Sunflower oil shortages due to war on Ukraine

Photo: Depositphotos
Photo: Depositphotos

There are reports of food industry issues, empty supermarket shelves and mass buying of sunflower oil due to the war on Ukraine.

The Dagblad van het Noorden reports that supermarket chains such as Jumbo, Plus and Albert Heijn are limiting the numbers of bottles each customer can buy. In Amsterdam, the Parool says there are empty sunflower oil shelves in some supermarkets, although organic versions are still available.

Dutch food industry organisation the FNLI warned this week it expects supermarket shortages in sunflower oil, two thirds of which comes from Ukraine and is no longer being delivered.

Potato processor Aviko has told the AD that it needs to use alternative frying oils, which will make its chips more expensive. ‘Our biggest delivery company – responsible for 70% of what we use – has stopped since the invasion of Ukraine,’ chief purchase officer Dick Zelhorst told the paper.

Meanwhile in Belgium, food industry unions are warning about problems for potato processors and the broader food sector, due to a lack of normal Ukrainian oil imports.

The situation, pointed out the Parool, has echoes of toilet roll shortages at the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

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