At this time of year, Britain relies on Spain, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt for the bulk of salad imports. However, these crops have been affected by unusually cold weather last month, including intense night frosts, while tomato plants have also been damaged or killed by disease – in particular the tomato brown rugose virus. There is a new Tesco being built, on the edge of town. It prolly won't be any cheaper than sainsburys, but should provide more competition, and thus help keep prices stable or bring them down a bit. It's also on the bus route. Meanwhile, Britain and other northern European countries – particularly the Netherlands which is a big vegetable producer – have reduced how many crops they have planted over the winter, after the Ukraine war sent bills soaring for the energy required to light and heat greenhouses and the cost of the fertiliser used on plants. Pearce Duff’s Strawberry Blancmange 35G – Tesco Groceries. Is blancmange the same as Angel Delight?

In the UK, a cold snap and frost before Christmas also damaged field crops including cauliflower, cabbage and carrots.Yet, even as wholesale prices for salad crops surge, growers will not necessarily be able to earn more for their produce, as they are often tied into contracts with retailers and suppliers. The NFU is calling for more support to energy-reliant British farmers. At its annual conference, Batters criticised government policy, pointing out that botanical gardens with large glasshouses have received support with their energy bills through the energy relief scheme, while food producers with greenhouses have not. It seems so. There are no reports of shortages in France and Germany and European shoppers have shared photos on social media of full supermarket shelves, in stark contrast to British supermarkets. It doesn't take much to persuade regular customers with a car to switch their custom - and I have done just that. Asda's loss, Tesco's gain - and I won't shop at Lidl or Aldi because their ranges are too limited. Supermarkets need to stay on their toes simply because I and many others can and do. But I have no problem with buying own brand stuff if we like it as much as the branded stuff. Sometimes a retailer will de-list a major brand's product (usually temporarily) if they can't negotiate the price they want.

Batters has warned there might be further rationing of salad items to come, especially if growers’ energy bills remain high.Do you have a Power of Attorney? MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis explains how this crucial protection works, why it's more important than a will, and how to get one in the latest episode of ITV's The Martin Lewis Money Show Live. One issue is reduced output from British farms. The president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Minette Batters, told the union’s annual conference on Tuesday that “domestic production of salad, including cucumbers and tomatoes, has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1985”. NatWest, RBS and Ulster Bank to close at least 172 branches in 2023/24 – here's the full list, plus alternatives