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Original poster

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

568 replies

Finknottlesnewt · 17/09/2021 19:28

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 ?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
UndertheCedartree · 21/09/2021 21:02

I'm in the South East and have noticed. Not to the extent you have but the main thing I have noticed is the lack of milk at times.

mummaelle · 21/09/2021 21:03

I'm in Brighton centre and my co op all looks empty these days!!
I do my big shop at Waitrose though that's always got plenty of stock and selection in

WoozySnoozy · 21/09/2021 21:05

@wewereliars

1000 employees, so it's pretty big
Eek yeah. That's not good at all.
Porridgealert · 21/09/2021 21:10

@wewereliars

A number of causes, shortage of drivers a major one.
There was a report on itv last night and it's not lorry drivers. There are 2 big plants on Teesside and in Cheshire that produce fertiliser. A byproduct of that is co2 gas. Because of the rise in fuel prices, it is no longer financially prudent for them to produce the co2 gas so they've stopped production. The govt are talking about stepping in to support the companies until gas prices stabilise again.
wewereliars · 21/09/2021 21:14

Read the Skynews article, it's not a CO2 issue

Greydove28 · 21/09/2021 21:14

There's a huge shortage of lorry drivers since brexit

FlyingScott · 21/09/2021 23:20

@wewereliars

Read the Skynews article, it's not a CO2 issue
You haven’t linked to an article. Can’t see anything on sky news website about this.
Porridgealert · 22/09/2021 00:05

@wewereliars. Apologies. We were talking about 2 different things but it was my fault. I should have followed your posts more closely.

Porridgealert · 22/09/2021 00:13

It looks like the company had been in trouble for a while and it went into insolvency at the beginning of 2020, before Brexit had taken place. Even though it was picked up by a private equity investor, it looks like it had significant problems, probably compounded by lack of drivers and an increase in haulage costs. They're forecasting that its customers want to continue with supply and will put together contingency plans so hopefully jobs will be saved.

HarrisonStickle · 22/09/2021 00:52

Really weird but there was a dearth of toilet cleaner today in Sainsburys alongside the usual lack of cat food.

Also noticed some shelves and columns filled with the same product so they don't look empty and lacking the items in short supply.

WarriorN · 23/09/2021 06:42

It's not been too bad here in the NE but when I spoke to my delivery driver he explained that it's more of a back log issue now. It's been backed up for so long it's taking a long time to get anywhere.

He said instead of having lots of different things coming in, you'll get a huge about of 1 thing.

He did mention some of the lorries had been held up due to protests too.

Really large supermarkets are more noticeable; a whole aisle in Asda just had one brand of bleach the other day, as they clearly needed to fill a n empty shelf and that's what they had loads of.

Dragonpox · 23/09/2021 06:47

I've just attempted my weekly online shop. I'm on the south east and there was no frozen veg, no cows milk, no mince, no fresh berries, a lot of specific breads out of stock. I've also noticed theyve (Tesco) stopped listing foods rather than say they are out of stock. It's not the end of the world but as an allergy family as live a restricted diet and it's making things harder!

Oblomov21 · 23/09/2021 07:03

I was on the thread last week to say I hadn't seen anything here, but Sainsbury's Surrey Was shockingly empty tonight.

neveradullmoment99 · 23/09/2021 08:46

No scotch eggs here!
Shelves were sparse this morning. It's utterly shocking. This is brexit. The govt are hiding behind covid.
No we won't starve but HOW is this better?

neveradullmoment99 · 23/09/2021 08:47

@WarriorN

It's not been too bad here in the NE but when I spoke to my delivery driver he explained that it's more of a back log issue now. It's been backed up for so long it's taking a long time to get anywhere.

He said instead of having lots of different things coming in, you'll get a huge about of 1 thing.

He did mention some of the lorries had been held up due to protests too.

Really large supermarkets are more noticeable; a whole aisle in Asda just had one brand of bleach the other day, as they clearly needed to fill a n empty shelf and that's what they had loads of.

A backlog of what? Caused by what?
FlyingScott · 23/09/2021 09:48

It always varies to some extent - typically I know there’s never any point trying to do a weekly shop at our nearest Sainsbury’s on a Tuesday as all the stock always seems very low then.

Porridgealert · 23/09/2021 16:16

@neveradullmoment99

No scotch eggs here! Shelves were sparse this morning. It's utterly shocking. This is brexit. The govt are hiding behind covid. No we won't starve but HOW is this better?
Not disagreeing its brexit but can you explain how it is?
YourFinestPantaloons · 23/09/2021 16:17

@BabcockPeggy

Blimey! I’ve not seen anything like this in North/West Yorkshire.
Me neither! I couldn't get chilli sauce the other day but other than that all was fine
YourFinestPantaloons · 23/09/2021 16:18

@neveradullmoment99

No scotch eggs here! Shelves were sparse this morning. It's utterly shocking. This is brexit. The govt are hiding behind covid. No we won't starve but HOW is this better?
Isn't that just because people have realised that scotch eggs are disgusting?
Tavelo · 23/09/2021 17:57

I have noticed it badly in a couple of different regions I've been in lately. It's even worse for people like me who can't eat wheat and so were limited in the first place.

Original poster
Finknottlesnewt · 23/09/2021 19:51

3 local Petrol stations no unleaded .

Co op has NO chicken or tomatoes.

OP posts:
MintyCedric · 23/09/2021 21:05

I've just done a month's online shop with Sainsbos.

Be interesting to see what turns up tomorrow.

THisbackwithavengeance · 23/09/2021 21:13

Seen a few MN threads recently with posters describing empty food shelves in shops like something out of Soviet Russia.

However I haven't noticed anything untoward in my neck of the woods where it's business as usual.

Hmm.

lovelyupnorth · 23/09/2021 21:24

Local Coop no fresh food, veg, cold meat.

It’s a shit show.

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