To feel like UK shops are perpetually out of stock

[Frederita]

I feel like I'm in the twilight zone because noone else is saying anything or noticeably irritated like I am. 5 years ago, I was able to get anything within reason from a major retailer online or on the high street.

Argos was always stocked and did same day deliveries for pesky household staples that that needed a quick replacement like unexpected guests and needing extra towels but not having time to go shopping. Literally anything within reason except for seasonal things like fans which ran out (but often close to mid season with a shipment on the way to end out the season). Argos never has anything for delivery unless 300 miles away or collection 20 miles away.

And it's not just them, John Lewis, Debenham (online), M&S, small businesses, even Amazon can be sparse and everything takes 2 days now.

Now I feel like I have to try several shops for one thing and most are always out of stock. FFS even a food shop is impossible to complete in one shop regardless of price just sheer lack of availability.

Yes we had a pandemic (much expected then), Brexit and a war but am I insane for not wanting to hunt down every single thing across multiple different shops. I'm already plus sized so clothes are next to impossible already and that's all I have tolerance for - I don't want to have the same experience with my bloody food shop and common household goods too! Am I the only one experiencing this. Maybe its location specific, I'm in London if that makes a difference.

Am I really alone feeling like this?

Also from the article:

So is Brexit to blame?
Most farmers and suppliers have said they do not believe the UK’s exit from the EU is the main reason for the UK’s empty supermarket shelves. However, many acknowledge that Brexit – as well as the pandemic – have increased costs for growers, mostly as a result of having to pay higher wages to workers amid labour shortages.

Some importers argue the additional costs and bureaucracy created by Brexit have put the UK at the back of queue for supplies from European producers when crops are in short supply across the continent. It has also led to higher costs and paperwork, which can cause delays at the border – a particular issue with perishable produce.

@HerNameIsIncontinentiaButtocks

"So is Brexit to blame?

Most farmers and suppliers have said they do not believe the UK’s exit from the EU is the main reason for the UK’s empty supermarket shelves.

So what did I miss in that article? I'm sure a remoaner is more than happy to tell me?

Btw, have you stopped frothing at the mouth about our exit yet?

But anyway thanks for clearing that up @VeniVidiWeeWee

So what did I miss in that article?

Everything apart from the bit that you quoted lol. You literally missed everything apart from that.

Should have gone to Specsavers.

There's probably a lens shortage too though lol. Nothing to do with brexit, OBVIOUSLY.

In brum literally no issue here I was rushing to stock up snd brimming with toms etc. none issue here

You want to start a black market supply chain @smileladiesplease . There are definitely shortages elsewhere - shops don't restrict shopping unless they have to. You could probably buy yourself a house by month's end if you play your cards right.

@InelegantAndWild

BBC News at ten reported that other European Supermarkets had stock because they were to pay the higher prices.

See also

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1738072/fruit-and-vegetable-shortages-explained-uk-spt

@InelegantAndWild

But I really am interested.

Has the frothing stopped?

Express? Great, thanks. I'll read that right after their article about how princess Diana's been seen on the moon.

LOL. I'm actually a bit embarrassed for you.

From the express article:

Has Brexit had an impact?
Although Brexit is not generally thought of as the crux of the issue, fingers have been pointed either partly or solely in its direction, as well as toward the Government.

Professor Monaghan continued: “I haven’t spoken to a business who’s said Brexit has made it easier. There’s a range of opinions on the extent of the problem. Getting hold of labour has become more difficult, and moving crops between Europe and the UK has become more difficult, but there are some other issues that are not Brexit related.”

More from the express:

For example, he pointed towards the fact that there have been issues at the Calais border due to strikes.

Yet, others have parked their blame firmly on Britain’s exit from the EU three years ago. Chair of Save British Farming Liz Webster said in a video, shared on February 22, that the food shortages are not being seen in Spain “or anywhere else in the European Union”. She added: “The reason that we have food shortages in Britain… is because of Brexit, and also because of this disastrous Conservative government that has no interest in food production, farming or even food supply.”

Similarly, Former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King also blamed Brexit, stating that the sector had been “hurt horribly” by the departure when speaking to LBC

I just started a thread about this, I had not seen your one.
I am so fed up of driving to different supermarkets to do a basic shop. Three supermarkets to get eggs. The same with peppers. ASDA had loads of empty freezer space. I don't want to spend this much time and headspace on basic food shopping.

I find the opposite with clothes and household goods. Recently ordered pair of ski gloves for ds from Next. Ordered at 3pm, collected the following morning from the shop.

I haven't had problems with recently replaced washing machine, or various other household items. If anything, they are getting better.

With food, I go early - 8am or before. There were no red peppers last week in Tesco but I got yellow and green. Everything else was in stock. The only things our Tesco has ever been out of stock on is wavy cut oven chips.

But if things are out of stock, just shop seasonally. It's February. Make a winter salad with grated carrot and apple, sultanas and vinaigrette. It's not difficult.

@InelegantAndWild

And the BBC report?

And I'll take the frothing as proved...

It's a bit difficult if you can't actually wipe your arse tbf

Maybe the shelves are full in other European countries because they prepared to pay more. We have got used to cheap produce in the UK and probably aren’t yet ready to accept that we must pay more.

From a German fruit and veg wholesaler’s perspective…

“Ongoing turbulence and price explosions are characterizing the fruit and vegetable trade, firmly gripping Munich wholesale market traders as well.
We have to adjust our calculations and our prices accordingly. For the most part, this is still being accepted on the part.”

www.freshplaza.com/europe/article/9502314/shortage-of-spanish-fruit-vegetables-in-weeks-5-and-6/

@VeniVidiWeeWee I dunno, I've not seen the BBC report.

But so far every report you've given us blames brexit.

It would be better with the full quote!

"We have to adjust our calculations and our prices accordingly. For the most part, this is still being accepted on the part of the buyer. The question is, however, when the feedback will take place and when the pain threshold will be reached by the customer and the consumer," says Daniel Schury, Managing Director of the Franz Schmitt company.

Well we're already in stagflation here in the UK and we still don't have any tomatoes.

@MintJulia Yes we can make a salad with carrots and apples if that is all we can get. But it reminds me of the level of availability in the small supermarket my mum used to use in the 1970s.
And worse there is a shortage on the shelves of traditional winter veg that used to always be grown in the UK. Carrots and apples though are always available.

You can also make a nice wee bit of moonshine with carrots and apples if so inclined.

This is historically what skint populations do in skint countries.

I don't think any of us reckoned on having such considerations previously - I certainly didn't, having spent 35 fucking years paying 20% (previously 22%) income tax, 20% vat and another 15% of my nett income in council fucking tax. But maybe we all need to readjust to 1960s Poland expectations while our midget swimming pool steward overlords coin it in.

It kind of sucks though.

And, of course, this is an entirely disinterested website.

www.theneweuropean.co.uk/tomato-shortage-leaves-brexit-britain-red-faced/

Well done. That is another article stating that brexit is to blame for our lack of tomatoes.

Are you a masochist? A self saboteur? I wonder about you @VeniVidiWeeWee .

Idk whether to lol or cry at this post. But your description of our PM is quite entertaining.

No eggs in our Aldi today.