Households issued fruit and veg price warning - worst is yet to come

UK grocers are warning that fruit and vegetable prices will keep rising over the next 12 months after record heatwaves battered harvests and lifted costs. Heat stunted crop growth and depleted water reserves, raising what farmers must spend to keep crops alive. The Met Office data cited in the report says summer 2026 was the UK’s hottest on record, with an average mean temperature of 16.5C across June, July and August, surpassing the 2025 record of 16.1C. Industry sources expect the “worst” to hit consumers over the coming year as shortages affect items like potatoes and onions. Willam Thorogood of Rushton's Green Grocer says brassicas such as cauliflower and broccoli have been hit hardest, with cauliflower prices reportedly jumping from around 50p–60p to £3. Because the UK imports about 80% of fruit and 47% of vegetables, external supply constraints may further push costs and threaten the future of domestic growing.