Empty shelves in supermarkets

[EmptshelvesUK]

I must admit I’ve not really been out much these past couple of years due to health reasons but have in the last month been to several different supermarkets.

what’s the reason behind the cardboard advertising boxes where items should be on the shelves in Sainsburys and why in Asda are some areas of the store just empty of food, the biscuit (8 in a packet type snack bars) just empty, nothing, last two weeks exactly the same.

Is it delivery driver issues, or can they not get these products? Or the war in Ukraine etc etc, or is this all part of the Covid pandemic.

Loads of empty shelves here in Scotland, too. I imagine it's down to a mix of all our current issues; staff shortages in the factories, on farms etc, Ukraine related issues, shortage of lorry drivers.

Same in my local Aldi yesterday ,but that's understandable in this heat .

If I ever look at Morrisons to do an online shop, almost everything is dearer than Sainsbury's, where I normally shop. In fact, for what I usually buy, Tesco is also no cheaper than Sainsbury's.

We've had the empty shelves issue in the NW for ages. It's hit and miss as to what's missing (products seem to alternate) but there is always something!

In fact, here are Which's July comparisons.

I have switched from Morrisons to Sainsburys recently and it is definitely coming in cheaper by quite a significant margin. Better stocked too, Morrisons was often out of stock. Our nearby Coop is also frequently half empty of fresh produce.

I'm in Yorkshire. Our local M &S had depleted shelves for a couple of days - not many cut flowers, one pot of cream and not much butter, but they were back to normal the next time I went.

The shelves in my local Lidl have been practically bare for weeks and weeks. I went again this week and apart from not much choice in yogurts and still not stocking their baby wipes, they were pretty much full.

I'm in the Midlands and there have regularly been sparsely populated shelves here for at least a couple of years. I've also had lots more items missing or substituted in my online supermarket shopping for quite some time.

I think it's something we just have to get used to now.

Lidl today out of most types of biscuits, apart from the ones I don't eat and the really expensive ones. It's not a bad thing tbh.

There seems to be a shortage of baby wipes where I am right now. Crisps and cat litter keep running out as well.

It's pretty bad here. I've got used to it, but out with my German friend this week and she couldn't believe it.😒

Went to asda today, only shelf empty was the sparkling water. Yesterday at aldi there were no empty shelves. There have been the odd item not stocked but havent seen a lot of empty shelves in one shop since the beginning of driver shortages so guess i am very lucky. East Midlands.

Just went to a M&S food hall and there was hardly any fresh food! The ends of the aisles that usually have the meal offers were completely bare.

Our small Co-op has loads of empty shelves, I thought it was either
disorganised ordering, not paid bills, closing down ! Its a sort of franchise Co-op

@cosyteapot where abouts are you? I'm North Cornwall and live rural so I can shop Launceston, Wadebridge or Bodmin as they're all a similar distance and have found lots of shortages at all of them in a variety of supermarkets

Lidl is struggling where I am. I was in there a couple of weeks ago and the shelves were emptier than they were in March 2020.

No problems here in the West Midlands.

In the last two weeks Ive been to M&S, Waitrose, Sainsburys, Tesco and The Co-op but havent seen any empty shelves, apart from Tesco's freezer section, which had broken down/failed.

I think this is just the beginning, tbh....I notice stock missing from shelves every time I go out shopping. It's made to look subtle but those of us who are eagle eyed know what is happening 🧐

Haven't had any items out of stock on my on line delivery shopping for quite a while now. I would expect more demand on things like biscuits, crisps etc as it's the summer holidays, and demand for salad items, bottled water and ice-creams/lollies will be high because of the heat wave.

There was a thing in the guardian today about looming shortages, interesting read. I’ve noticed shortages in Lidl, Sainsburys fine. But I also buy budget lines for the food bank and those are often scarce.

@lilroo87 near Falmouth. I've been to various supermarkets in Truro, Falmouth and Helston recently. S'all good man.

Asda yesterday was great. Had everything

Just been in sainsburys. Was shocked at the lack of freezer stuff. The only think they had plenty of was chocolate and biscuits. And i refused to buy tea bags as the ones i like are now 4.50. Was 3 quid for ages. So left in a quiet strop.

Me too, and I’ve noticed there’s always lots of gaps. Not the same stuff, but always plenty out of stock. Aldi’s always a bit like that, but Tesco, B and M and Morrisons too. Deodorant seems to be a real thing. I’ve been on the lookout for a stick (not roll on) for months and months and there are none. At all.

I work in a shop and customers are moaning about the prices and lack of choice. They dont think it affects us too. I understand people being annoyed but they can be disrespect to us too and that's not on.

@cosyteapot that's interesting. So odd how up this way it's a lot of empty shelves.
I've got everything I needed and sometimes just adjust but it's a bit annoying 🤣