Sainsbury's says national shortage of cat and dog food?

[wonderstuff]

Sent an email out saying there was a national shortage, didn't say why. Expected to be a problem for the rest of the year. Is this a Brexit thing? Covid? Anyone know any more?

I got that email too, was news to me.

So many of us have had that email that I expect there will be a shortage as soon as people can get to the supermarket, even if there wasn't before.

I had email about shortage of pouches and I had substituted order of tinned cat food! Don’t Sainsbury’s know how bloody fussy cats are with their food 🤣. Cat No 1 impressed with the posh food but cat No 2 is not happy at all. Will have to go out tomorrow for a hunt for they’re usual food.

I noticed about a month ago when I was in Sainsburys looking for a particular range for a fussy elderly cat that the shelves in the cat food section were unusually bare. Got chatting to the cashier and it was she who told me there was a shortage. After that, I started noticing that the pet food aisles in other supermarkets were a bit thin on the ground too. So it isn't recent, it's been going on for a few weeks already.

I couldn't get any Felix food from Morrison's last week. Switched to Webbox and luckily they loved it

It's either cat food, cat litter or bird seed. This last week I haven't been able to find bird seed anywhere. I've resorted to buying sunflower seeds or chopped almonds from the baking aisles. Think I'll buy some more cat food tomorrow.

Might be coincidence, I haven’t seen the email, but there were a lot of empty shelves on the pet food aisle in my local Tesco’s last week. And in the cling film aisle too.

I had this email too. Does anyone know why? Brexit? We normally get our cat food from pets at home....but I’m worried now in case there’s a run on it 🤦‍♀️

Yep. Whiskas pouches have been pretty much completely out of stock in Sainsbury's and Asda over the last few months.

It's made by Pedigree Petfoods, and their factory/factories is/are in the UK, so not really quite sure what the issue is - unless they're importing the meat/fish that they use to make it with, rather than use UK meat/fish?

Felix, which is made by Nestlé Purina doesn't seem to have the same problem (although some of the specific products in their range are not as available)

I know this is nothing to do with pet food but my weekly shop at Asda tonight made me notice there were loads of labels on the baby section with restrictions that you can't buy many nappies and other stuff at once.

Strange that there's no explanation why. Also strange they sent the email, surely from tomorrow people will start stocking up?

Not news to me, we’ve struggled to buy kitten food for six weeks.

Felix are having issues. They're unable to make food as quickly as they did previously due to the workplace now needing to be covid secure. They can't keep up with demand as they could previously.

DH works in the pet industry, he made this comment about Felix the other week but didn't say anything else, nor did I ask to be honest.

It's ridiculous - Sainsburys haven't been able to deliver the DCats' pouches for months however I have been able to get them without any problem in all other supermarkets. Seems to me more like an issue with Sainsburys rather than any sort of shortage. They need to get their buying sorted out!

We give our adult cat home made food. Looking into it for the kits now too.

Maybe a covid outbreak at the factory of it's UK made? Import regulations were due to kick in but I thought the government has delayed that?
Strange about baby things too. I hate not knowing why?

@EnglishRain thank you, that makes sense. Factories have been particularly badly hit with covid I think, makes sense.

I was in Asda tonight and no empty shelves at all, I was looking closely at the dog food as I buy the main biscuits from pets at home as she's fed on dry but buy meat for the main content of her lick mat which I vary and I look mostly at what's available, at ingredients and for offers and everything was well stocked. Obviously this was just dog food but there was no gaps on the cat section either. Maybe a Sainsbury's issue

I've not had that email and have had no problems buying my cat's food.
They have whiskas dry and any wet food.

Our little ones won’t eat Asda kitten food. Blowed if I know the difference, but they just won’t. They don’t like Felix Good as it Looks kitten either.

It’s odd. It’s either massively expensive on the Sainsbury’s site or unavailable - but it’s half price in Wilko and Pets at Home! It seems to be a Sainsburys problem.

No dog mixer last time I shopped

As long as there is crunchy my cat will be OK. Feed them anything else (obvs suitable for a cat) and they behave as if you have poisoned them. I would ignore that behaviour normally but the yowling has been horrendous when wfh and home schooling. I am not sure I am strong enough to cope with a national cat crunchy shortage. Actually I know I am not strong enough. #nationaldisaster

Covid, not Brexit. A quick Google says it's a problem worldwide. When a cannery gets a Covid case they have to shut down for a period if time, thus affecting productivity.

www.haiths.com/bird-food/

Lots online still :)