The flour shortage

[JinglingHellsBells]

Can anyone shed any light on this?

I can't get my head round why it's flown off the shelves. (Someone did say parents making play dough or whatever but not convinced.)

Is everyone baking like mad out of boredom?

Or- and this was my first thought- did everyone panic, think what they would need if they were locked down with no food for weeks and all think..

Ta dah! We need flour to make bread - one of life's essential foods.

Given there is no shortage of bread, cakes or baked good in the supermarkets, I really don't understand. Even if people normally do a bit of baking each week, it doesn't explain the huge shortage.

It doesn't affect me much personally as I am gluten-free, and can use other flours, but it's just weird.

[Womble65]

I read that the normal rate of domestic flour packaging works out at one bag for 15% of households per week, so it takes very little extra buying for it to be out of stock. With more people at home and baking for something to do, plus regular bakers grabbing an extra bag if it happens to be in stock, it is quite easy to see that the shelves will be bare.

I found a catering supplier that normally supplies restaurants and school canteens had loads in stock and deliver. You do end up buying quite a lot but it’s easy to share out with neighbours and friends.

[OrganTransplant123]

“ Barbie222

I can’t see vulnerable people turning to home baking bread in great numbers, out of the blue! It’s pretty hard work.

What a ridiculous thing to say. Why do people persist in imagining that medically vulnerable people are ill and weak??

[Womble65]

For gluten free Doves farm are doing mixed gluten free boxes which includes 2 bags of flour.

[24hoursfromtulsa]

Hadn't been able to get flour for weeks, but our Lidl had plenty of plain flour at the weekend. No self raising , but I've got 3/4 pot of baking powder so should be OK for a while.

[JinglingHellsBells]

@ToffeeYoghurt My mum is in her mid 90s and lives alone, not seeing anyone due to the social distancing. Baking is a hobby which she has done all her life. She has some flour left but can't replace it. It's not simply about eating it, for her, it's a way to fill in some of the days. Unlike families with children, or younger people, she's not able to go to the park for a walk, or a run, or use the internet (doesn't have a pc or smart phone.)

[FlamingoAndJohn]

I think people are misunderstanding what causes supermarkets to sell out.

It’s not stockpiling or panic buying. It’s people buying slightly earlier than they would normally.
Let’s say I normally get through a bag of flour in a month. However I’m now only getting I supermarket delivery every 2 weeks so rather than buying my one bag of flour on week 4 I buy it on week 3 when my delivery comes.
Now let’s imagine that most other people do the same. They buy the same amount of flour but then buy it earlier because they are getting less deliveries or they are wanting to make sure they get it while it’s in stock.
The availability of products in supermarkets is very finely balanced and this sudden change in buying habits has thrown everyone out.
It’s only a tiny percentage of people that were panic buying.

[NK22e6f22eX11fddcfaab0]

Lidl and Aldi seem to be the shops that have supplies of flour at the moment... no yeast though

[waltzingparrot]

I'm ordering my flour from the cafe round the corner that has turned itself into a basics grocery store and DB is getting his from the bakers in his little town that is selling flour direct to customers. Try ringing small local businesses and see if they will sell it to you.

[FatRascalsAndJam]

It’s not stockpiling though is it - you don’t see people in Tesco with baskets piled high with flour! But rather more people each buying say one packet - as PPs have said people taking up a new hobby, having more time on their hands to bake etc. Nothing to do with shortages - people are wanting to bake for the same reason as your DM! But if (say) before lockdown 5% of customers to a shop wanted to buy flour, and now 15% do, then that’s a huge increase in demand that supply has to try and match. Clearly supply isn’t meeting that demand yet, hence shortages.

[Iamonlyme]

Delivery is expensive but //www.ingredientsforcooks.co.uk has most flours and yeast in stock

[FatRascalsAndJam]

Perhaps try a zero waste/refil shop where you can take your own container, if you have one locally.

