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 ?

We've noticed. Half empty shelves. Our Coop has had signs up for weeks apologising and saying its due to problems with deliveries.

South East.

I've noticed. We're pretty fucked in NI with loads of stuff missing. However you'll find many a poster trying to stop you talking about it and accusing you of causing panic buying.

I'm very central London and it's been ongoing for some time here. My nearest Sainsburys (a big one) has rearranged thr floor space taken racks of shelves out to try and hide the bare shelves. Thankfully I do mainly online shopping and that is touch wood been alright.

As I'm local to a few different supermarkets I can usually find what I need for my top-up shops. I do tend to order extra bags cat litter now (only need one a week) as this comes in and out of stock and the stupid cat only uses one brand. So I like to have a supply. I make sure I have 2 bags spare so not massively stockpiling

I haven't seen anything like that, I've been able to find everything I wanted. But I'm off to Tesco in the morning, I'll look closely and report back

No gaps where I am?

Yes I’ve noticed this for a little while. Not like ‘omg there’s nothing to eat’ shortages, but definitely ‘going to have to come up with a different meal plan’. I couldn’t get a chicken or any chicken pieces in either of my town supermarkets on Sunday but there was plenty of mince so I had to quickly change the meal.

My Ocado delivery seems ok still, haven’t been to actual shops to check.

No meat, frozen veg or margarine/spread in our online shop this week. I could get frozen mince but no other meat at all. It's concerning.

Absolutely happening here

And yes okay, say I notice it on a Sunday and comment on it. Then someone says "oh yes well a Sunday is always empty, restocking schedule etc." Except that, I always shop that time on a Sunday, and haven't had any issues. So yes, I understand restocking shelves but that is not the issue. There is more at play here.

I went back after my most recent empty Lidl on a Sunday, on a Tuesday, and still couldn't find what I'd gone in for, with the exception of chicken breasts (none on Sunday, a few packs on Tuesday).

Not had any problems here, norfolk.

I'm in the Midlands and our Tesco has been short on frozen veg and other items for a month or so.

Massive issues in rural SW. Someone started a thread a few weeks ago and everyone just thought it was funny and took the piss at not being able to buy the exact type of risotto rice or something. There are entire aisles at my local Sainsbury’s that are routinely empty. Not just one or two but at least a third of all aisles are only 1/2 to 2/3 full. I’m really surprised there are such regional differences, I thought it was similar everywhere.

Juice has been has been hard to come by for ages, and various vegetables are hit and miss.

@JazzerMcCreary

The only thing I haven’t been able to get is squash, weirdly.

Same here. Cornwall. Otherwise well stocked.

I asked one of the assistants in sainsburys what was going on and he told me it was down to a shortage of lorry drivers.

North East . . . Sainsbury's was out of four packs of tinned tomatoes and nine packs of recycled loo roll, but everything else was there. Even got globe artichokes this week - a rare treat!

No fruit juice in Lidl for months now, and precious little in Asda or Tesco. I do like Lidl tomato juice with my pizza but I don't think it's ever coming back.

And today, no butter, just empty shelves gaping around with a snaggle tooth or two of tub margarine, or lard if you're making pasties.

It's painfully obvious things have gone badly wrong. It looks like those old photos of Soviet supermarkets, or the co-op on Scilly when the weather has closed in and the Gry Maritha (supply boat) can't leave Penzance! And I'm not in an island, unless you count GB.

Empty shelves - how bad is it around you? www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/4350162-Empty-shelves-how-bad-is-it-around-you

Posted on this thread on this topic just a few days ago so yes it's noticeable, but seems to vary a lot across the country. Co-op does seem to feature as one of the worst stocked though.

Non rural South East Coast here.

Vitamin C seems to be problematic and the shelves were devoid of loo roll this evening 🙄.

Wasn't planning to restock my emergency stash but having a rethink now.

I haven't been able to get frozen veg for several weeks but everything else is fine.

Just had £150 delivery from Tesco's with zero substitutes.

The only thing I've noticed is cans of drink seem to be short everywhere.

In my midland s town...some shops have lack of stock..others fully stocked...
You just adjust or visit another store...two stores you get everything....tbh it's 10000% better than first lockdown....

The thing is that instead of being able to do my shop in one place, I now have to go to multiple shops, which isn't great for the environment or for my use of time. As my household is one of multiple food allergies, 'just buy something different' doesn't cut it.

'There will be adequate food;' my arse.

Fine here

The only thing which is consistently short here (South East) is tins of sardines. Other things coming and going, but lots of people give sardines to the dog a couple of times a week and they aren't available.