“IT’S like something out of the war.”

So said one shopper browsing empty shelves at Morrisons in Wincanton.

But her search for tomatoes would prove fruitless as the national shortage of some fruit and veg reached the south west.

Overturned crate after overturned crate lined the shelves usually full of tomatoes, peppers.

Empty shelves at Morrisons in Wincanton

The shortage, due to issues including extreme weather in food-producing areas like Spain and north Africa, has seen supermarkets introduce limits on how many items shoppers can purchase.

Morrisons itself has limited shoppers to two cucumbers and lettuces, with limits also on tomatoes and peppers.

Empty shelves at Lidl in Wincanton

Asda, meanwhile, has also limited the sales of salad bags, broccoli, cauliflowers and raspberry punnets.

“Like other supermarkets, we are experiencing sourcing challenges on some products that are grown in southern Spain and north Africa,” a spokesperson said.

Tesco has limited purchases of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to three.

Back in Wincanton, Lidl – a neighbour of Morrisons – also saw empty shelves of tomatoes and peppers, though the chain has not introduced limits.

The British Retail Consortium said it was hopeful the shortages would last ‘a few weeks’.