Lib Dems call for COBRA meeting as fruit and veg disappears from supermarkets

EMBARGO: For Immediate Release

Lib Dems call for COBRA meeting as fruit and veg disappears from supermarkets

The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to convene an emergency COBRA meeting after supermarkets, including Tesco, Aldi, ASDA and Morrissions, have placed limits on the amount of fruit and vegetables consumers can buy.

The news comes as Environment Secretary Therese Coffey dismissed claims of food shortages at the NFU conference earlier this week.

The shortages have been caused by poor weather conditions in Spain where much of the UK’s winter veg comes from, but issues have been compounded by actions of the Conservatives.

Sky-high energy bills alongside plans to slash farmer’s energy bill support in April has led to many farm businesses to cut back on the use of greenhouses this Winter. 

The government also cut farmer’s support payments by at least 20% in December, with a further 35% planned this year - meanwhile the new Environmental Land Management Scheme is still not ready or open to everyone. 

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office Spokesperson Christine Jardine said:

“People are rightly alarmed about the chronic shortage of fruit and vegetables in our shops, but it seems the government has no urgent plan to fix it.

“This government has created chaos in the economy, an NHS on its knees, now they’re responsible for worsening food shortages through their failure to back British farming. 

“We need an urgent COBRA meeting, together with food experts, supermarkets and farmers, to hammer out an urgent solution to this crisis.

“Ministers cannot just sit on their hands while food supply chains across the country grind to a halt.”

ENDS