UK heatwave: 'Crisps shortage looms', experts warn after weather wreaks havoc for potato crops

A crisp crisis is looming in the UK after the Beast from the East cold snap and the early summer heatwave wreaked havoc on potato crops, experts say.

The head of one of Britain’s biggest independent crisp makers has told the Sunday Times: “There is a danger we will have a crisp crisis.”

Pipers uses only potatoes from the UK and Alex Albone, co-founder of the crisps firm, said he would seek produce from abroad “virtually over my dead body”.

The prolonged period of cold weather at the start of the year caused problems for potato crops but the the current heatwave poses an even bigger threat.

Potato crops need sunshine but can stop growing when the temperature rises above 25C.

Potato farmer Andrew Francis told the Sunday Times conditions for his crop over the past six months have been poor and that if the heat persists we could see “shortages in some vegetables, including potatoes”.

It comes after growers warned of a lettuce shortage also caused by the current heatwave which has brought highs of 32C to the UK.

The early summer heatwave has sparked a boost in demand for leafy salads, while the heat has stopped the UK crop growing, according to trade body the British Leafy Salad Growers Association (BLGSA).

It also comes amid a CO2 shortage across Europe which has seen one British supermarket forced to ration its fizzy drinks sales and is affecting the supply of beers, ciders, fresh meat, salads and even crumpets.