Tesco, Lidl, Asda, Sainsbury's, Aldi shortages could hit 'three' supermarket aisles

James Rodger
·2-min read

Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi could be hit by shortages with the country facing a food shortfall. Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi price rises and food shortages could be coming as a result of extreme weather.

Extreme weather amid the climate crisis could be causing supermarkets to fall short of produce. Some countries have been hit by record rainfall, while there have been severe droughts in some nations too.

Tom Bradshaw, the president of the National Farmers’ Union, said markets had “collapsed” as farmers fail to produce food in the punishing conditions. He said: “We’re going to be importing a lot more product this year.”

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Jack Ward, chief executive of the British Growers Association, said: “There is a concern that we won’t ever have the volumes [of potatoes] we had in the past in the future.” He went on: “We are not in a good position and it is 100% not sustainable.”

Experts warned over a lack of vegetables with carrots and parsnips impacted, alongside potatoes and also hit the meat iasle with lamb affected, and diary items like milk. Martin Lines, the chief executive of Nature Friendly Farming Network, said: “The impact in the UK this year will significantly affect potatoes and the salad crop.

"Farmers are already facing delays in planting, with many fields in poor condition. If planting occurs at all, it will likely be late, potentially leading to a shortage of root vegetables and potatoes this coming winter. Some farmers have ceased planning for planting altogether, opting instead to put fields into fallow or switch to alternative crops. This could also result in shortages of wheat, barley and pulses as it’s currently unprofitable to grow these due to the lateness of the season and low forecasted prices.”

Guy Singh-Watson, the founder of the organic vegetable box company Riverford, said he had so far planted “virtually no veg”. Dr Paul Behrens, an associate professor of environmental change at Leiden University in the Netherlands, said: “We should all be extremely concerned. We need to be doing everything to reduce emissions while transforming our food systems.”

He added: “If we don’t … I expect huge turmoil and escalating prices in the next 10 to 20 years. When food prices spiral we always expect political instability. I wish people understood the urgent climate threat to our near-term food security. Fortunately, we know many ways we can make the food system more resilient while reducing food emissions. The biggest opportunity in high-income nations is a reduction in meat consumption and exploration of more plants in our diets.”

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