Lidl latest supermarket to impose fruit and vegetable limits on customers

Lidl is the latest supermarket to impose limits on the numbers of peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes customers can buy.

“As advised to our customers through signage in our stores last week, adverse weather conditions in Spain and Morocco have recently impacted the availability of certain salad items across the supermarket sector,” a spokesperson said.

“Whilst we still have good availability across the majority of our stores, due to a recent increase in demand we have taken the decision to temporarily limit the purchase of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers to three items per person.

“This will help to ensure that all of our customers have access to the products they need.”

Major supermarkets across the UK have introduced limit on purchases amid dwindling stocks of fresh produce.

Asda has imposed a limit of three on each of the following items: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.

Meanwhile, Tesco and Aldi have introduced limits of three per customer on sales of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

Morrisons has set a limit of two on cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce and peppers.

Why is there a shortage of tomatoes on supermarket shelves?

Insight Kevin Scott Reporter

Stormy weather in Spain and Morocco has led to a shortage of produce, causing prices to skyrocket.

Any hope that farmers in Scotland could plug the gap is unlikely, as rising energy costs means they’re too expensive for most to grow.

With costs spiralling across the board, farmers in Scotland are changing what they grow.

The Scottish Government says it is committed to supporting food production on home soil. But with climate change and the cost of living causing uncertainty for both farmers and foreign supply chains, empty shelves could become a common occurrence.