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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:
Killergigglebunnies · 20/07/2021 23:02

Where I live the shelves are empty as it’s Eid. I can imagine as it’s school holidays everyone buying when they’d normally be going away on holiday. Lack of staff due to high numbers being pinged.

Nannyamc · 20/07/2021 23:03

M & S here in ROI is a disaster. No fresh produce no cooked meats or salads.
Left with a loaf cooked in store

bubblebubblebubbletrouble · 20/07/2021 23:05

My sainsburys click & collect order had more unavailable than available. It was crazy.
I think it's Brexit not Covid in the main.

Interested in this thread?

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General health
maddy68 · 20/07/2021 23:07

Consequences of brexit. I love in
Spain. No empty shelves there. Currently on holiday in France. No empty shelves there either

Lonelycrab · 20/07/2021 23:08

Are supermarkets within the EU under the same kind of shortages?
Genuine question.

Bythemillpond · 20/07/2021 23:11

The only shelves that were empty over the weekend were things like fizzy drinks, crisps and in the freezer section ice cream and lollies and ice. And also barbecue type stuff

Pixxie7 · 20/07/2021 23:12

The only thing I am finding it difficult to get is water otherwise no problem at Tesco.

Theworldisfullofgs · 20/07/2021 23:13

Brexit and covid. It was predicted (but the predictions were too early as it took so long to get oven ready brexit done) like the food rooting in the fields.

Hey ho, project fear.

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 20/07/2021 23:15

@Pixxie7

The only thing I am finding it difficult to get is water otherwise no problem at Tesco.
My tap's working just fine
WhereDoILook · 20/07/2021 23:17

@WowIlikereallyhateyou

It is a shortage of drivers to take things to the supermarkets with people being pinged and having to isolate.
Supermarket worker here. It's defiantly a shortage of drivers for whatever reason. Added to that some supply issues and high demand for certain lines like ice and ice lollies.
kowari · 20/07/2021 23:17

@properg

Empty shelves cause people to panic buy what's left. You need one bag of pasta, plenty on the shelves and you buy the one you need, only a few left and you buy two or three in case there is none next week.

Do empty shelves cause this? I don't think oh I need a years supply of pasta so I better stock up when I see empty shelves.

Yes, false scarcity tends to make people buy more than they otherwise would. If it's almost gone this week then better buy two in case there's none next week. If many people buy just two of something when they would normally buy one (not a year's supply, just one extra), then the problem escalates.
Lonelycrab · 20/07/2021 23:17

My Tesco has been pretty sparse with spuds and green veg, fresh stuff in general. Cucumbers on the blink too. Lots of offers have disappeared too.

ILoveYouILoveYouIDo · 20/07/2021 23:20

Lots of workers being pinged!

Honeyroar · 20/07/2021 23:21

I’m struggling for water too.

(and before @BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand pipes up, we have well water, not mains, and need mineral water for several reasons that I can’t be arsed listing!)

TammyTwoSwanson · 20/07/2021 23:24

I have a Waitrose shop due tomorrow. It cost £120, but there is £30 worth of groceries actually being delivered. No fresh food. The only stuff that's coming is shampoo and some cupboard bits like oil, spices, tins etc.

Sillysuzie · 20/07/2021 23:28

Nothing to do with the ten day heatwave were in the midst of.......

justasking111 · 20/07/2021 23:30

Friends in France say there have been shortages for months there. I think there's more to it than Brexit

gardeninggirl68 · 20/07/2021 23:30

all it takes is for a couple of factory workers somewhere along the chain to be off....with holidays kicking in as well then you have a problem

we have had shortages of stock (non food) because the packaging the goods came in was not ready due to isolations and sickness. Produced and packaged in a non uk country

then when ready it had missed its freight spot so had to re-book

finally on uk soil the lorries are in short supply and haulage couldnt accommodate until a while later. meanwhile my shelves are empty and customers are screaming at us for not ordering in the goods!!!

gollyh · 20/07/2021 23:41

Yes, false scarcity tends to make people buy more than they otherwise would

I think it's media hype that does it personally although I tend to shop late at night when they are restocking so an empty shelf doesn't put the fear of God in me.

TheMoth · 20/07/2021 23:49

No white pitta bread. Morrison's do the best white pittas.

No tzatziki either. Lots of people must be doing Greece at home.

We are not really a pitta and tzatziki area.

UberMullet · 21/07/2021 11:08

I've been in Italy, France and Belgium over the last few weeks. There are no shortages that I have seen.

Chisontoast · 21/07/2021 22:20

Shortages of water and fruit, veg and salads here in Torbay

Nsky · 21/07/2021 22:29

Been ok here, few bits missing

MarianneUnfaithful · 21/07/2021 22:31

I haven’t found bags of choc chip brioche rolls in Tesco or Lidl for ages.