Spanish growers say weather, rising costs and Brexit caused UK salad shortages

Workers pick lettuces in Almería, Spain, where a mild autumn and winter gave way to a cold snap. Photograph: David Wootton/Alamy

Fluctuating temperatures, increased production costs and the knock-on effects of Brexit are all contributing to the vegetable shortages that have led some UK supermarkets to introduce rationing, according to Spanish growers.

While some large producer and export associations have put the shortages down to the cold weather in southern Spain, others have pointed the finger at the post-Brexit red tape and logistics problems that have helped to make the UK a less desirable market.