[YinMnBlue]

But there is no need to panic buy as the shops are full of bread and cakes

1. 3 and 4 weeks ago the shops near us were not actually full of bread, the shelves were empty.
2. We have been properly self isolating as DH has had the virus. We shop once every 2 weeks, to keep down risk.
3. I haven't got room in the freezer for two weeks supply of bread as well as the other frozen things I need to fed us well for 2 whole weeks.
4. I often, but not always, use our breadmaker to make bread, so in the light of all the factors above, I have bought enough bread flour (when I can get it) to last two weeks. So that is more flour than I would usually buy because I would usually shop more often for fresh bread.

I think that is stocking up on the right amount of provisions, not panic buying.

I expect many others have been thinking the same.

The SR flour shortage will surely be about people having more time to bake cakes and wanting an activity to do with the kids.

There may be some bread baking going on due to that, too. It is a good thing for children to be part of and observe, and learn about yeast and rising etc.

[VenusTiger]

I've been baking our bread for years - finally managed to source some bread flour but can I get hold of any yeast?! Can I heck!

[IDefinitelyHaveFriends]

It’s sad that your mum is missing her hobby, OP, but not really a crisis requiring government intervention. I suggest that you either use one of the many online or other suggestions on this thread (or the various other “how do I get flour?” threads) or throw yourself on the mercy of a local help group.

My DD is really keen to bake some bread (she’s done it before and loves it) but there’s no bread flour in the shops. If I find a supermarket with a supply of bread flour then I’m not going to leave it on the shelf just in case the next customer is you shopping for your mum. But if you were on my local FB support group and you explained your situation then I’d absolutely give you the heads up that I’d found some and where, or let you have mine.

[Spamellahamella]

You can't buy multiple packs of flour in the supermarkets now so people are unable to shop selfishly. We don't normally buy bread flour but we are now because we are only shopping once a fortnight and we.dont have a freezer big enough to freeze shop bought bread. We have to make our own. And normal flour is the same
We can only buy 80 items on our fortnightly shop so it is cost efficient to buy flour and sugar to bake with rather than lots of sweet treats. O don't think we are selfish and it isn't a new hobby, it's just practicalities.

[Iamthewombat]

Why do people persist in imagining that medically vulnerable people are ill and weak??

I don’t. I’m pointing out that somebody classed as vulnerable, ie somebody advised not to go out unless absolutely necessary, is unlikely to spontaneously decide that now is the time to start baking bread for the first time ever, never having done it before and this not owning a breadmaker. If you are vulnerable you’re likely to be receiving help with shopping anyway: why decide that you’re going to start baking bread out of necessity if you’re able to buy the food you need? It’s not logical.

[Iamthewombat]

And THUS not owning a breadmaker.

[blossombabies]

i got yeast from tesco on friday, they seemed to have loads

[blossombabies]

also, lots of european shops have huge stocks of flour and i am yet to struggle to find some. every time i went their shelves were full.

[YinMnBlue]

i got yeast from tesco on friday, they seemed to have loads

None near us. (I have plenty for he next couple of weeks as I am a regular baker and had enough in my cupboard. But I am hoping the shops re-stock by the time I run out.

The issue with flour is the packaging, there is no actual shortage of flour, just the domestic sized bags to put it in, apparently.

[BikeRunSki]

But there is no need to panic buy as the shops are full of bread and cakes

Nobody knew that 5 weeks ago though. On the Wednesday of the week after social distancing was introduced (Friday’13/3) I went to 5 supermarkets to get bread, and only managed to find 2, slightly stake half loaves in a petrol station bargain bin.

[DGRossetti]

Did anyone see "The Mash Report" spoof piece about buying flour on the Dark Web ?

[YinMnBlue]

also, lots of european shops have huge stocks of flour and i am yet to struggle to find some. every time i went their shelves were full

Shame everyone who wants flour does not live near you, then.

[buttermilkwaffles]

In Edinburgh places like Polish shops and other similar small shops (like Jordan Valley wholefoods) have flour in stock.

So try places like that if you have any nearby...

[4forkssake]

Cake decorating supply shops have flour in stock. As do a lot of smaller or corner shops.