UK: Britain’s fresh produce shortages serve up blame game

Published 2023년 3월 3일

Tridge summary

The UK is currently experiencing a shortage of fruits and vegetables, with retailers rationing purchases and consumers facing a lack of eggs due to bird flu. The government attributes the shortages to bad weather in southern Europe and northern Africa, while dismissing Brexit as a cause. However, the government is urging supermarket bosses to explain their shelf replenishment plans and is encouraging consumers to eat more local, seasonal produce. The National Farmers Union has called for a radical restructure of the food system and higher prices for food to cover costs. Critics argue that the current food system is dysfunctional and that Brexit and soaring energy costs have made fresh produce farming economically unviable.

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Original content

Shortages of fruit and vegetables — from broccoli, cucumbers and lettuce, to tomatoes, peppers and raspberries — have served up a blame game in Britain. Are sparse shop shelves due to Brexit, bad weather in Spain, supermarket price wars, soaring energy bills on Ukraine war fallout, or the UK government? Faced with low stock, an increasing number of retailers are rationing, with some allowing no more than three purchases per customer for certain items. The weekly shop for millions of Britons has also been blighted for months by a lack of eggs because of bird flu. The government insists bad weather hit harvests in southern Europe and northern Africa, while authorities and supermarket chains warn that shortages of fresh produce will continue for weeks. London dismisses claims that Brexit is to blame, insisting it can gain control of agricultural policy after its departure from the European Union at the start of 2021. Spain’s Agriculture Minister Luis Planas also told the Financial ...

Source: Euractiv