The UK Is Suffering From A Vegetable Shortage

Oh my aubergine! Across the pond, a vegetable shortage has left shoppers frazzled and lacking in greenery. After unusually heavy rains in Spain (which provides about 80 percent of Europe's produce), 70 percent of the crops have been rendered unusable. Between that and an unusual cold snap in Italy, European customers are finding eggplant (aubergine in the UK), zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, and lettuce in short supply.

The vegetable shortage has been particularly hard on Britons, who import half of their vegetables and 90 percent of their fruit. In fact, at outlets of the huge Tesco and Sainsbury's supermarket chains, customers are being rationed three lettuces per visit. Shoppers are reportedly having trouble finding  fresh eggplant and spinach, and settling for frozen vegetables instead, according to the UK Independent. When fresh produce is available, prices have skyrocketed by as much as 18 percent.

"Salad leaves are the sexiest they've ever been," says Dieter Lloyd, spokesman for the British Leafy Salads Association, "It's not until you say to people, 'No you can't have it,' that suddenly everyone says 'but I want it,'" he told The Wall Street Journal.