Major retailers in the UK have reported a severe shortage of bananas, with the essential fruit disappearing from most markets and supermarkets across the country in recent days.
According to a report published by the British newspaper “Metro,” the shortage is attributed to tropical storms that swept through the Pacific Ocean, disrupting shipping and causing vessels to be stranded at ports, which affected banana supplies.
Many major stores in the UK have been affected by the crisis, with social media users sharing images of empty shelves accompanied by signs informing customers of shipping delays. In one store in Osterley, West London, a sign indicated that bananas were out of stock due to bad weather, assuring customers that they were working diligently with suppliers to replenish the stock.
Although the exact number of affected stores remains unclear, similar problems have been reported in several UK cities such as London, Bournemouth, and other regions.
Expressing her frustration, shopper Linda Okory wrote on social media: “Is there a banana famine I haven’t heard about? How can Tesco and Aldi stores be out of bananas for the past three days?”
It is noted that bananas typically come to the UK from several producing countries, including Ecuador, the Philippines, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Colombia. Reports indicate that six tropical storms crossed the South Pacific and the Indian Ocean in the last days of February, and it is believed that they caused the ongoing supply shortage.
source : “Metro”