing migrants, its a GENUINE question about the food).

I shop daily from the markets, it's so cheap, local produce and no shortages.
have never done an online shop, usually just walk to town.
Does it cost much more?

Do I not make myself clear?

Crystal clear, I'd say... Hence the responses ...

How can illegal immigrants contaminate lettuce? Do you think they're squashed up against the veg or something?

How do People hiding in lorries contaminate food?

Well, they're hardly going to be asking the driver to stop at the services when they need the toilet are they? I would have thought human waste would be the biggest risk for food contamination.

The food is packed though? They're not sitting on a pile of lettuces. It's a refrigerated lorry, the actual food is packed into containers. The immigrants are just in the lorry part

There is no 'law' to supply veg on appearance. It is the big supermarkets who refuse to buy less than perfect veg. There was a documentary last year by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall about this showing whole crops being ploughed back into the fields because supermarkets refused to buy them.

I've started buying my veg from the butcher

Our green grocer closed down a couple of months ago. The butcher, who is also a pig farmer, asked his farming mates to supply veg.
Oodles of fresh local veg at very low prices.
Use independent shops, they can be far more flexible than supermarkets if they are supported by local people.

I think you will find lorries have special locks and seals on their doors, so they can tell if anyone has been tampering, getting a free ride. The DM is not an accurate representation of real life.

MrsSlocombesPussy
Supermarkets buy crops on appearance because that's how the majority of their customers buy them.

Our veg box is fine- even had broccoli when no one else did. Because it's almost all grown here. Courgettes and lettuce in feb is unsustainable.

Guess we'll just have to change our eating habits for a bit - I love salad and have it most lunchtimes, DD has peppers, cucumbers & tomatoes in her lunchbox (as well as fruit) and then we have our cooked veg in the evening.