Supermarkets lift fresh produce purchase limits as shortages ease 

Discount supermarket Aldi said on Saturday it will lift all customer purchase limits on salad items such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers after weeks of industry shortages.

Aldi's move, effective from Monday, follows the relaxation of limits by rivals Lidl, Asda and Morrisons earlier in the week.

"From Monday, Aldi will remove all purchasing restrictions on fresh produce," it said in a statement.

A hit to imports from disrupted harvests in southern Europe and north Africa due to unseasonal weather has been exacerbated by British farmers planting fewer crops under glass due to high energy prices.

Several major supermarkets last month imposed limits on how many salad and fruit items shoppers could buy at one time and the government warned that shortages could last until the end of March.