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 ?

Our main worry has been the cats favourite food. We've been buying some whenever we see it in different shops but we still only have one box in reserve at the moment. I've kept our stocks recycled though so we won't starve and my parents have an allotment for veg. It's shit at the moment though.

It's because of brexit for whoever asked upthread because;

We have left the Single market and customs union, so what was seamless trade between us and mainland Europe, so that eg tomatoes could be inSpain today and on our shelves tomorrow is a thing of the past. This trip now takes up to 3 days or so, because each lorry load has multiple forms to fill in. Some EU drivers re avoiding the UK altogether, because red tape means they are travelling back to the EU without a load, and so cannot make a financially worthwhile trip.

We told the our EU workers to fuck off, so they have. They include HGV drivers, Spanish vets who were the mainstay of abbatoirs, and vegetable pickers.

@wewereliars

It's because of brexit for whoever asked upthread because;

We have left the Single market and customs union, so what was seamless trade between us and mainland Europe, so that eg tomatoes could be inSpain today and on our shelves tomorrow is a thing of the past. This trip now takes up to 3 days or so, because each lorry load has multiple forms to fill in. Some EU drivers re avoiding the UK altogether, because red tape means they are travelling back to the EU without a load, and so cannot make a financially worthwhile trip.

We told the our EU workers to fuck off, so they have. They include HGV drivers, Spanish vets who were the mainstay of abbatoirs, and vegetable pickers.

For exactly these reasons @Porridgealert

There was a shortage of HGV drivers across the EU before Brexit, so it was pretty obvious drivers would choose work within the EU after Brexit.

BREXIT is fucking basically everything up. I used to feel proud when family would come over and the choices compared to those from other countries were second to none. Now its a shit show.

@wewereliars

It's because of brexit for whoever asked upthread because;

We have left the Single market and customs union, so what was seamless trade between us and mainland Europe, so that eg tomatoes could be inSpain today and on our shelves tomorrow is a thing of the past. This trip now takes up to 3 days or so, because each lorry load has multiple forms to fill in. Some EU drivers re avoiding the UK altogether, because red tape means they are travelling back to the EU without a load, and so cannot make a financially worthwhile trip.

We told the our EU workers to fuck off, so they have. They include HGV drivers, Spanish vets who were the mainstay of abbatoirs, and vegetable pickers.

As far as I am aware there are no border checks on tomatoes from Spain or, indeed, most other foods. Checks have been put back from the beginning of July to the 1st Jan 2022.

No one told anyone to 'fuck off' as you put it. People were asked to register that they were residents. Some workers obviously returned to their own countries when covid struck to be near families.

So basically you're saying it's down to not having enough HGV drivers. But that's for a mixture of reasons - and of course includes Brexit.

However, I'm in the north-west and have no shortages of tomatoes or cucumbers. Fruit and veg is well stocked in the supermarkets I use. In fact the only shortage I've noticed is vanilla coke and fizzy water. Nothing to do with Brexit and hopefully will be sorted soon as the govt has intervened at Teeside plant. Meanwhile I've had to make do with tap water.

I was so surprised at the empty shelves in Wilko's the other day, plus in store announcements about difficulties in getting stock.

Well I was in Lidl yesterday and the middle aisle was well stocked. Plenty of oil filters, fishing stools and bridles for shire horses.

@Zeal

Well I was in Lidl yesterday and the middle aisle was well stocked. Plenty of oil filters, fishing stools and bridles for shire horses.

I think it depends where you are...We're in Cambridgeshire and when we went into Sainsburys yesterday the only shortages were the meal deal section..but thats pretty normal for 2pm in the afternoon.

By contrast we went to tesco express in the evening (got home and realised we needed more milk) and their shelves were pretty bare, which is odd...

In Asda they seem to be okay...there is a few gaps of certain things but they've been filled with a different brand (Ie Heinz ketcup was running low so they'd try to fill the gaps with Asda own brand)

The only main shortage i've noticed in Asda (where we do our weekly shop) is Asdas own blackcurrant squash.. They've barely had any for weeks and when they do get a delivery it goes almost instantly

Sainsbury receipt came through...1 item unavailable and 10 substitutions...not 100% convinced whether I'll keep the cat food, but otherwise all adequate and all the important stuff was there.

Filled the car up with petrol this morning which needed doing anyway. Cued for about 10 minutes, lots of pumps out of unleaded 7.20am.

Just drove back home and the cars are queuing to get in (Tesco Extra).

Yes, in South Wales. I have noticed lots of things not available but to be honest, it's been like this through Covid so it's not new. Which I think people are just used to.

I have 2 items OOS and some wood polish subbed in today's Ocado £150 order. I only place an order with them a couple of times/year because they had become so bad (wanted some niche stuff).

Local Coop seems to have everything, albeit that staff are usually busy filling shelves. Waitrose seemed fairly normal too, but wine bottles were on the shelves where I'd expect to see Halloween tat.

No queues at the nearest petrol station this morning.

We don't have any big supermarkets/hypermarkets - everything is very central rather than out of town. Is that why we are carrying on as usual?

It’s happening
I’ve seen it a few times especially if you shop later in the day

I’m burying my head in the sand about it

Zeal

Saw 2 fuckers buying a load of meat in the co-op.
2 chickens, 2 packets of mince, sausages, fish.
Pretty sure they weren’t having a meat banquet.
I very nearly said something.

Plenty of chicken in waitress today .wimborne in dorset . Touch wood seems OK atm .some gaps with veggies though

Mean waitrose obv