Following a pandemic, rising inflation and soaring energy bills, people are now walking into shops to find empty shelves.
Supermarkets have seen supplies of tomatoes and other fresh produce, leaving shelves empty in one of the world’s most advanced economies.
Naturally it has left people asking why, with many pinning the blame on Brexit and rising energy bills, with poor conditions in food producing countries triggering shortages.
But for one Hull fruit and vegetables wholesaler, the seeds of the crisis lay within the way the industry works and unrealistic expectations of low prices from supermarkets.
Rob Darcy told LDRS bad growing conditions had tipped the scales in growers’ favour, meaning they can now demand much more for their product with supermarkets unwilling to pay.
‘The British public have been led to believe that fruit and vegetables cost next to nothing’
The director of Dennis Butler Ltd said factors like energy prices, climate change and uncertainty in the industry meant shortages may be around for some time.
The director said: “We’ve got plenty of fruit and vegetables here like tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce.
“The difference for us is that we’re willing to pay a premium for it and our suppliers are greengrocers, market traders and other independents, we don’t work with supermarkets.
“At the moment everyone’s having to pay a premium to get fruit and vegetables.
“What you find is that most places on the continent have fruit and vegetables.
“The difference isn’t so much because of Brexit, which in effect just leaves us with more paper work to deal with, it’s that the British public have been led to believe that fruit and vegetables cost next to nothing.
Oranges at the Dennis Butler fruit and vegetable wholesaler in Hull. (Photo: Hull Live/Rich Addison via LDRS)
“Supermarkets sell fruits and vegetables as a loss leader, people may remember seeing parsnips being sold in them for 19p at Christmas, but you can’t it at that price and make a profit.
“The reason why the supermarkets can’t get the vegetables now is because they they’re not willing to pay the prices growers can demand at the moment because of the conditions elsewhere.
“The worst thing for a supermarket is having to pay more than what they’re used to paying from their suppliers.
“In this country the problem is that we don’t have any small growers left anymore, we used to have hundreds.
“All that’s left now is a few huge growers who have to sell to supermarkets who have driven prices down.
“That’s where you get shortages from ultimately, because they’re false prices.”
People used to buying at ‘false prices’
Mr Darcy said UK consumers had gotten used to paying unrealistically low prices compared to buyers on the continent.
The director said: “If you go on holiday to somewhere like Spain and you go to a supermarket, you’ll notice that the fruit and vegetables cost a lot more.
“People there are used to paying more for it, even though they’re the places that are growing most of it.
“That situation’s brought them on now because with carrots for example, prices have gone up now because of bad growing conditions.
“So the big growers start to react to that by raising their prices.
“They can’t say they’ll just grow more, if they haven’t grown a particular crop in three or four years then they have to buy it all again which is a considerable investment.
“The crops aren’t going to just magic themselves up out of the ground.
Workers in the Dennis Butler fruit and vegetable wholesaler in Hull. (Photo: Hull Live/Rich Addison via LDRS)
“Then you’ve got the rising energy prices which is also a factor, in a country like The Netherlands they’re growing fruit and vegetables at this time of year but it’s in heated greenhouses which they increasingly can’t afford.
“I think if the public knew how little fruit and vegetables are being sold for there would be more support for British growers.
“It’s the independents who are sticking their necks on the line with this now, they’ve had to put their prices up but they can’t profit from it because it cost them so much to get the goods.
“If a box of tomatoes costs sellers £18 say, then they have to put up their prices too to cover it.
“They then have to pay wages, lighting, rent, a lot of things come out of the sale price before they can make a profit.
“They’re essentially breaking even to provide a public service at this point.
“At the moment a lot of fresh produce is brought here from abroad.
“It comes from Spain and Morocco mostly, they’re the biggest two producers.
“Their growing season comes to an end just as the English season starts.
“They start growing in the south first because it’s warmer down there, then it works its way up through places like Lincolnshire and further into the north.
“But this year there’s a shortage of English produce to start with because of things like fertiliser costs going up, as well as energy costs, so there’s not as much going into the ground.
‘No one can predict the future’
Mr Darcy said he believed the shortages could be long lasting.
The director said: “The English season doesn’t really come on until April, so you’re talking four to six weeks from now.
“And the disruption could go on much further into the long term because of things like climate change.
“We’re getting warm weather when it’s supposed to be cold, rain when it’s supposed to be dry, it plays havoc with growing produce.
“It only takes a small amount of less produce to create shortages because it’s that much in demand.
“There isn’t the volume of it there for supermarkets to buy because they’re buying vastly more in quantity than the independents are.
“It’s a very hard time to be in farming at the moment because of all this uncertainty, will they grow more when they don’t know how much more fertiliser’s going to cost?
“No one can predict the future.
“As far as the cost of living goes, from the point of view of sellers people only have so much money in their pockets, but food is important.
“But the problem is up until now more and more supermarkets have been allowed to open at a cost to independents because people thought the answer was their cheaply sold food.”
