In the mouth of Boris Johnson, the braggart former British prime minister, Brexit was going to put an end to all the ills of the United Kingdom, from immigration to the economic problems that the economy of the islands had been dragging for years. It is true that leaving the EU has not caused any collapse in the country, but also that the problems with immigration have not improved nor has the economy recovered. Immigration stays the same. Great Britain already assumes a more than relevant percentage of foreign labor as a result of the agreements with its former colonies. She doesn’t need European immigrants to have a problem herself. As for the economy, the situation could not be worse, with growth, unemployment and inflation rates above those of the main powers of the European Union.
These days, in addition, the United Kingdom is experiencing a situation that has begun to be called “vegxit”, the main manifestation of which is empty or semi-empty shelves of fresh produce in supermarkets, and in many cases with rationed sales. The low harvest in Almería has triggered a shortage of certain vegetables in British supermarkets, such as peppers, tomatoes, lettuce or cucumbers.
The hyper acknowledge that British agricultural greenhouses have been “damaged” by Brexit. Farmers who used greenhouses to grow lettuce have reduced heating to save on electricity bills, which translates into lower production. But above all they suffer from a shortage derived from Spain. Many fresh foods, affected by the bureaucracy after Brexit, have not been able to be imported. And in a situation of great demand for Spanish products, they assure that sellers tend to opt more for the nations of the European Union, mainly due to the ease of procedures.
The scarcity is further exacerbated by inflation, which in the UK has been above 16 points since January 22. The Sunak government conveys calm, assuring that the country has a “very strong food supply chain.” Being true, it is also true that some supermarkets have already been forced to ration products, and in recent days even more in regards to pears and apples. So much so that some predict that in the coming months there will not be enough of these fruits to supply the market. The reason for this added crisis is the low plantation of pear and apple trees in relation to the low price paid by supermarkets to farmers, who perceive that their income is not enough to cover the costs.
This is what happens when the demagogy of politicians collides with reality. Billions spent on propaganda.
