Britain faces devastating courgette shortage - and Brexit isn't to blame

'The main issue is that supplies are low because of cold nights in Spain and Italy. The cold affects courgettes a lot'
'The main issue is that supplies are low because of cold nights in Spain and Italy. The cold affects courgettes a lot'

Britain is in the grip of a courgette shortage but it looks like this has nothing to do with Brexit, rather a continental cold snap which is hitting supplies at a time of peak demand.

Sainsbury's has no loose or packed courgettes available to buy on its website and twitter users keen to follow healthy diets after the New Year are taking to twitter to vent their anger.

Speaking to the Guardian, Jodi Vorderman who is the UK distributor for Dutch veggies retailer Valstar Holand, explained that the price of courgette is currently almost triple its usual.

Twitter
Twitter

"The main issue is that supplies are low because of cold nights in Spain and Italy. The cold affects courgettes a lot.

"Prices are very high, they are above £20 for a 5kg box. So what retailers are probably doing is that they are not buying at these prices and would rather go empty in the stores than buy at these silly levels. During the summer prices are between £4 and £6.

"Everybody in January tries to eat a more healthy diet, but the real problem is supply. And it’s not just courgettes. Lots of prices are extraordinarily high peppers, aubergines, tomatoes."

Shoppers have taken to social media to complain that supermarkets including Morrisons and Aldi have no courgettes in store.


And those keen to eat 'courgetti', where the vegetable is cut into thin ribbons to provide a low-carb alternative to spaghetti, have also found shelves bare.