In the UK, there is a shortage of some vegetables. Some shops are rationing how many iceberg lettuces and broccoli people can buy.

They say that it is because of bad growing conditions in some countries. There has been some extreme weather in Europe this year. It has snowed on some Greek islands, in Italy and in Spain. There have also been storms with wind and rain.

Some supermarkets will only let you buy two lettuces and three heads of broccoli. Prices have also gone up, as much as three times the normal price. The UK government said they know about the situation and they are monitoring it.

The big supermarkets say they should not run out, but want to stop people buying too many. There has also been a shortage of other vegetables, such as zucchini and aubergine.

The problem is that now, we are used to salads all year. In the past it was normal to not be able to buy some things in the winter.

Vocabulary

Shortage – a situation when something needed cannot be obtained

Rationing – fixing the amount of something that people can obtain

Conditions – prevailing state of weather

Extreme – very severe or serious

Supermarket – a large self-service shop

Heads – the edible parts at the top of a vegetable

Situation – a set of circumstances

Monitor – observe and check the progress

Run out – to be used up, have no more

Think about

Which food would you hate to run out of?

Would you pay three times the normal price for a lettuce?

Would you buy frozen vegetables instead?