Asda has imposed a limit on some fruit and vegetables which customers can buy due to supply shortages.

The British supermarket chain is temporarily limiting the purchase of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries to three of each item per customer.

“Like other supermarkets, we are experiencing sourcing challenges on some products that are grown in southern Spain and north Africa,” an Asda spokesman said.

“We have introduced a temporary limit of three of each product on a very small number of fruit and vegetable lines, so customers can pick up the products they are looking for.”

The move follows a warning from the National Farmers Union that a range of British vegetables risk being rationed as farmers struggle with high energy costs.

Production of some fruits and vegetables grown in British heated, covered buildings – such as cucumber and tomatoes – was already falling, the NFU president said.

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“I think there are going to be challenges on availability of some food items”, Minette Batters said, including other salad vegetables grown indoors.

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Vegetables grown in fields – such as cauliflowers, potatoes and purple sprouted broccoli way also be impacted, she said.

Weather in southern Europe and northern Africa had disrupted crops including tomatoes and peppers, the retail businesses trade association said.

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The British Retail Consortium said Britain typically imports 95% of its tomatoes and 90% of lettuces from December to March.

Other British supermarkets are understood to be considering limits similar to Asda.

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