Two major supermarkets in Milton Keynes are now rationing fruit and vegetables

Supermarkets Asda and Morrisons have both announced purchase limits on some fruits and vegetables.

Asda shoppers can buy a maximum of three lots of tomatoes, peppers, salad bags, cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli and raspberry punnets.

Morrisons has introduced limits of two for tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and cucumbers.

So far Tesco, Sainsbury, Aldi, Lidl and other supermarkets have not imposed any rationing, but shoppers are still posting pictures on social media on empty shelves in some of these stores.

Experts say the shortages could last for several weeks following poor weather conditions in Spain and Morocco. The UK is particularly vulnerable to fresh produce shortages at this time of year due to it being the period when UK and northern European food production is at its lowest across most types of fruit and vegetables.

This year, unusually warm temperatures at the beginning of January in the two countries were followed by freezing conditions and extreme wind and rain, which has ruined crop cycles..

And the ensuing shortages have caused wholesale prices of fruit and veg to rocket.

A source in the fresh produce industry told NationalWorld that during a visit to Spain last week, the weather was still cold and that there was “no sun all week” - bright weather also being key to growing crops. Conditions are understood to have been closer to normal this week but are set to plummet once again over the weekend.

The source also suggested that climate change was becoming an increasing issue in the European country. “There are more and more extreme weather patterns, with temperatures going from hot to cold very rapidly.”