Marmite-gate debate: Shropshire shoppers have their say on the Brexit price war
A price row that left supermarket giant Tesco facing a shortage of popular brands such as Marmite, PG Tips and Pot Noodle has divided opinion with shoppers.
Some customers were left reeling that the stand-off with Unilever could stop them getting their hands on their favourite products and said Brexit is to blame.
But others praised Tesco for standing up for its customers.
Hellmann's mayonnaise and Ben & Jerry's ice cream were among dozens of well-known brands unavailable on Tesco's online site due to the dispute.
Unilever's finance chief admitted that the prices of its products will rise to compensate for the sharp drop in the pound's value.
The group is believed to have demanded a 10 per cent price rise due to the falling value of sterling, halting deliveries to Tesco when it refused.
Tesco was resisting the move and removed Unilever products from its website.
However, late last night Unilever revealed the issues surrounding the supply of leading brands had been resolved.
A spokesman said: "Unilever is pleased to confirm that the supply situation with Tesco in the UK and Ireland has now been successfully resolved. We have been working together closely to reach this resolution and ensure our much-loved brands are once again fully available."
Shoppers at Telford's Wrekin Retail Park had differing opinions on the row.
Jeanette Bolas, 43, of Freeston Avenue, St Georges, Telford, expressed her dismay at the row. The mother-of-two, who works as a dinner lady, said: "I'm not very happy about it. I'm dreading going in there now. I don't know what will be in there. I think it's because of the vote to leave the EU."
Her mother Lorraine Bolas, a retired cleaner, echoed her concerns. The 69-year-old, of Fenns Crescent in St Georges, said: "I'm not happy about it. It's because of Brexit. It's muddling everything up now."
Mother-of-three Lynne Broadbent, 62, of Ironbridge, said: "I can understand that the manufacturers are going to pass on the prices, but it's only going to be the customers who are losing out. It is good that Tesco is standing up for its customers."
Alex Stovell, of Ketley Park Road in Ketley, Telford, believed that Tesco and Unilever need to reach a compromise. The 38-year-old said: "It doesn't bother me. The products that are unavailable, like Marmite, I don't buy anyway."
Since the EU referendum on June 23, the pound has lost nearly 18 per cent of its value against the dollar.
