To think that people don't seem to have noticed that the shelves are empty. ?

[Finknottlesnewt]

I have just popped into my local co-op (decent sized supermarket not a corner shop) . I wanted a chicken to roast, some Maris piper potatoes and some frozen peas... nothing. In fact no frozen veg. No pork as a chicken substitute. Salad potatoes but nothing I could roast.

I went to Tesco and got the last chicken. Also successful with Potatoes but no frozen peas.

I am not after unicorn tears. I mean it doesn't get much more normal than chicken spuds and peas. ! Tesco had NO fruit and (much to the consternation of many in the queue) only about 4 packets of cigarettes - none of which were the variety people were after.

Am I just living in a very badly affected area (rural southeast) .. or is anyone else starting to find this worrying ?

@MythicalBiologicalFennel but its not due totally to brexit , sometimes there is other factors too easy to blame one thing for everything , if it was all brexit it would of happened straight away and it didn't

Seems it's not just in the UK. Can't imagine what it's like for people in parts of the world where food wasn't available in abundance before the pandemic.

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-24/u-s-food-suppliers-are-having-trouble-keeping-shelves-stocked

I think the logistics of 'just in time' deliveries that worked so cleverly before Brexit and Covid have basically broken. When we get back on an even keel, it will be with a different system involving some storage and stockpiling. We have allowed ourselves to become just too vulnerable.

No problems in Wales.

brexit happened ages ago

Jesus wept.

Brexit is only just starting. We are still in a transitional period. All the red tape is still being built.

Loads of subs in my Tesco shop and proper shortages of specific items (ice being one!) across our town (East Anglia). I was really shocked at the bare shelves when we visited friends in Scotland a couple of weeks ago though- it definitely seems to be regional.

We have allowed ourselves to become just too vulnerable.

I agree, as a fairly densely populated island nation our reliance on "just in time" imports is frightening.

Not just food- Ikea was low stock/no stock on lots of stuff when we visited

North west and the local Tesco's have had loads of empty shelves, fruit and veg is hot and miss and there have been times when the freezers are almost empty

I’ve noticed it in SE and I’m ok with it. Where I grew up (not Europe), you had to get what was available and make do. I also recently lived in Asia for a couple of years where food was very expensive with limited choice. UK consumers have been spoiled for years and it seems that is now over. We will all adapt.

Our current supermarket system of low stocks and cheese from Edinburgh going down to Birmingham(or wherever) and then back up to a store in Scotland is silly and bad for the environment. We need local storerooms for unperishable goods and to minimise our food miles. All the eco protesters never properly address this though

@pointythings

It's pretty bad here too - even when items are available, there are only a few of each thing so they run out. There are many shelves which have boards on stating that this product is out of stock - not handwritten notes, solid printed cardboard things clearly intended for longer term use.

But people voted for this.

There's a lorry driver shortage all over the developed world. Poland has it twice as bad as us, Germany are struggling too. Australia are having issues with iron ore transport.

I’m just outside Edinburgh, and bizarrely it’s fuzzy drinks which I have found are mainly affected. Some fruit & veg too. Luckily we have enough to eat, but I am still aware of big gaps in certain areas.

Even if there are little gaps. So be it. Adapt. We still have plenty.

@HollaHolla also really struggling to get multipacks of Coke Zero in SW Scotland which i didn't expect

Few things missing from aldi tonight but thats not unusual for a Friday night shop.

Also people are or should be now well aware that there is issues with getting the food to supermarkets.

No empty shelves here. I can find most products

Shelves are completely empty in north London in almost all stores (Wilko, Deichman, Lidl, Sainsburys etc). It's like a third world country

SE here & we've definitely noticed various shortages. Bottled water, especially sparkling has bee practically non existent for about 6 months & I having to buy online. Haven't seen a courgette in over a month, broccoli was missing for ages, but thankfully is available again & much more

A small first world problem, we're hardly starving just adapt your meal plans around tbe availability of food.
Perhaps we'll get more in tune to the seasonal fruit & veg again in general we are so accustomed to everything being available. A chance to buy local , bet the local butcher has chickens.

West of Scotland here and very noticeable shortages in a few supermarkets - especially bottled water and baby wipes. I have had difficulty getting them in Asda, Sainsbury's, Lidl & Aldi. We have a local Co-op at the end of our road and it is awful - regularly whole sections of empty shelves and notices up about 'supply issues'.

North Wales. Tesco's had no chicken last week no delivery available. Our co-ops are suffering the most no deliveries it really was empty in two of them at the weekend

@saleorbouy

A small first world problem, we're hardly starving just adapt your meal plans around tbe availability of food. Perhaps we'll get more in tune to the seasonal fruit & veg again in general we are so accustomed to everything being available. A chance to buy local , bet the local butcher has chickens.

You do know that not everyone in this country can afford to shop in the local butcher/Baker/greengrocers? Just because it doesn’t affect you in your naice mc area doesn’t mean it’s not a problem for others.

I was in the big Sainsbury's in Kingston today and shelves were well stocked, our local M&S food hall seems ok too at the moment. I guess it varies region by region. Not saying there isn't a problem but it doesn't seem to have reached this corner of SW London yet..