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Black Market For Lettuce Opens Due To Vegetable Shortage In The UK

By Joie M Gahum | Update Date: Feb 06, 2017 07:20 AM EST

After the recent floods and snow that have terrorized crops and farming lands in Spain and Italy, the United Kingdom has implemented limitations in the number of lettuce customers can buy during a single visit. This, however, introduced the creation of a black market of lettuce in the UK.

Daily Caller reports that the current shortage in supply of lettuce in the United Kingdom has led to a lettuce black market. Here, boxes of iceberg lettuce are being sold for $62.49 which is almost 10 times higher compared to its original cost $6.25.

The cold winter in Spain and in other southern regions of the EU nation has caused a reduced in crops. This led to several price hikes, particularly for lettuce. Other supermarkets have completely run out of supplies of zucchinis and eggplants.

Social media has been a platform being used by consumers nowadays to share their experience about the shortage of lettuce in their area as well as their experience in being able to buy some vegetables but at a higher price, Telegraph UK narrates.

Local supermarkets are already considering getting vegetable wholesalers other than the EU regions to provide the needs of their consumers. Some stores will start to import lettuce from the US. This too will bring additional costs.

Other supermarkets are still implanting rationing of vegetables with their stocks running low due to the vegetable shortage crisis. This situation has already led to a black market for lettuce. Supermarkets and casual sellers alike are taking advantage of the situation. Some are even using social media as a platform to sell their black market goods at "reasonable" prices.

The situation is also highlighting UK's too much reliance to foreign-imports. Experts are now advising supermarkets in buying British-farmed vegetables not only to support British farmers but to be able to avoid future problems like this.

The supply of salad and vegetables are expected to return to normal around April this year. Others meanwhile are resorting to serving other salad alternatives like soups and stews, with ingredients readily available in shops. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are closely monitoring the situation.

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