'Tomato-free pizza, pasta on UK menus': Here's why UK has run out of tomatoes

Key Highlights:

• The United Kingdom (UK) is facing a shortage of vegetables, particularly tomatoes, after supermarket supplies were impacted by disrupted harvests in southern Europe and North Africa

• Britain typically imports 95 per cent of its tomatoes and 90 per cent of lettuces from December to March. It is particularly reliant on countries such as Morocco and Spain for tomatoes during the winter

• Supermarket chains in Britain have reportedly imposed limits on the sale of these fruits and vegetables amidst shortage. Meanwhile, restaurants in the UK are left with no choice but to do adapt to the situation by moving their menus away from the ingredient

The United Kingdom (UK) is facing a shortage of vegetables, particularly tomatoes, after supermarket supplies were impacted by disrupted harvests in southern Europe and North Africa.

According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), which represents all the major supermarkets including market leader Tesco and Sainsbury's, the supply issues were industry wide. It said difficult weather in southern Europe and northern Africa disrupted the harvests of a range of crops, Reuters reported.

Britain's import

Britain typically imports 95 per cent of its tomatoes and 90 per cent of lettuces from December to March. It is particularly reliant on countries such as Morocco and Spain for tomatoes during the winter.

However, Southern Spain has been suffering unusually cold weather and in Morocco crop yields have been affected by floods, while storms have caused ferries to be delayed or cancelled, said a report by the BBC.

This further led to Morocco barring exports of tomatoes, onions and potatoes to West African countries to reduce domestic prices and protect exports to Europe. The situation has been exacerbated by less winter production in greenhouses in Britain and the Netherlands due to high energy costs.

Pictures of empty shelves in supermarkets go viral

Several pictures of empty tomato shelves in supermarkets are doing rounds on social media platforms since the last few days.

What's happening in UK amidst the shortage

Supermarket chains in Britain have reportedly imposed limits on the sale of these fruits and vegetables amidst shortage. For instance, Britain's biggest supermarket group Tesco followed rivals Asda and Morrisons by imposing customer purchase limits on salad produce, saying crops were hit by disrupted harvests in southern Europe and north Africa.  

They also argue that one of the main drivers for putting item limits on products is to prevent wholesalers bulk buying their stock.

Meanwhile, restaurants in the UK are left with no choice but to do adapt to the situation by moving their menus away from the ingredient.

Enzo Oliveri, president of Italian chefs’ association FIC told The Guardian, "Because there’s everywhere a shortage, there’s no tomatoes coming from any place."

Some restaurants have adapted by offering “white” tomato-less pizzas and pasta dishes or taking certain dishes off the menu completely, said Oliveri.

The price of tomatoes has increased as much as fourfold in the past year, from £5 a case to £20 a case, according to the Federazione Italian Cuochi UK (FIC UK), a chefs’ association. The price of canned tomatoes has doubled from £15 a case to £30.

How long is the scarcity expected to last

The current scenario in UK is expected to last only for a few weeks until the UK growing season begins and supermarkets find alternative sources of supply, according to the BRC.

However, one UK producers' group has said shortages of some fruit and vegetables could last until May, reported BBC.

(With agency inputs)

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