‘No bananas!’ Tesco and M&S shoppers face empty shelves as supermarkets grapple with shortage

UK supermarkets are facing a banana shortage after tropical storms in the Pacific disrupted shipping routes.

Tesco and M&S have been particularly affected, with customers sharing images of empty shelves on social media.

Signs in affected stores apologise for the shortage, citing “bad weather conditions” as the cause.

One notice at a West London store explained: “We are sorry that bananas are out of stock due to bad weather conditions. We are working hard with our suppliers to refill our shelves.”

What no bananas!!! #Tesco #Bournemouth #CastleLane #Bananas pic.twitter.com/MNtkfAxxnM

— Brett Jonno! (@bourne883) March 3, 2025

Reports of banana shortages have emerged from multiple locations across the UK.

Affected areas include Maidstone, the Isle of Sheppey, London, Bournemouth and Chichester.

An M&S Foodhall in West Sussex has also been impacted by the shortage, with shoppers taking to social media to express their concerns.

Customer Linda Okorie wrote: “Is there a banana famine that I am not aware of? How can my local Tesco and Aldi be out for the past three days?”

Haulage expert Will Pringle from Smith Bros explained that extreme weather can force cargo ships to remain in port or alter routes. This creates delays in goods reaching distribution centres, causing a knock-on effect for haulage companies.

Bananas typically come from Ecuador, the Philippines, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Colombia.

Both regions have been hit by tropical storms reported across the South Pacific and Indian Oceans during the last days of February.

These storms are believed to be the source of the current shortage affecting UK supermarkets.

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“Re-scheduling these collection times can cause challenges and longer wait times, creating bottlenecks across the supply chain,” Pringle explained.

“The recent shortage of bananas on supermarket shelves is just one example of how a weather-related delay can cause challenges across the supply chain,” noted Pringle.

“Businesses will need to adapt with better forecasting, flexible scheduling and alternative sourcing strategies to help reduce the risk of delays.”

Both Tesco and M&S have been contacted for comment regarding the situation.