Supermarket food rationing: The stores that are currently affected

What’s happening? Shoppers are facing limits on the amount of fresh produce they can purchase as shortages leave supermarket shelves bare.

Tesco, Aldi, Asda, Morrisons and now Lidl have introduced rations on certain items, including tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, as a way of maintaining their stock.

The major supermarkets have blamed "difficult weather conditions" in Spain and Morocco for the supply issues following heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and snow storms in the region.

National Farmers' Union (NFU) head Minette Batters has claimed the reason for the shortages is more complex, and includes rising energy costs.

Disappointed customers have accused retailers of an "unacceptable" lack of planning after finding shelves missing products.

• Read more: Supermarket shelves left 'desolate' as UK hit by fruit and veg shortages (Yahoo UK 3min read)

• Read more: Lidl becomes latest supermarket to ration fruit and vegetables (The National)

Where are the biggest supermarket shortages?

Pictures from supermarkets across the country, from Devon up to Edinburgh, showed empty shelves on fruit and vegetable aisles.

All retailers are experiencing difficulties sourcing products grown in southern Spain and north Africa, but Tesco, Aldi, Asda, Morrisons and Lidl have introduced rations.

• Read more: Asda and Morrisons ration some fresh produce including tomatoes and peppers (Yahoo UK, 3min read)

Which foods are supermarkets having shortages of?

Shoppers are finding it difficult to pick up a variety of fruit and vegetables.

The problem started with tomatoes but has since widened to peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.

• Read more: Farmers blame UK tomato shortage on bad weather and energy bills (iNews)

Are supermarkets rationing foods?

Tesco has introduced a temporary buying limit of three items per customer on tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.

While Morrisons has set a limit of two items per customer across tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers.

Aldi has placed limits on peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.

But Asda has the most restrictions, with a customer limit of three on tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries.

Lidl shoppers will only be able to buy three tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers each.

A Lidl spokesperson said: "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.

"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."

Other supermarkets are understood to be considering similar temporary measures.

• Read more: Supermarket places limit on number of tomatoes customers can buy amid shortage (The National 2 min read)

Is Brexit the reason for food shortages? Is it the energy crisis? The weather?

The UK has relied more on products grown in Morocco following Brexit, so the country is vulnerable to any issues in this region.

Production problems in Morocco began in January with unusually cold night-time temperatures that affected tomato ripening.

These were compounded by ferry cancellations due to bad weather, hitting lorry deliveries.

Rising energy costs have also been cited as a reason for the food shortage. According to reports, tomato growers in the UK are struggling to heat their greenhouses due to lack of money.

Former Sainsbury's CEO Justin King told LBC that UK greenhouses producing peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes had been "hurt horribly by Brexit".

NFU chief Batters warned farmers faced rising energy costs and could be forced to scale back production.

• Read more: Post-Brexit Britain relies increasingly on Moroccan fruit and vegetables (MiddleEast Monitor)

• Read more: Clock ticking on UK food-security action, NFU warns (BBC)

When will supermarket food shortages end?

The shortages should ease over the coming weeks as UK producers begin to move into their growing season.

This is expected to ease the longer-term situation as retailers also look to alternatives to produce from Spain and northern Africa.

But British Growers Association chief Jack Ward thinks the UK could face shortages all year due to farmers declining to plant vegetables because they do not see a return.

Phil Pearson, group development director at APS Produce, has warned the tomato shortage could last until May.

Farmers booed environment secretary Therese Coffey after she said “we can’t control the weather in Spain” in response to the crisis.

• Read more: Danger of tomato, cucumber and other vegetable rationing, NFU president warns (Sky News)

• Read more: British tomato shortage could last until end of April, warns UK's largest grower (Sky News)

More reporting on food shortages

Supermarket shortages: Fruit and veg industry 'hurt horribly by Brexit', supermarket boss warns (Yahoo UK)

Supermarket rationing could last for weeks, retail experts warn (Independent)

Supermarket rationing – latest: UK stores launch limits on food after shelves lay empty (Independent)

Food shortages in the UK – what’s missing from shelves and why? (Evening Standard)

Supermarkets begin rationing fruit and vegetables - live updates (Telegraph)