Summer shortages, anyone worried?

[Littlemoons]

Hearing a bit about fruit pickers shortages, tomatoe shortages, hgv driver shortages

[Northstar1234]

Just been reading about this. It said fresh stuff will be the main issue. I'm hoping that shopping locally will help. I'll make sure the frozen veg section of the freezer is fully topped up.

[BlackeyedSusan]

arse.

but thanks for the warning.

[SpindleWhorl]

I've got a lot of tins and packets on shelves, enough for a few weeks at least.

It all went tits up so quickly last March/April, once that tipping point was reached.

[Bargebill19]

Well it would help if haulage firms and supermarkets would hire new hgv drivers - but many want at least 2 years experience. Even the big 4.
That plus the awful contracts they want drivers to sign - no wonder there is a shortage of drivers.

[Littlemoons]

There was Christmas food on the shelves of 3 supermarkets yesterday. Wonder ifvthst is the start?

[Florencenotflo]

@Littlemoons is that not for this daft 'Junemas' thing some of them were promoting? Basically re-doing Christmas 6 months late.

[Twilow]

The Body Shop had rows of Christmas stuff last week, all marked down, thought it was odd they didn't have new stuff in but assumed it was because they were shut over Christmas still trying to get rid of it.

It is worrying about the drivers.

[Jasmine11]

@Littlemoons

There was Christmas food on the shelves of 3 supermarkets yesterday. Wonder ifvthst is the start?

No just google Junemas, just a marketing thing some supermarkets are doing.

[UnsolicitedDickPic]

I was discussing this with DP yesterday; a small top-up shop is required, methinks. Thank goodness our stocks have held up in the face of everything.

[Littlemoons]

Junemas??!! Well I guess that's better than March v2. Marginally.

[BlackeyedSusan]

The lorry drivers:
some could not do traning or update training due to covid and are thus not currently qualified
some have gone home to the EU and are not available

Report on R4. can't remember the details.

[BlackeyedSusan]

conditions of work were mentioned too though

[Sideorderofchips]

The industry is short 100,000 hgv drivers

Before covid they were short 60,000 drivers. With covid and brexit that has taken it to 100,000

This mainly effects fresh goods however schools in Sheffield are being warned they may need to use their emergency food by the end of summer term

Also, with most brits holidaying in the UK this year, the food industry will be struggling to cope with all the extra people wanting to shop.

Add into that that abbatoir have less staff due to covid and brexit and there will be shortages of meat as well

[Bargebill19]

@BlackeyedSusan

Hgv training was stopped as tests couldn’t be taken. And driver academies still haven’t re opened. All due to covid. (Yet we can have football matches etc 😳)
As for cpc training - it’s ‘suspended’ for current drivers unless they have a secure broadband and a specific type of laptop to do the training at home, or they can use a specified laptop one at a time in a classroom without supervision or training. - in reality it’s stopped and the industry will be playing catch up for at least a year on cpc training.
The reality is though a lot of qualified, resident drivers have left the industry because of working conditions and contractual hours. When you add in that many firms have actually cut drivers pay year on year for the last ten years - it’s no wonder that so many find work elsewhere. Especially if you have or want a family life.

[PurpleMustang]

@Littlemoons

Junemas??!! Well I guess that's better than March v2. Marginally.

So many missed out on Christmas with family the supermarkets said they would resell stuff to coincide with lockdown easing around June 25th, hence Junemas. Never heard of it before now. Some people tried to do bits at Easter but that was outside only.

[BlackeyedSusan]

@Sideorderofchips and @Bargebill19
Thank you for the full explanation... I love how mumsnet will have an expert somewhere on every topic.

[Bargebill19]

🤣 not me - just repeating why the hgv driver in the family keeps saying everytime he see/reads/hears about the shortages of drivers.

[Fnib]

I'm cautious, rather than worried. If last Feb taught us anything, it's to expect the unexpected. We used to shop weekly and take pride in our attempts to be zero waste - ie as little as possible left, certainly in the fridge.
Now we have a sort of rolling stock. We still aim for no food waste, of course, but we have enough long life food to fill the gaps if the lorry driver shortage does cause supply problems.
I read a Guardian article which suggested that the produce will be coming in fits and starts, rather than not at all.
It was upsetting to read about all the food waste, particularly the fresh stuff that gets held up and then goes off. Likewise the fruit and veg that is predicted to rot in the fields due to lack of workers.

[EzzieLove]

My son tested positive for Covid yesterday so we are self isolating currently. This is going to be a little test for my preps. Also yesterday noticed that I have almost run out of toilet paper! Really, do we never learn.

Whilst shopping in store last week I did notice a few gaps on the shelves generally, but I use a small supermarket so it could be they were just awaiting a delivery.

[UnsolicitedDickPic]

There's been some chat on Twitter in the last day or two (that's made it past the boundaries of my echo chamber) about the Government allegedly considering bringing in the Army to maintain supermarket supply chains: Reuters are reporting that this has been requested by Premier Foods.

www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/bring-army-food-groups-call-relieve-uk-lorry-driver-crisis-2021-07-02/

[Bargebill19]

Ha that’s funny!! They pay some of the lowest rates and treat drivers like crap.

Dh has just spent the weekend waiting for trailers to be loaded. It was 10 hours before he got his first load on Friday night. - not exactly the best use of his time as a lorry driver. Major supermarket.

[UnsolicitedDickPic]

@Bargebill19 That doesn't sound good. One can only hope this situation will make companies realise the worth in paying their staff properly - but unfortunately, I doubt it.

[Bargebill19]

You are right. They won’t treat the drivers with any respect.
Sadly the government is at fault too. Major lorry parks used to be at every town, lay-bys used to be plentiful. And truck stops had proper services for drivers to use. Now it’s all ‘it costs too much’. Now trunkers (away over several nights) can look forward to either parking up illegally on the side of the road being tooted and rocked by passing traffic or pay £30 for a space in a motorway service park. No bins for the rubbish, no decent food, broken showers and blocked toilets - if there are any. By law, food has to be available, but it can literally be a food dispenser machine and a microwave.
Yeasts ago, drivers were able to have a fridge and a microwave in their cab or a gas stove. Most companies now refuse to allow gas stove due to fire risk (ok) and rip out the basic electrics neede for a fridge and microwave due to cost. Lorries tend to be on lease and firms run by accounts. Never having been near a lorry let alone driven one.
Anyone fancy hgv driving?!
Drivers can claim night payments for sleeping out - but they don’t cover the costs, so technical they end up paying for the privilege of sleeping in a tiny, hot/cold can with zero facilities.
Lorry drivers are so important for this country- without them we wouldn’t have anything. They have to be highly trained for some loads, often at their own cost. Rail and water only get goods so far. Yet we treat them like scum. Everything we use, buy, dispose off is at some point trucked around the country.
Apologies for the rant - hgv driver ‘widow’ for over 30 years! And yes, I know there are both good and dangerous lorry drivers out there - as in all walks of life.

[UnsolicitedDickPic]

@Bargebill19 No need to apologise, I agree entirely (from my perspective of having no insider knowledge). FWIW I've started to see diminished stock in the local Tesco, so will be doing one or two big shops in the next few weeks and then topping up from local producers. We're not in England (another home nation) but I can see us having a pretty difficult winter at this rate.

[Bargebill19]

I think that’s a good idea. - it’s not panic buying like last year, which really screwed with the supply chain, sensible frequent shops using a range of outlets is only a good thing. - it spreads the demand over a wider base.