After empty spaces appeared in supermarket pasta sections across the UK, shoppers were warned against another panic-buying crisis. Last night, images of open shelves surfaced in Sainsbury’s stores in Birmingham and Surrey and Tesco outlets in Edinburgh and Bristol.
A notice in one Tesco shop suggested that the Italian favorite could be unavailable for a time, reading: “We’re sorry, but we’re out of stock. The next delivery is scheduled for Sunday, October 17th.”
After a drought and high temperatures in Canada damaged supplier farms. The price of wheat increased by approximately 90% this summer.
Wheatfields on both sides of the Atlantic produced much of the durum wheat crushed into semolina. And, created spaghetti, penne, and macaroni in the UK. Meanwhile, severe rains in Europe have rendered some wheat harvests unfit for harvest.
According to Jason Bull, director of ingredient experts Eurostar Commodities, the poor crop might be an indication that climate change is putting a strain on British customers’ wallets, saying:
“We should not doubt that climate change is to blame. It’s insane. I’ve been doing this for 17 years and have never seen anything like this.”
“It’s because of the durum grain — durum wheat is used to make pasta, and Canada is the largest exporter.”
“The cost price of durum has risen by 90-100 percent, resulting in a rise in the cost of raw materials.”
Tesco denied significant pasta shortages, assuring consumers that there was still plenty of spaghetti available in most stores.
Pasta is one of several family favorites that has recently vanished from the menu. Yesterday, British baker Greggs warned that the price of pasties might soon rise due to a supply chain issue exacerbated by growing component costs.
Please let us know your opinions in the comments section below.