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Original poster

Empty supermarket shelves?

77 replies

Bookaholic73 · 20/07/2021 19:37

Is anyone else seeing more and more empty shelves at their local supermarket?

I went shopping at Morrison’s today and there were so many empty or almost empty shelves!

Does anyone know why?

It’s not like pandemic levels, obviously, but I’ve also noticed it in other supermarkets recently.

Empty supermarket shelves?
Empty supermarket shelves?
OP posts:
WowIlikereallyhateyou · 20/07/2021 19:39

It is a shortage of drivers to take things to the supermarkets with people being pinged and having to isolate.

Gladioli23 · 20/07/2021 19:40

Had the same at my local Lidl the other day: it looked like a plague of locusts had hit. They said it was issues at head office and the shortage of lorry drivers.

MissConductUS · 20/07/2021 19:40

It's not a problem near me. It may just be rearranging stock. Supermarkets make a lot of their money by charging suppliers for premium shelf space, so things get moved around frequently.

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tiredanddangerous · 20/07/2021 19:42

I wish people would stop starting threads about this. It'll just cause the panic buyers to start their stock piles again.

onceivepostedidontcomeback · 20/07/2021 19:44

It's simply to stop people stocking up when there's no need to!

blinkthreetimes · 20/07/2021 19:44

Yes definitely the same in my local Tesco

Maireas · 20/07/2021 19:44

@tiredanddangerous - this, absolutely.
We do not need panic buying.

prettyLittlefool · 20/07/2021 19:46

Mine is fully stocked. Think this is a bit of a non issue. Some people just want panic drama. Biscuit

Clarinet53 · 20/07/2021 19:47

There is a lack of drivers and the government are planning to suspend the driving hours maximum hours which are currently there for safety reasons

theemmadilemma · 20/07/2021 19:47

Nothing to do with COVID. It's Brexit for the large part is the cause of all the missing stuff in your supermarkets.

loadypoady · 20/07/2021 19:50

Yes my local Morrison’s looked just the same yesterday.

I thought it’s either the shortage of drivers or people are panic buying because of the scaremongering that there are going to be food shortages because of the said shortage....

Lozza70 · 20/07/2021 19:51

They don’t. All supermarkets are signed up to the groceries code of practice and cannot charge suppliers for shelf location.

Lozza70 · 20/07/2021 19:54

Just keep buying at your usual pace and volume. Any stocking up will only make things worse. Supermarkets and suppliers are having the same issues as the rest of the country with lots of people isolating. Add in Brexit, shortage of workers to harvest and shortage of drivers and things start to look a little low.

swampytiggaa · 20/07/2021 19:54

Where I work we currently have a department off isolating. Plus there has been a stop on recruitment. Our night crew appears to be 3 people plus manager to fill a decent sized store. It’s just not going to happen is it.

pastabest · 20/07/2021 19:55

Not enough lorry drivers, for lots of reasons.

It's a shitty job at the best of times with a high burnout rate.

Gaps in UK drivers were plugged by foreign drivers - now much harder due to Brexit

It now takes longer for UK drivers to go through EU borders which slows things down generally

New entrants to HGV driving have slowed down due to difficulties obtaining a HGV licence this last 11 months due to covid

High levels of covid cases nationwide is also impacting on lorry drivers.

The same border controls that are slowing down drivers are also slowing down good entering the country.

FindingMeno · 20/07/2021 19:58

I think I heard the Ocado warehouse that had a fire also supplies Morrisons?

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 20/07/2021 20:00

I'm guessing supermarkets might also be short on logistics / shelf stacking staff due to self isolation. A huge number of people are having to isolate.

purpleleotard · 20/07/2021 20:00

Just thanks the people who voted for Brexit.
All the drivers have gone back to their countries and with no freedom of movement will not be coming back

smallandimperfectlyformed · 20/07/2021 20:01

@FindingMeno

I think I heard the Ocado warehouse that had a fire also supplies Morrisons?
Yeah in Erith, there was a fire caused by 2 robots colliding if I remember rightly? As far as I'm aware no-one was hurt thankfully but it did affect distribution.
TopBitchoftheWitches · 20/07/2021 20:02

@onceivepostedidontcomeback

It's simply to stop people stocking up when there's no need to!
No it is not. If they have the stock it's out on the shelves.
MarianneUnfaithful · 20/07/2021 20:03

Brexit.

There is a huge shortage of lorry drivers as so many wer

LemonSwan · 20/07/2021 20:03

Absolutely nothing in my Sainsburys today with a short life.

We had the milk but that was it.

Not a lettuce leaf in sight.

Theunamedcat · 20/07/2021 20:04

People are wiping out the fresh stuff to barbecue and just eat cold stuff in this weather

Brendabigbaps · 20/07/2021 20:05

@onceivepostedidontcomeback

It's simply to stop people stocking up when there's no need to!
How is it when i can’t even buy one of the item I want?
MarianneUnfaithful · 20/07/2021 20:05

Sorry…
So many were E European, plus paperwork, import tariffs etc etc.

Plus drivers, depot staff and factory staff isolating.

The food is there, distribution is the problem,