Supermarket selection in decline :-(

[SparklyMistleToes]

Just a little whinge about what I assume is due to a combination of Brexit and the cost of living crisis.

I've never liked Tesco, but husband pays for the groceries and he prefers Tesco because of the club card points so that's why we shop there.

But recently their selection has become more crap than it used to be. They've stopped stocking Kerry Gold butter, Gourmet Burger Kitchen Burgers, mozzarella for pizzas (the kind you grate yourself), German salami (they've now changed it to German 'style' salami and it doesn't taste the same). There are lots more things that I can't remember at the moment.

Waitrose has stopped stocking Barts dried spices and other bits. The things I can find there that Tesco used to carry are so much more expensive.

The general quality of food is in decline. Cheese has gone to shit and doesn't even melt properly anymore.

My apologies. This post has derailed a bit. I'm sat here with raging PMS listening to jolly Christmas music on the radio and I want to actually smash it. The decline in quality of food and clothing, combined with the shitty weather and amount it takes to heat the house and cook using our oven and air fryer is really pissing me off. Will we (aka the U.K.) ever go back to normal? Or are we stuck like this now? It's miserable already and we've not even hit Jan/Feb. I was in Waitrose today and I swear they've turned the heating off in the store! We could actually see our breathe in the chilled fruit section!

I always find Waitrose colder than any other supermarket!

I looked for block mozzarella in Waitrose today but they only had an Italian brand and it was £4.40 is it galbani? I just bought some from Ocado , they are less than £4, they are actually good for pizza,

as for Waitrose, it has really gone down hill , I wouldn’t even consider it premium supermarket, the closest one is not even worth going to,

Luckily there are some great grocers close by and I get most things from them, the rest is either from Ocado or places like souschef.

I do online tesco weekly (am disabled so no choice) I've noticed the lack of cheap brands (which for someone on disability benefits is important) also have dc with afrid and food intolerances and this section is greatly reduced can rarely get the cheapest of their overpriced gf foods and they often don't have any gf flour.
It's obviously very area dependent (can get some products in my small tesco that i cant get from the large tesco where i get my online delivery from according to the app) but very notable when I'm doing my weekly shop.
I think in a cost of living crisis taking away the cheapest brands is morally wrong but not everyone is in a position to just change supermarkets.

Yanbu.
It's a nightmare. My youngest is very fussy and I could weep when items she likes vanish.

Yes, I've noticed this. I can no longer shop in just one place, have to pick bits up all over the place. Cat food and cat litter seems to be particularly bad, really very limited range in our Tesco now. This weekend I couldn't get literally half the ingredients I needed for a pretty simple pasta dish.

I eventually tracked everything down but had to shuttle between 4 different shops

The best cheddar by miles is Black Bomber.

It’s not just the supermarkets that have gaps on the shelves, Home Bargains has loads of empty shelves.

The nearest corner shop is a Tesco Met - all the cheaper versions of products have disappeared over the summer.

I did think it was perhaps just a small shop thing - but relatives who still on-line shop with them or go to big stores say they are seeing similar - reduction in ranges and often cheapest not being there at all now.

Wilkos has been low on stock for months. I think it only survives as they have about three members of staff.

Waitrose is cold? Seems like a good idea.
I like my house to be warm, but when I leave it I dress for the weather.
Winter clothing in Waitrose is fine for customers, & the staff appear to be well-wrapped up - I'm sure they'd complain if they were cold.

I got the rage in Tesco's today about the complete absence of Sherbet Fountains.

It's been months. Even Asda doesn't have them.

I was thinking more of the summer!

Re: Waitrose being really cold.

@ILoveAllRainbowsx that's exactly what I used!! I swear it's changed. ☹️

Sainsbury's have got rid of all their Colman's and Schwartz packet mixes and only stock their own now.

Fortunately Morrisons still do, but if I have to go there for those I will do my whole shop there. Sainsburys loss!

There's plenty of good cheddar available, don't buy the cheap tasteless stuff.

Sainsbo often have Cathedral City & Pilgrims' Choice on special offer - big packs, but they last forever anyway.

I went to Wilkos on Friday and it was shocking, honestly so many completely empty shelves, virtually nothing at all in the whole pet section, just empty. Looked like the scenes from Eastern Europe before the fall of communism they used to put on the news.

It does feel like our whole country is in decline, it’s so depressing.

I agree

The range of meat is more limited

Things like diced pork for casseroles or fish pie mix for instance

I remember in Kwik Save to get anything chilled you had to walk into the chiller through the plastic flaps-now that was cold.

But generally I wouldn't want a warm supermarket.

Hardly "shocking".
Try a pet food shop, or give Fido your leftovers.

Our Wilko is the same-hardly any pet food at all, but I think there must be supply issues as the supermarkets and places like Home Bargains are also very low on stocks and choice.

Agree OP. M&S Christmas range is shite this year. We splash out at Christmas and get lots for Boxing Day party buffet from M&S Christmas range, start buying and freezing it in November. There is literally nothing in this years range that tempts me to buy it. They've got the prawn balls that they do every year which are lovely, but this year they're £7.50 a pack. They're not that lovely even on 3 for 2!
The dessert section is rubbish this year too.
Have definitely noticed a reduction in options in Tesco too which is where we do the weekly 'big shop'.

We can no longer get the type of roquefort we have bought from the deli for years. They can't get hold of it and have another type, but it is not anywhere as good and more supermarket quality.

It is shocking. It should not be like this.