Food shortages – latest: Carrots, leeks and cabbages could run low in weeks as supermarkets ration

Growers also warn British-grown leek supplies could be exhausted by April

Brexit to blame for food shortages in Britain, chair of Save British Food says

Volumes of carrots, leeks, cabbage and cauliflower could run low “within weeks,” growers have warned.

Jack Ward, CEO of the British Growers Association, said: “The industry is beginning to see the negative impact of last summer’s extreme temperatures and drought on UK crops.

“Volumes are running low as a result of the weather last summer and the situation has been made worse by harsh frosts around Christmas.

“Consequently we may start to see stocks of crops like carrots, leeks, cabbage and cauliflower running low within the coming weeks.

He added: “Europe has also been hit by adverse weather conditions and so supplies from other parts of Europe may be difficult to source until the new crops start to appear around June.”

It comes after the Liberal Democrats called on the government to convene an emergency Cobra meeting after four of the UK’s biggest supermarkets put limits on the amount of fruit and vegetables customers may buy.

Tesco, Aldi, Morrison’s and Asda have introduced rationing, placing a cap of three items per customer on tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Key points

• Carrots, broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower could run out ‘within weeks'
• Shortage 'could last until May’
• Calls for emergency Cobra meeting
• ‘Rare’ tomatoes on sale for £500
• Ukraine supermarkets full of fruit and veg as UK rations

[24 February 2023 10:10 · Emily Atkinson]

Therese Coffey was ‘celebrating’ British produce when she made turnip comments - No 10

Last night, Downing Street said that Therese Coffey was setting out the importance of “celebrating” British produce when she appeared to suggest that eating turnips could help avoid fruit and vegetable shortages in UK supermarkets.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “We don’t believe it is for us to tell people what they should or shouldn’t buy, that is entirely a matter for them.

“I think what the Secretary of State was doing was setting out the importance of celebrating the produce that we grow here in the UK but, ultimately, it is for individuals to decide what food they wish to buy.”

[24 February 2023 09:40 · Emily Atkinson]

Now leeks could be off the menu as British growers warn of shortage due to ‘challenging weather’

First it was tomatoes – now leeks could be off the menu as growers warn that British-grown supplies could be exhausted by April.

High temperatures and a lack of rain, followed by a period of cold weather, are being blamed for creating the “most difficult season ever”.

Supermarkets are already limiting the sale of tomatoes and other fruit and vegetables because of a lack of imports.

Read our report in full here:

[24 February 2023 09:20 · Emily Atkinson]

ICYMI | Cries of ‘shocking’ as Therese Coffey fumbles question about sewage and food shortages

[24 February 2023 08:50 · Emily Atkinson]

Supermarket value range shoppers ‘bearing brunt of inflation'

Shoppers relying on the cheapest supermarket ranges are bearing the brunt of grocery inflation with price rises on value items far outstripping those of branded and premium products, figures show.

The price of value items was up 21.6 per cent in January on a year before, well in excess of overall grocery inflation of 15.9 per cent, Which? found.

In comparison, branded goods rose by 13.2 per cent over the year, own-label premium ranges were up 13.4% and standard own-brand items increased 18.9 per cent.

Which? analysed inflation on more than 25,000 food and drink products at eight major supermarkets - Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

Its findings suggest those who are likely to be already struggling to feed their families and pay their bills during the cost-of-living crisis are being hit disproportionately with the sharpest food price increases.

Some of the biggest price increases on supermarket value items include Sainsbury’s muesli rising 87.5 per cent from £1.20 to £2.25, tins of sliced carrots up 63% from 20p to 33p at Tesco, and pork sausages up 58.2 per cent from 80p to £1.27 at Asda.

[24 February 2023 08:23 · Emily Atkinson]

Why supermarkets had empty shelves over the weekend

Shoppers have hit out after reports of empty shelves in supermarkets across the country at the weekend.

Morrisons has admitted a tomato shortage and a general lack of fresh vegetables is reported elsewhere.

Andrea Cowan, the SNP councillor for Rutherglen Central & North, posted a photo on Twitter showing a lack of veg at a site in her local area.

Matt Mathers reports:

[24 February 2023 07:40 · Maryam Zakir-Hussain]

Supermarket value range shoppers bearing brunt of food price inflation – Which?

