Bargain supermarket Lidl has put a limit on the number of basic items customers can purchase, as importers warn the war in Ukraine is impacting supply chains. 

The restrictions were rolled out this month and cover products such as toilet paper, flour, baby food and vegetable oil.  Some products are limited to just one item per shopper. 

Lidl Malta’s notice to customers is visible at tills but the chain does not give a reason for limiting purchases.  

Customers at the supermarket's outlets across the island are being told that a shipment of products has been "caught up in Russia". 

Questions sent to the supermarket have not yet been replied.  

Notices at the LIdl in Sliema

Last week importers warned that key commodities to Malta from Ukraine and Russia are critical, with certain products highly exposed to shortages and price hikes as a result of the war.

The Chamber of Commerce has warned that the manufacturing sector is particularly vulnerable, as Russia’s invasion of its neighbour causes major disruption to world economies.

Foodstuff manufacturers are now highly exposed to shortages and price hikes due to their concentrated reliance on Ukraine for items like rice starch, which is entirely imported from the war-torn country.

Notices in San Gwann.

Other products Malta imports from Ukraine include oats, maize starch and crude sunflower-seed oil, each making up over 80 per cent of total imports.

What are Lidl’s restrictions? 

Fruits in syrup are limited to five items per receipt

Vegetables preserved in oil and tomato sauces are also limited to a maximum of five.  

Toilet paper, kitchen towels, and napkins are limited to three items.  

Vegetable oil (sunflower, corn, peanut, rapeseed) in 1Litre containers are limited to 3 items per shopper.

Larger containers of 5Litres of vegetable oils are limited to just one item per customer.  

Customers can only purchase three tins of corned beef at a go. 

Baby food has been restricted to three items. 

And flour is limited to just three items per receipt.