Is tesco rationing???

[Santaslittlemelter]

I'm trying to do the online shop here and not only is stock a bit shit, like no dishwasher salt, no pork mince, no organic cucumber, no most types of tomato, but I have noticed that a load of the things in my basket say I have reached my maximum quantity. So I am allowed one red pepper, one pack of two small salmon fillets, one pack of tomatoes, one cucumber.....I have a family of 6.

I haven't heard much recently on supply issues. But is anyone else finding this happening? Its a bit shit for a huge retailer.

Mmm, not sure about this.
My local Tesco has been 'downgrading' for about 3 or 4 years - fewer expensive products, more cheapo versions, less variety, only replenishing when short- dated items have been sold. I think the problem may be Tesco.

I did an online order with Waitrose last weekend - everything in stock (including tissues which no one else seems to have) and no substitutions.
Also recently done online orders with Asda and Sainsburys - very few items out of stock/subs.

Tissues and crisps seem to be the problem items.

My son works in a Tesco dark store and he says that some things are slow coming in so they have to either offer a sub or mark it up as unavaible.

@WhyOfCourse but the deliveries don't come from my local store they come from the larger Tesco a few miles away. They don't drive round taking stock of different shop floors

Sainsbury’s round here seem to have stopped stocking own brand cereal, both online and in store. Plenty of fruit and veg though.

There is a tomato shortage - gas prices mean heating greenhouses is suddenly prohibitively expensive, Spanish trucking issues and a tomato export ban from Morocco. Similar issues with peppers. I imagine it will likely resolve, at least for short term, once U.K. weather improves. Longer term maybe we can’t have cheap tomatoes, cucumbers etc in winter.

Just back from Sainsbury's. Didn't notice any shortages apart from the usual of a few lines here and there. They may have got better at hiding them but they hadn't bought out their cardboard shelf fillers that they were using a few months ago.

@Theyellowflamingo

There is a tomato shortage - gas prices mean heating greenhouses is suddenly prohibitively expensive, Spanish trucking issues and a tomato export ban from Morocco. Similar issues with peppers. I imagine it will likely resolve, at least for short term, once U.K. weather improves. Longer term maybe we can’t have cheap tomatoes, cucumbers etc in winter.

British Sugar grow tomatoes using waste heat and carbon dioxide from their sugar beet processing. (Though not enough for the whole uk).

I popped into Tesco yesterday and I couldn’t believe how empty the shelves were. No Stockwell beans, no Tesco beans, just a few odd tins of Heinz and Branston. Literally bare shelves. Got a small Iceland delivery today and only one substitute but things like beans are branded and expensive in Iceland.

I went into my local Tesco today and there weren’t any visible gaps on the shelves or indications of rationing in store. Went to Lidl as well and likewise - they even had loads of pasta which they’ve not reliably had for ages. The only thing they didn’t have was 1 pint bottles of milk but Tesco had them.

Yesterday our local Lidl looked like the early pandemic situation, so many gaps and empty shelves, plenty of loo rolls though

Had a Tesco shop delivered yesterday with two substitutions, one was a different flavour of yoghurt and I can’t remember what the other one was

I gather that foods , particularly crisps and similar, are suffering from a shortage of sunflower oil as it's comes from Russia and Ukraine.
This might have a knock on effect with foods that are cooked with it.

Doesn't explain cucumbers and peppers though.

I gave up with my online shop and went in person on Friday...it wasn't too bad but overall can be quite hit and miss.

Just a warning... when it comes up with the message that you cant add any more of an item, I have often found that item is unavailable and therefore not delivered. At least you know beforehand nowadays with the email receipt, but drives me nuts!

@SawnWood

Shop this evening had a sign out saying “U.K. wide shortage of products” in the crisp aisle and GF products are really hit and miss

Went to a big Tesco an hour ago and bought multiple types of crisps

Also some veg. Seemed fine.

Our Aldi today had no tomatoes, no cat food, no red label teabags

Tesco delivery every Friday, no subs last Friday, just put stuff in the basket for Friday coming, no problem.

Obviously affecting some areas more than others and more rigid people than others....

I went to Waitrose and Lidl today, and didn't notice any lack of stock. Lots of tomatoes of various sizes in both places. The one thing I did notice was that Waitrose own brand non-bio washing powder is still out of stock (has been for months). Likewise M&S.

There is also an ongoing ferry capacity due to the P&O sackings as I don't think their underpaid crews are fully trained.

Our Lidl had had bare shelves in various departments for the past few weeks. I asked the checkout operator what was going on and she said it was because of staffing levels ? Not enough staff to unload deliveries and stock the shelves.

So who knows

There is some rationing if you do click and collect. There are things they won't allow you to order more of.
They are fruit and veg shortages. Last time, there was almost no salad of any type. I imagine this is Brexit related.

I’ve noticed it’s harder to get hold of tomatoes, salad items and fruits. I’ve had to go round multiple shops to get it all.

I haven’t found peppers in any big stores, nor much of any fresh salad or vegetables! I have found however that Tesco expresses are better as really well stocked!

Last week DD2 was in Tesco and the cashier refused to sell the lady in front of her all the packets of loo roll she'd put on the convayor. Don't know the exact amount. DD just said ''loads''.

Quite right too i thought.

I haven’t been able to order cucumber from Tesco for weeks now! So odd. There were loads of cucumbers in Lidl 🤷🏻‍♀️