Shoppers relying on the cheapest supermarket ranges are bearing the brunt of grocery inflation with price rises on value items far outstripping those of branded and premium products, figures show.

The price of value items was up 21.6% in January on a year before, well in excess of overall grocery inflation of 15.9%, Which? found.

In comparison, branded goods rose by 13.2% over the year, own-label premium ranges were up 13.4% and standard own-brand items increased 18.9%.

Which? analysed inflation on more than 25,000 food and drink products at eight major supermarkets – Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

Its findings suggest those who are likely to be already struggling to feed their families and pay their bills during the cost-of-living crisis are being hit disproportionately with the sharpest food price increases.

[24 February 2023 07:00 · Namita Singh]

Work more hours if you can’t afford food, Therese Coffey suggests

Tory cabinet minister Therese Coffey has suggested people struggling to afford their soaring food bills could consider working more hours.

Labour MP Rachael Maskell could be heard saying “that’s appalling” as the environment secretary replied to her concerns about food banks in York running out of stock.

Ms Coffey also said the widespread shortage of some fruits and vegetables – which has seen supermarkets introduce rationing – may last as long as another four weeks.

More in this report:

[24 February 2023 06:45 · Namita Singh]

‘Let them eat turnips’: Tory minister wades in on how to ease supermarket shortages

Eating turnips could help avoid fruit and vegetable shortages in UK supermarkets during the winter months, the environment secretary has said.

Therese Coffey told MPs that ongoing shortages of produce will be a temporary issue that should be resolved in two to four weeks.

She added the UK should “cherish the specialisms” it has and a “lot of people would be eating turnips right now” under a seasonal food model – rather than thinking about lettuce, tomatoes and similar produce.

Read the details here:

[24 February 2023 06:30 · Namita Singh]

Labour government may be needed to reach Brexit protocol deal, says ex-Irish PM

If Rishi Sunak fails to strike a post-Brexit deal with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol soon, it probably won’t happen until there is a Labour government, former Irish premier Bertie Ahern has said.

The PM is under huge pressure from Conservative moderates to sign an agreement, but No 10 is believed to be holding off in a bid to win over the DUP and Tory hardliners in the European Research Group.

Officials in Brussels are reportedly worried the deal could lose momentum, and Mr Ahern warned a compromise agreement could collapse completely if Mr Sunak cannot get it done soon.

My colleague Adam Forrest reports:

[24 February 2023 06:15 · Namita Singh]

Deadline to ditch EU Laws risks public health, warns ex-food watchdog chair

A deadline to scrap all remaining EU-made laws in the UK by the end of the year risks public health, a former food safety watchdog chair has warned.

Speaking in parliament, Oxford University scientist Lord Krebs argued the government’s planned timetable by the government was “driven by ideology and not logic”.

Raising his concerns over the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, the independent crossbencher, who previously chaired the Food Standards Agency (FSA), has proposed a series of changes “to prevent ignorance, prejudice and selfishness inadvertently or deliberately making our food less safe”.

He made his comments as it was also claimed at Westminster the draft legislation was aimed at satisfying members of the Tory Eurosceptic European Research Group (ERG), who were dubbed “the swivelly-eyed end of the Conservative Party”.

Empty shelves are seen in the fruit and vegetable aisles of a Tesco supermarket on 22 February 2023 in Burgess Hill, United Kingdom (Getty Images)

There has been strong criticism of the Bill which could see more than 4,000 laws amended, repealed or replaced by the end of 2023, with limited parliamentary scrutiny over ministerial decisions and no ability to change them.

Opponents argue it hands too much power to the government, creates uncertainty and threatens workers’ rights, consumer protections and environmental standards.

Proposing changes to the Bill, Lord Krebs said: “My amendments in this group are designed to prevent ignorance, prejudice and selfishness inadvertently or deliberately making our food less safe and of lower standards than we are used to.

Empty shelves are seen in the fruit and vegetable aisles of a Tesco supermarket on 22 February 2023 in Burgess Hill, United Kingdom (Getty Images)

“Ignorance because we don’t know the precise number, nature and impact of the rules that are being potentially removed at the end of this year.

“Prejudice because the plan to sunset is driven by ideology and not logic.

“Selfishness because ideology is trumping the protection of the public.”

He added: “The reason why our food is so safe today is because of a raft of legislation - 97 per cent of it derived from the EU.

“Without proper scrutiny and consideration, these protections could be lost.”