Scottish business conglomerate Glenshire Group has hired Daniel Arrandale as its new Property Director.
Starting in the newly created role last week, Arrandale brings a wealth of industry experience to the business, including his most recent position as Acquisitions Manager for Asda and his previous position as Development Manager at EG Group.
“I am thrilled to be joining Glenshire Group in a period of tremendous growth, with many exciting opportunities on the horizon,” said Arrandale. “I’m looking forward to working with the existing development team to maximise the opportunities within our current estate, whilst also growing the business further with the acquisition of new sites.”
As part of Arrandale’s remit, he will oversee acquisitions, development, and growth for Greens Retail, Pizza Hut, and wider Glenshire Group property development and investment interests.
The bulk of Arrandale’s career has been as Retail Director at commercial agents Christie & Co, focussing on the convenience, forecourt and franchise markets. Arrandale served at Christie & Co. for 23 years.
Harris Aslam, Managing Director at Glenshire Group added: “We are very excited to welcome Dan into the Glenshire family. Having worked with Dan many times over the years on several transactions, I can confidently say his breadth of knowledge and experience in this sector will give us a huge advantage as we continue to expand our portfolio.”
Currently operating 27 convenience stores and 20 Pizza Hut franchises in Scotland, Glenshire Group has committed to significantly furthering new location openings in Scotland as well as bolstering their property portfolio.
Brewer Carlsberg is shifting some of its marketing focus to cheaper brands, it said on Thursday (31), as consumers in major markets bought cheaper beer and in reduced quantities.
The maker of Kronenbourg 1664, Tuborg and Somersby said beer sales volumes fell by 1.3 per cent in the third quarter, noting declines in China, France and the United Kingdom. Premium sales fell 0.5 per cent in the quarter."In Western Europe, there's no doubt that the average consumer is holding back," CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen told Reuters.
"In Asia, China stands out as a market where the consumer is very weak. Most other Asian markets are actually okay," he said, adding the company had not yet seen Chinese stimulus measures having any impact on consumer behaviour.For years, brewers have relied on a strategy of developing and promoting their more expensive premium brands to offset an overall decline in drinking.
Aarup-Andersen said he remained confident in the long-term growth potential of premium beer and that the category will comprise a significantly larger portion of Carlsberg's business in a decade.For now, however, the company is adjusting its marketing.
"In markets where we are seeing a significant pressure on premium, we are reallocating some of our focus into making sure that we are promoting properly around the right mainstream brands," he said.
The world's third-largest brewer behind Anheuser-Busch Inbev and Heineken said third-quarter sales rose 1 per cent to 20.5 billion Danish crowns ($2.98 billion), compared with 20.7 billion expected on average by analysts in a poll gathered by the company.
Despite the shift in consumer behaviour, Carlsberg said it still expects full-year organic operating profit growth to be between 4 per cent and 6 per cent. The company lifted its full-year guidance in August.
Also on Thursday (31), the world's largest beer maker Anheuser-Busch InBev reported third-quarter profits, revenues and volumes behind forecasts. AB InBev's third-quarter statement highlighted stronger growth for its more expensive beers, like Corona, which grew 10.2% outside of its home market, Mexico, during the period.
Consumers now want a greater commitment from retailers in cutting food waste, refilling stations, sustainable packaging, and partnering with social purpose organisations, states a recent research, which also highlights that a good majority (69 per cent) of younger consumers are more likely to shop with what they see as socially responsible retailers though price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
According to the findings, published in Vypr’s Consumer Horizon Report, reducing food waste is the most important factor for the majority of UK consumers (29 per cent), especially for Gen Z women aged 18-24 (38 per cent). More than a third (37 per cent) of men aged 18-24 said they needed food storage advice. A similar number of women aged 18-24 (33 per cent) want meal kits with the exact amount of ingredients included for them to cut down on food waste.
Refill stations for personal care, cleaning products, dry goods, and beverages are also in high demand. Consumers, particularly Gen Z women, are keen to use these stations, provided they offer a cost-saving of 6-10 per cent compared to packaged goods. The study indicates that older shoppers are less likely to use refill stations unless prices are reduced by 15 per cent or more, which Vypr said shows the importance of price in driving consumers to adopt sustainable shopping habits.
The third priority for brands and retailers is to adopt sustainable packaging. Awareness of eco-friendly packaging is high, especially among younger generations. Two-thirds of UK consumers say they expect to pay more for sustainably packaged products, and that figure rises to 86 per cent among Gen Z and Millennials. However, Vypr’s research suggests that while shoppers express willingness to pay more, price sensitivity still plays a crucial role.
Ben Davis, founder of Vypr, said: “There’s often a disconnect between consumer intentions and actions. Brands need to understand that simply offering sustainable options may not be enough if price points don’t match consumer expectations.
“For Gen Z and Millennials, sustainable products need to be competitively priced or risk losing long-term loyalty. We tested this by presenting products with and without the label ‘100 per cent Recycled Packaging’ and found price remained the key purchase decision-making factor for most consumers.”
