Oh yes, we have no tomatoes !

When you can get them they aren't very nice. Hard and tasteless

the fruit/veg section in morrisons tonight was pitiful

jerseygirl

When you can get them they aren't very nice. Hard and tasteless

Don't keep them in the fridge, put them in the fruit bowl or at least a couple at a time. They should ripen more.

Not just fresh veg either! Tesco's this week was completely sold out of pre-packed single veg and pre-packed mixed veg. No broccoli to be had except for Tenderstem, which obviously no-one (including me) likes. But more mysteriously, I was rationed to ONE pack of digestive biscuits and ONE packet of corned beef.

the director of food at the British Retail Consortium said that the shortage is due to weather conditions in the south of Europe and northern Africa.

Casdon

I’ve just had a look, Monica is right, that’s another reason - there are quite a lot of issues by the looks of it, and it’s likely to continue for a while.
www.goodto.com/food/food-news/tomato-shortage-uk-why-supermarkets-running-out

Thanks for link Casdon interesting article. I always buy UK fruit & veg from Kent. Need to start growing my own now, have tried in the past, but need to get it right this time.

kircubbin2000

Brexit of course. It's hard to get the seeds too I hear.

Plenty of seeds on line, in garden centres, and in wilcos. Our seedlings are coming up.

There were a few tomatoes in Aldi at the weekend and plenty of cucumbers but don't remember seeing any peppers. Something to do with the weather in Spain and Africa apparently.

Treacletoffee

the director of food at the British Retail Consortium said that the shortage is due to weather conditions in the south of Europe and northern Africa.

Yes, creating a European shortage, thus ...

combining with other factors. As said above.

I’ve just been in an M&S Food store and the only thing they didn’t have was frozen sweetcorn. I bought a tin, instead. They were fully stocked with salad items and the egg stand was overflowing with boxes.

No shortage in my part of france

No shortage anywhere in Europe! But they are keeping it all for themselves, and you can't blame them.

Tomatoes are back in Aldi today.

Some supermarkets are rationing certain fruit and veg. www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64718823

Fleurpepper

No shortage anywhere in Europe! But they are keeping it all for themselves, and you can't blame them.

There are shortages in Europe as well according to ITV News Fleurpepper.
www.itv.com/news/2023-02-20/why-are-we-seeing-empty-shelves-in-our-supermarket

I've had no problems getting stuff in Tesco's all my order is there but I do agree about the tomatoes tasteless, in fact I have gone off of them raw.

Morrisons have put their 6pk of tomatoes up from 66p to 99p.
They can keep them.

No shortages here in my part of Germany .

Grocery delivery due at lunch time from Morrisons, the confirmation shows salad, fruit and green vegetables will all be there as ordered. Was in Tesco and Waitrose on Monday collecting cakes, both fully stocked. Just lucky here perhaps.

I got tomatoes at the weekend but no eggs, well I tell a lie they had a few trays of 20 or 24 or whatever number the big trays are, but nothing else, so no eggs for me (Asda)
Obviously we knew that Brexit would take us out the loop so if there’s any problems we ll be the first to ‘suffer’

Fleurpepper

rowyn

Grandmabatty how on earth can you blame Brexit for a shortage of tomatoes which is due to bad weather in tomato growing countries? ???

Sorry, but that really irritates me - its almost as though you automatically blame anything for which you don't really know the reason, on Brexit!

Because the very fact there has been bad weather means there is a shortage- so EU is supplying EU... no shortages there. The more shortage, the more things like transport issues, red tape, cost of petrol and diesel- means that they will cut out those not in the Club and more difficult to reach, and with a low value currency. Simple.

Shortages in Ireland too and we are in EU. Nothing to do with Brexit

It's everything to do with Brexit. There are crop failures in Spain and Morocco but UK only has a trade agreement with Morocco. We are no longer part of Europe therefore any fruit and veg grown there will go to the member countries first. From what I have read, Ireland didn't want to pay the increased price hence the shortages there.

Perhaps we need to remember what is in season and what involves food miles to gratify our desires.
Salad veg, tomatoes etc in Feb? Not in my childhood in Scotland!

If it’s Brexit related why a shortage now.
And shame on all of you who buy Spanish fruit and veg thereby supporting the horrendous working conditions of migrant workers.

Maw I agree with you about seasonality but I think that's worthy of its own thread.

timetogo2016

Morrisons have put their 6pk of tomatoes up from 66p to 99p.
They can keep them.

66p for a pack of 6 tomatoes in February is a ridiculously low price to pay, though.
Even 99p is still very cheap considering the costs of production, transport etc.

Our expectations have changed and perhaps have overcome unrealistic.

Perhaps we need to become more aware of how our food is produced, learn to value farmers and their workers. If we take all this for granted, dont understand the difficulties they face, then we may risk losing them altogether and we won't just be complaining about the lack of salad vegetables in winter - we'll see more food shortages of many different kinds.