Has anyone noticed change in tomatoes in the UK?

Posted by digitalacademic@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 39 comments

Hello!

For the past couple of months, I’ve noticed a change in both the taste and the inner texture of tomatoes here in the UK. They feel oddly dry and almost papery inside, and much harder to bite or chew than usual.

I’ve tried buying them from different supermarkets, but it seems to be the same everywhere.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any idea what might be causing it?

Thanks!

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Odd-Swing-2025@reddit

Not juicy at all.

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DameKumquat@reddit

They're not in season yet, so you're getting ones that are forced in greenhouses (Netherlands) or grown with loads of irrigation where it's too dry (Morocco, Spain).

There's been a lot of bad weather for all sorts of farming over the last year. Stick to tinned until you can get UK or French ones.

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boringfatbloke@reddit

Whereas I don't doubt your explanation for a moment I feel like I have to say something about your solution to the problem.

I can't even imagine the horrorshow that would ensue if anyone attempted to put a tinned plum tomato in a cheese sandwich. I am having flashbacks to my time in Gateshead when someone put gravy in my lamb sandwich. Utter chaos.

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DameKumquat@reddit

My solution involves not having sandwiches. !

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ThePodd222@reddit

Had Waitrose on the vine cherry tomatoes as a substitution in my delivery this week and they're really nice, very flavourful. I'm a convert to on the vine now!

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Midnightraven3@reddit

If I cant get these, I just dont bother buying any just now as they are all soooo bad

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Charming_CiscoNerd@reddit

Try grow them they are meant to be easy

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insertitherenow@reddit

Cold stored from thousands of miles away. They are force grown in giant glasshouses. To get the best taste from a tomato it needs lots and lots of sun grown naturally. The tomatoes in Italy taste good because they are very locally produced and have the right weather and aren’t driven miles. You are buying toms from Marco who lives five mins away where as we are buying them from Dave the importer who buys bulk grown tomatoes from whoever gives him the best price.

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Internal-Leadership3@reddit

Finding UK toms in the shops is one of my favourite days of the year. There are some already available, likely grown in huge greenhouses down at planet thanet.

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davehemm@reddit

Generally tesco ones have been crap for a while, either hard no flavour or breaking down day after delivery. Wife just picked up a big box from Costco, they are so nice - almost as good as slow grown ones from the garden.

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EmFan1999@reddit

M&S piccolos are the best. Also a heritage one they do

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Pale_Slide_3463@reddit

Ive only notice supermarkets bulk out their sandwiches with 60% tomatoes

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The_Chosen_Eggplant@reddit

You just need to pay the premium for the more expensive tomatoes.

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Illustrious-Air-7777@reddit

Have a look and see if TomGirl in Cornwall is shipping yet. They grow varieties for flavour rather than yield and get them off to an early start.

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Iscan49er@reddit

Isle of Wight have just made an appearance here, again flavour varieties and they smell like summer!

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NowThenHowDo@reddit

Honestly all supermarket tomato's are awful.

Flavourless, hard, watery unripe red balls.

The difference between a supermarket one and a warm truly ripe home grown one from my greenhouse in the summer is night and day.

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spankybianky@reddit

Sainsbury’s vine tomatoes are banging. Ocado’s are an abomination.

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ClarifyingMe@reddit

Nope, there's always been crap tomatoes here, especially when they're out of season. When Isle of Wight tomatoes are in season they're great but to be fair don't buy them that much in season as usually we just get them from the garden. Their cherry tomatoes stay edible and good throughout though.

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Coconutpieplates@reddit

Yeah, it's not tomato season. They are going to be bad until the summer.

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PeroniNinja84@reddit

The Spanish Portobello ones sold in Tescos are nice again. I know what you mean though as a few weeks ago I had some and they were so bland.

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Nun-Taken@reddit

If you’re having to chew a ‘tomato’ are you sure you’re buying actual tomatoes?

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No_Height_2408@reddit

Have you been smoking them again?

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canycosro@reddit

For me they've always been shit. I was in Italy and learned to make a Simple 3 ingredient pasta.

Good luck using tomatoes from any place I've tried in the UK.

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shuvelhead1@reddit

Absolutely no taste on tesco tomatoes...grow my own now, amazing strong taste..

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Top-Background-7305@reddit

What you’re noticing is likely a mix of out of season imports and fast grown varieties modern supply chains prioritize shelf life and transport durability over flavor, which often leads to that dry, mealy texture.

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Paperopiero@reddit

The cause is that it's still early for tomatoes, their season in Southern Europe goes from May to October, and for locally grown in Kent or other counties a bit later.

The tomatoes in shops now are either coming from thousands of miles away or forced to grow in greenhouses. In both cases they'll be bland if not tasteless, and with little nutritional value.

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