Full list of supermarkets axing buying limits as fruit and veg shortages ease

THREE major supermarkets have started axing limits on certain fresh products as shortages ease across the UK.

Last month, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, Asda and Tesco started rationing a number of fresh fruit and vegetables.

GettyClose up of woman at supermarket holding a shopping basket and shopping list.[/caption]

The shortages were caused by, among other issues, bad weather and transport issues in north Africa and Europe.

But three major supermarkets have now started lifting restrictions on selected products.

Yesterday, Asda confirmed it has removed limits of three on cucumbers, lettuces, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.

Limits of three per person still remain on tomatoes and peppers are still in place though.

Morrisons also said it had removed the max per person cap of two on cucumbers, while limits of two remain on tomatoes, lettuce and peppers.

Today, Lidl confirmed restrictions on all its products will be lifted by Monday.

Its customers have been limited to a maximum of three peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers per person in recent weeks.

Tesco and Aldi have confirmed restrictions on their products remain in place.

Tesco customers can only buy three peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes each at tills.

Meanwhile, Aldi customers can only get a maximum of three tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers each.

Shortage issues started in January as cold weather impacted tomatoes ripening.

This was followed by heavy rain, flooding and cancelled ferries, which further affected the volume of fruit and veg arriving into Britain.

Spain, one of Britain’s other major sources of stock, was also hit with bad weather and ferry journeys were axed.

Producers were also reporting having to cut back on their use of greenhouses due to higher electricity prices.

Environment secretary Therese Coffey made headlines following the shortage when suggesting to MPs the public should opt for home grown turnips instead of tomatoes.

Meanwhile, deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Tom Bradshaw, said a reliance on foreign imports had left the UK vulnerable to “shock weather events”.

It’s not the first time in recent months shoppers have been faced with bare supermarket shelves.

In November 2022, farmers warned about staple groceries being in short supply as poor pay, rising costs and lack of a reliable workforce left Britain’s food supply stretched.

In April of the same year, shoppers were faced with food rationing after supermarkets were forced to limit the sale of sunflower oil, sparked by the war in Ukraine.

Waitrose and Morrisons limited shoppers to two bottles of the oil while Iceland set a limit at one bottle per person.

And as far back as 2021, Brits were faced with rows of empty supermarket shelves due to a lorry driver shortage.