It’s all in the weather and bad news for vampires

Fresh fruit and vegetables have become scarcer and therefore more expensive because of the continental freeze over December and January.

For instance, tomatoes have doubled in price during the last week of January. Lettuce has tripled in price but no fear those onion lovers out there – onions are 66% cheaper!

During the winter months most of the supply of fruit and vegetables to the UK’s food businesses come from the southern parts of the continent such as Spain. Some are flown in from further afield. The conundrum being that if we cannot be supplied from Europe, we will have to rely on supply from locations in Africa, America and South America. That may mean increases in prices particularly after Brexit. Inflation seems inevitable as suppliers and retailers increase prices to reflect the hike in costs.

Are you ready?

Some commentators are talking about diversifying product lines or making do with what is most readily, and cheaply, available and perhaps we will see more of that in the coming years as the economic effects of extraction from Europe are felt in our supermarket aisles, cafés and restaurants.