Floods In Spain And Morocco Raise Fresh Produce Supply Concerns For UK Retailers

Fresh produce availability in UK supermarkets could come under pressure in the coming weeks after heavy flooding and storm damage hit key growing regions in Spain and Morocco, two countries that supply a significant share of Britain’s winter fruit and veg.

A new analysis has highlighted how exposed several staple categories are at this time of year. Spain and Morocco together account for 57.9% of UK tomato imports, while 65.2% of imported cucumbers and 71.4% of sweet peppers come from Spain. Morocco also supplies over a third (36%) of the UK’s imported strawberries and raspberries, the analysis said.

The warning comes as parts of southern Europe have been battered by successive storms. In Spain, farmers reported fields left submerged and significant crop damage following torrential rain and high winds linked to Storm Marta. In Morocco, authorities have carried out large-scale evacuations in flood-hit areas, with Reuters reporting widespread disruption and major impacts on farmland in the country’s northwestern plains.

What UK Buyers And Shoppers Might Notice

At this stage, the message is more “risk on the horizon” than “rationing is back”. The analysis quoted ECIU’s land, food and farming analyst Tom Lancaster as saying it was “too early to say” whether the floods would disrupt supply for British shoppers — but noted that extreme weather has previously caused knock-on effects for supermarket availability.

Retailers, meanwhile, have been signalling they’ll lean on their usual playbook: broad sourcing options, substitutions, and switching origins where possible. The British Retail Consortium’s Andrew Opie told Sky News retailers are “adept at managing disruption” and will take steps including sourcing from alternative sources to minimise impacts.

The Wider Context: Price Sensitivity Remains High

Any supply wobble lands at a moment when household budgets are still tight — even as grocery inflation has eased to 4.0% in the latest Worldpanel by Numerator snapshot (four weeks to 25 January). UK shoppers have also been leaning into “healthier” baskets and own-label choices at the start of 2026, according to recent reporting.

For the fresh produce trade, it’s one to watch closely: if weather disruption persists, the pressure points are likely to show up first in the usual winter suspects — tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and soft fruit — with availability and specifications fluctuating fastest.