// Tesco limits purchase of some fruits and vegetables following industry-wide supply shortages
// The grocer is rationing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers
Tesco has become the latest supermarket to introduce limits on some fruit and vegetables purchases following supply shortages.
It follows similar moves by Aldi, Asda and Morrisons. Tesco is putting limits of three per customer on sales of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.
However, Sainsbury’s, Lidl, Waitrose and M&S have not implemented any limits.
Tesco said it was introducing limits as a precautionary measure so that customers can purchase the produce they need.
The limits apply to loose fruit and vegetables and to produce sold in packs.
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Aldi recently followed Asda and Morrisons in rationing some fruits and vegetables due to widespread shortages.
Off the back of the industry-wide shortages caused by poor weather conditions in Europe, Aldi said it is seeing a small number of fruit and vegetable lines are temporarily unavailable.
The BRC said it expected shortages in supermarkets to “last a few weeks”, according to the FT.
Meanwhile, supplies from British farms have also been cut as many farmers have cut back on planting due to the rocketing costs of heating greenhouses.
The National Farmers’ Union president Minette Batters said recently that domestic production of salad had fallen to its lowest levels since records began in 1985.
British Retail Consortium director of food and sustainability Andrew Opie said: “Difficult weather conditions in the south of Europe and northern Africa have disrupted harvest for some fruit and vegetables including tomatoes.
“However, supermarkets are adept at managing supply chain issues and are working with farmers to ensure that customers are able to access a wide range of fresh produce.
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