Should we expect shopping to get even more difficult?

[viccat]

I know it's not the biggest problem at the moment but I'm feeling stressed anyway and it feels bigger... I also don't have a car so actually rely on online shopping.

Are these empty shelves and lack of online delivery slots likely to get better or will this get even worse?

I've done my supermarket shop online every week for about 10 years and it has never been like this, not even at Christmas. How can they say there are no supply issues when even if I book a delivery slot with Ocado a week away, lots of things are unavailable to buy? I'm not even trying to buy the items most in demand right now (loo roll or handwash) but fairly specific things like the brand of cat litter we use, gouda cheese and iceberg lettuce!

Amazon Fresh has also put restrictions on really random items, like cans of cat food and some types of chocolate biscuits. Some things that were available last week have completely disappeared from their aisles too.

It's getting hard to believe it's not actually supply chain issues and just the panic buyers at fault...

I think it will probably get worse before it gets better due to a combination of supply chain and panic buying.
I have online delivery due to disability and would struggle otherwise my kind delivery driver told me last week to go on and book as far in advance as I could because he knew I rely on them and that the situation was getting worse.
I haven't panic bought but have noted more substitutions in the last three orders not of the panic buy goods just in general. The driver last week said that there are more substitutions.
I've also noticed pharmacy struggling too. It's taken them 2 weeks to source my drugs this month which is a bit concerning.

I think it will get worse for a while then settle when people have no space left to store stuff.

No meat on the shelves in any of our supermarkets at 6pm last night.

IMO it is bound to get worse. Many countries have closed their borders and are putting restrictions in place. That will affect supply chains. The weather in the UK and the flooding in particular has also created a problem with our own crops

We are planting double this year on the basis that supply in the shops might become restricted.