Another factor in building loyalty among younger consumers is to showcase social responsibility. The research reveals that 60% of shoppers are more likely to shop at retailers that partner with food rescue organisations or promote a charitable cause. Among Gen Z and Millennials, this figure jumps to 69%, showing a strong preference for brands that demonstrate a social purpose.
The report also reveals that 85% of shoppers are willing to pay a deposit for reusable products, though it is younger consumers, particularly those aged 18-24 who express the strongest support for such initiatives.
The Consumer Horizon report which provides insights shaping retail, product innovation, and consumer behaviour going into 2025, can be seen here.
Sugro UK, the number one buying and marketing buying group*, in partnership with b2b.store, is thrilled to announce a further expansion of its existing E-Loyalty scheme programme, which has proven to be very popular with its members and retailers, by introducing E-Loyalty Extra Compliance and Execution scheme as well as E-Coupons.
The E-Loyalty Extra is aimed to boost compliance and execution at retail store level to drive new product launches, core range compliance, some exciting fixture trials with its supply partners and more! It will be available to all member owned and member affiliated retail stores within the group.
The E-Loyalty Extra loyalty scheme will be accessible by retailers via WhatsApp platform and will allow retailers to capture evidence of compliance by simply clicking “take photo” button.
With the addition of another digital enhancement introduced to the group recently – Coupon - based loyalty mechanic, members are now empowered to incentivise and reward customers, driving stronger consumer connections and fostering brand loyalty at a granular level. Retailers can now simply redeem a coupon at the point of check out. Another key digital development within the group is WhatsApp E-Presell which enables Sugro UK’s retail partners to provide advance product volume commitments for new product launches. This functionality is particularly powerful as it ensures that suppliers have accurate forecasts before product launches, enabling better stock availability from day one of product being available on the market.
The ease and speed of using WhatsApp for these commitments simplifies the presell process, ensures accuracy and strengthens relationships across the supply chain.
While other industry players may soon consider introducing similar digital tools, Sugro UK are proud to be at the forefront of enhancing retail-focused digital solutions. This early adoption not only ensures that Sugro UK members remain competitive but also guarantees them access to the best digital tools available in the market. These efforts are part of Sugro UK's ongoing commitment to delivering value to its members and empowering them with innovative solutions for growth and success in an increasingly digital retail environment.
Sugro Head of Commercial and Marketing, Yulia Petitt said: “I am delighted that Sugro UK members are now able to provide photographic evidence of retail compliance and in-store execution to our supplier partners, using a wide range of display and compliance criteria such as planograms, secondary displays, trials, and new product developments (NPDs).These digital features allow members to share real-time proof of execution, enhancing accountability and building supplier confidence. The launch of E-Presell functionality opens a huge digital advantage for the group which will benefit all – members, retailers and suppliers in gaining accurate forecast and ensuring product visibility in store from day one of product being on the market and with the ease of using WhatsApp, the entire pre-sell process becomes a much quicker and easier process to manage for all parties.
"The Group has had 18 consecutive years of growth and, once again, on track to deliver in 2024, with the year-to-date performance of +15% year on year and growth across all categories.” Rob Mannion, CEO of b2b.store, added: “The rate of innovation in the wholesale sector is increasing and these launches are further great examples of that. We’re particularly excited about the developments and different uses of WhatsApp in the industry, with more coming in the pipeline for 2025 – it’s a tool no wholesaler or buying group can afford to ignore because of the level of influence it’s having in the sector and there’s no sign of that direction of travel changing any time soon.”
Sugro UK is proudly owned by its 90 plus independent wholesale members, with a combined turnover of over £2.5 billion.
Expanding its footprint in the World Foods category, Paulig has acquired Panesar Foods, a prominent UK-based producer of sauces and condiments.
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Tipton, Panesar Foods is a family-owned business with three production facilities, employing 308 staff and achieving a turnover of £59 million in the 2023 fiscal year.
This collaboration is expected to accelerate product launches and drive growth in diverse offerings, including sauces, salsas, marinades, dips, and condiments.
"We have collaborated with Panesar Foods for 17 years, and we are very pleased to welcome the company to Paulig," said Rolf Ladau, CEO of Paulig. "Today, our combined taste expertise and innovation skills unite around a shared ambition: to accelerate our international growth and expand our World Foods offerings."
Bill Panesar, CEO of Panesar Foods, expressed confidence in the partnership, stating, “As Panesar Foods becomes part of Paulig, I am confident that our ambitions for international growth will be realised, and the business will continue to thrive. We share a strong commitment to innovation and delivering high-quality, flavourful products, and I look forward to bringing even more delicious products to the market, together."
Jas Panesar, MD of Panesar Foods, echoed, “This partnership will allow us to reach new markets and deliver our authentic World Food flavors to a broader audience. We look forward to combining our passion for quality food with Paulig’s commitment to sustainability and innovation.”
All 308 Panesar employees will transition to Paulig’s team. Financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed.