Food shortages may increase UK price pressure

Added on 03 April 2023

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Food shortages may increase UK price pressure

Britons already reeling from the biggest rise in food prices since 1977 may have to get used to shortages of fresh vegetables as soaring costs and unpredictable weather hit domestic production.

British shoppers have faced a shortage of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in recent weeks after disrupted harvests in north Africa reduced supply, while inflation forced industry buyers to spend more on less from key markets such as Spain.

Tax office data showed Britain imported 266,273 tons of vegetables in January 2023 – the smallest amount for any January since 2010, when the population was around 7% smaller than it is now.

Compounding matters, U.K. production of salad ingredients is expected to hit a record low this year as costly energy deters British producers from planting crops in greenhouses.

The tight conditions have helped to push British food price inflation to levels not seen for almost 50 years.

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