To wonder why are the supermarkets empty?

[TheColourofspring]

I live in a big city on the south coast. In the last few days, I have been to Asda, coop and sainsburys- mainly because all 3 had big gaps on the shelves & I couldn’t get what I needed. Asda was the worst by far- hardly any basics in stock- empty gaps on the shelves- barely any veggie stuff. Etc. Not much bread - it was really weird. The other 2 supermarkets also had gaps. Also big reductions on choice- definitely the worst I have seen.

Is it summer? Back to school madness? The dreaded B word?

If it was Brexit then if would affect everyone, not just the few isolated pockets that are experiencing difficulty.

Supermarkets are under pressure. The big players are being squeezed by the new entrants. The new entrants are being squeezed by the big players who are trying to match their prices. That, and rising costs, cause tightness as everyone in the supply chain is under pressure to be more efficient. So when something goes wrong (from any number of causes) there's less slack in the system. Employment is tight which doesn't help and makes agency staff more expensive and difficult to get when you need cover.

Lots of places are probably running down stock in certain departments to make way for Christmas stock - yes, I know it's September, but that's how retail operates.

But no amount of reasoning will stop the doom mongers on here.

No major issues where I am and plenty of fruit and veg. Lidl had supply issues with eggs for months but all back to normal now. Tesco still seems to have a shortage, only half dozen boxes available.

It's buggar all to do with brexit, Cost of living, supply chain. The simple truth is all.the supermarkets have cut their staff to the bone. They don't want to pay ppl to stack the shelves

Lack of choice and terrible dates on fresh stuff, Asda, Sainsburys and Aldi the worst here

My kid's father is a manager for a budget supermarket. They are quite busy because they have taken trade off the supermarkets you mention. Savvy shoppers go where their money lasts longer. I used to order off ASDA for home delivery but there were so many swaps I wasn't happy. I now go to ALDI. There are staffing shortages in the retail sector, and many supermarkets are desperate for drivers, warehouse pickers and shop floor staff of all levels. There can also be all manner of transport glitches in the food chain. If lorry drivers are stuck at a port, for instance. Suppliers are going bust as well, meaning there can be a frantic scramble to find a replacement factory to push out various products at the right price.

Sainsburys probably has the most choice. Asda used to be really good but it’s terrible now for choice - they have got rid of their world food section too which is super annoying!

Perfectly normal round here (Isle of Wight and just been to New Forest)

I was in my local M&S yesterday, which is usually reasonably well stocked, but I was struck by the shelves groaning with produce, especially fruit, vegetables and salad stuff. It was packed to the gills

It's not Brexit.

It's been a weird summer and some produce has less availability across Europe.

Then there's the rising costs of production, transport etc. Also a global issue, not Brexit.

Add into that the vaguaries of Regional Hubs and Just In Time deliveries and joy get some places that see no difference and others that have empty shelves. Yet more nothing to do with Brexit

And Waitrose are still having issues with their Hub/s. Aldo and Lidl fruit and veg is, in some places, utterly knackered before it even gets to the shelves. Nope, not Brexit

We are all going to have to get used to seasonal and or more grown in the UK food supplies again. Yes, partly Brexit!

Yes I'm finding it's a Christmas and Halloween issue as stuff gets moved around or they prioritise aisles of crap rather than actual food.

All the ones in my area are fine. I remember when I worked retail, it's a strange time of year now between summer and Christmas. Produce is coming to the end of summer season and the seasonal aisle is getting ready to change over from back to school to Christmas.

Our Asda has just done. I got a lot of exercise today trying to find flour

I live in Austria and shop mainly in Germany (I live in a border town) because the food is significantly cheaper in Germany.
I haven't been able to buy rice in the supermarket in Germany for the last three weeks. They don't have any olive oil either. I can get olive oil in Austria but no rice there either.
There have been a few things out of stock every week in Germany, but usually back in the following week.
Some things have become extortionately expensive so I don't buy them any more.

So, nope, it's not Brexit causing it in the UK. It's the same here.

Yes! went to Asda yesterday and they had no milk!! How is that possible. Loads of empty shelves/freezers too.

My local Asda (huge superstore, West Yorkshire) has had barely any meat for weeks. Most fridges just bare. And they’ve stopped leaving carrier bags on a hook at the self serves, now you have to chase after a member of staff for one. They also seem to move everything onto different aisles every week so you can never find anything. It’s really annoying.

Our Asda is ok.

End of the month pay day shopping. Shops can’t keep up with the demand?

Home Counties town here. LIDL has had major problems with stock, apparently due to staff shortages (warehouses, delivery drivers).

Also have all the big supermarkets and while not the same problem it is noticeable that there are random gaps.

Generally there have been “shortages” of certain items: first it was peppers, then it was asparagus.

As others have said while it’s easy to blame Brexit (and I voted remain). We have family in Germany and Austria and Ireland. The main problems are: extreme weather in Spain and Morocco which has massively reduced production in items like tomatoes. Huge energy costs so producers have not produced as much. Ukraine war led to reduction in grain.

The last time there was a thread on this the suggested causes seemed to be:

Brexit - shortage of drivers/high import costs/crops rotting in fields as no pickers/delays at the border which affects the condition and cost of chilled and frozen products.

I have noticed a lot less choice of frozen products over the last couple of years, especially meat. Maybe travelling to a big out of town store might offer more choice, but there is no public transport.
Less choice and poorer quality of fresh produce.
And of course everything costs a lot more.

Its them sunlit upland thingies

supermarket shelves are empty, but they are beautifully uplight from the Brexit sunland, or something, and we are all very happy about being in it together

or something

Logistics issues, paying supplier issues, barmy HQ ideas to implement just in time stock processes which end up costing money

I live near an Asda in the NW, no issues here! And always rammed with customers

No issues at all where I am in the Cotswolds. Yet anyway!

Same. Can rarely do one full shop in one supermarket now if I have a list of specific items. Depending on time of day Lidl can be bare of fruit/veg, bread.

Its also quite random what can/can’t be found and differs from week to week.

Also found veg was rotting within a day. Bought baby potatoes on Sunday and obviously wasn’t very observant as when I got home noticed a few were rotting (and completely mushy) in the bag. I’ve started going back to getting fruit/veg from a greengrocer - but needing to visit three different places to get a full shop is really irritating.

Yes agree was going to say the same. I’m having to stick with M&S at the moment as usual supermarkets are so under stocked. Just annoying how much more expensive it is and I don’t know how much longer I can keep shopping there for the big ‘shops’.