Where has all the food gone?

[Condi]

Supermarket shelves are empty! As much as non of it makes sense, at least bog roll can be stored until 2025, but fresh fruit, vegetables, etc? Is loads of it going to waste? People have truly lost their minds.

[okgo]

Condi said:

Supermarket shelves are empty! As much as non of it makes sense, at least bog roll can be stored until 2025, but fresh fruit, vegetables, etc? Is loads of it going to waste? People have truly lost their minds.

Welcome to last week.

[dapprman]

What got me was on Tuesday I went to the Rickmansworth Tesco around 3 pm and aside from the usual suspects there was a lot there - fortunate for me as I was after fresh veg. Went to the Waitrose near by today - several hours before the big announcement, and it was like a plague of locusts had gone through - I was after cheese and a pint of milk, so ok, but about the only fresh fruit/veg stuff was some herbs and chillies, plus some of the pre-prepared salad stuff.

[hepy]

Have given up on the big supermarkets and been to the local co-op and corner shop. While some items are out, probably 80% of the shelves are stocked.

[grumbledoak]

I think the corner stores have been buying all the supermarket stock and marking it up.

[Riley Blue]

Condi said:

Supermarket shelves are empty! As much as non of it makes sense, at least bog roll can be stored until 2025, but fresh fruit, vegetables, etc? Is loads of it going to waste? People have truly lost their minds.

Where has fresh fruit and veg gone? Eaten or into freezers, cooked or uncooked, I should imagine.

[hotchy]

grumbledoak said:

I think the corner stores have been buying all the supermarket stock and marking it up.

Actually I'll put you right since it's not fair.

Corner store manager here. All bread and milk over halfed orders. We dont want more just normal. Supermarkets are getting it. Great stuff.

The cash and carrys we have to buy from? Massive price increases on everything. 40% increases on alot of in demand items. Andrex? 40% increase. To sell at the usual £3 we would make -21p. Yes that's a minus.

Yes though let's blame the we man.

I'm under no illusion some will take advantage. We have not and never will. We may be massively busier but profit margins are down so much it should atleast even out.

[Djtemeka]

I’ve now seen on 2 different occasions, people walking down the road with 2nd hand fridges. Bonkers and clever

[grumbledoak]

hotchy said:

Actually I'll put you right since it's not fair.

Can I point out the smiley ->

I see reports of meat prices going up, but I'm sure that won't reach the farmers/ranchers either. Quite a few big industries are rubbing their hands in anticipation here.

[Stay in Bed Instead]

Djtemeka said:

I’ve now seen on 2 different occasions, people walking down the road with 2nd hand fridges. Bonkers and clever

Are you sure they are not nicked and full?

[Condi]

Djtemeka said:

Bonkers and clever

Is it clever? Seems stupid to me... even in Italy and China food wasn't scarce. For everyone who buys double, someone else has to go without. If everyone bought normally, or what they needed, it wouldn't be an issue.

[Timberwolf]

hotchy said:

Corner store manager here. All bread and milk over halfed orders. We dont want more just normal. Supermarkets are getting it. Great stuff.

This is one of my major frustrations - the supermarkets could quite easily do a lot more to help the situation. One basket maximums, close off the affected aisles and get a staff member to hand things out, reverse-multibuy offers as in Denmark. None totally effective but a lot better than their token "3 per customer" efforts where people can still be leaving the door with 10 times the amount they'd usually buy. I suspect the reality is more they're quite happy to have the shops emptied every day, queues out the door and the tills constantly ringing, and if it prevents the smaller shops getting hold of goods then all the better.

No doubt once this works its way through the system and people are instead working through their stockpiles and paying down their credit card bill the same supermarkets will be straight off to the government with, "our takings are down 20%! We need support or we'll have to lay off thousands"

[Saleen836]

Shops here need to follow the Danes, this will cut stock piling instantly!
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/19/danish...

[fido]

Djtemeka said:

I’ve now seen on 2 different occasions, people walking down the road with 2nd hand fridges. Bonkers and clever

Clever is to not panic and wait until the plebs have given up filling up their spare room with pasta, long life milk and toilet paper then offer to buy a couple off them at reduced price when they realise that is was a fruitless exercise.