Customers have taken to social media to share pictures of empty supermarket shelves this week, which have been caused by a shipment delay due to stormy weather.
One person, posting on X (formerly Twitter), said: “Yes, we have no bananas! Empty shelves at Tesco on the sun-kissed Isle of Sheppey today following the non-arrival of the banana boat.”
The post contained a photo of a ‘Customer Notice’ on the empty shelves which read: “Due to shipment delays we have no bananas. We apologise for the inconvenience caused.”
Yes, we have no bananas!
Empty shelves at Tesco on the sun-kissed Isle of Sheppey today following the non arrival of the banana boat.
The last time that happened the police ended up confiscating non-banana related contraband… pic.twitter.com/b3DnbJdr2i— John Nurden (@JohnNurden) March 5, 2025
Another user shared a photo of empty shelves at a Tesco in Bournemouth.
Packs of six small bananas are also currently out of stock on Tesco’s website.
Tesco has been contacted for comment on the shortage.
Apparently there’s zero bananas across M&S
Banana 🍌 drama pic.twitter.com/P9UWwMCC3c
— emma rock (@chatswithem) March 5, 2025
Tesco isn’t the only supermarket to be impacted by the banana shortage with shoppers also reporting empty shelves at M&S and Sainsbury’s.
Not good enough @sainsburys. No bananas #Spalding pic.twitter.com/YZf0B4X5t3
— Kieran Stands With Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@kieran_lincs) February 21, 2025
Banana supplies at M&S are not believed to have returned to normal while Sainsbury’s checked its supplies and reported no issues.
When will banana supplies at UK supermarkets return to normal?
Supplies of bananas are expected to return to normal shortly with retail insiders suggesting the reported shortages were “temporary and not widespread” and delayed shipments were not on their way.
Bananas cannot be grown in the UK so must be imported from other countries such as Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador.
Higher temperatures along with an increased frequency and intensity of drought, floods, pests and disease have contributed to reducing banana quality and yields.
Experts call for change to avoid banana shortages in the future
Experts have warned that farmers who grow the staple fruit are increasingly struggling against climate change and adverse weather conditions.
Head of sustainable sourcing at the Fairtrade Foundation, Nahuel Tunon, warned that businesses need to build more resilient supply chains to avoid shortages in future.
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He said: “It is clear that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, posing a growing threat to global food supply chains.
“At Fairtrade, we see the consequences of climate change on banana production. Farmers are battling with the growing impacts of climate change, which has resulted in unpredictable weather patterns, hurricanes and increased cases of plant diseases such as Fusarium TR4.
“All these have had a disastrous effect on banana production, making supply chains more vulnerable to disruption.
“Bananas are one of the UK’s most popular fruits, but their availability cannot be taken for granted. Unless we act now to support farmers in the face of climate change, disruptions like this will become more common.”
