Shoppers have been warned they face further fruit and vegetable shortages as extreme weather in Spain and the UK disrupts crops. Record heat in southern Spain and a cold, overcast start to the British growing season have combined to reduce supplies of fresh produce.
Temperatures in parts of Andalucía were expected to reach a new April record of 39C on Friday, amid a long-lasting drought that has affected vegetable production. Córdoba recorded 38.8C on Thursday, and Spain has been in drought since January 2023, with this April likely to be the hottest and driest on record.
In the UK, growers have faced a cold spring and lack of sunlight, delaying planting and slowing crop growth. Many salad crop producers postponed planting to avoid high energy costs for heating glasshouses, pushing back the start of picking to mid-April. The Lea Valley Growers Association noted that each 1% reduction in sunlight equates to a 1% reduction in crop yield.
Sainsbury's chief executive Simon Roberts warned of further shortages, particularly for peppers and eggs. Waitrose said it was working to restore pepper supplies, while Morrisons limited customers to two packs of red peppers earlier this week, though it plans to lift restrictions on Monday. The British Retail Consortium cited difficult weather in southern Europe for disrupting harvests.
The National Farmers' Union highlighted that British growers face significant cost increases for energy and labour, with many unable to afford to continue producing food at current returns. The shortages, which also pushed prices higher, follow similar gaps on supermarket shelves in February when retailers rationed tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.
