Hundreds of items missing from our supermarket shelves
:: Brexit is prime suspect alongside lockdown habits
SHOPPERS are being left disappointed as hundreds of items are missing from supermarket shelves.
Post-Brexit problems are being blamed for much of the disruption, although some chains claim that a change in buying patterns, with more consumers at home in lockdown, is having an impact.
Everything from Volvic mineral water to Scottish smoked mackerel and Cadbury’s confectionery was missing at various points in our shopping trawl.
Marks & Spencer has been highlighted as one grocery store affected by the disruption to UK supply chains and there were a number of items missing when the Irish Independent visited.
However, Tesco also had some notable omissions when we visited its shop in Clarehall, north Dublin, with labels even indicating some stock won’t be delivered until February.
Dunnes Stores and SuperValu also appeared to be missing items when we visited, although the issue was less apparent in the German supermarkets Aldi and Lidl.
The M&S food hall in the Omni Park Shopping Centre, Santry, seemed to have run out of a variety of foods including Scottish smoked peppered mackerel, air-dried mini chorizo bites, medium cured pork pies and Viennese all-butter swirl biscuits.
Meanwhile, the company’s flagship Grafton Street store was missing fruit and veg, along with many pre-made meals.
The chain has been forthcoming about the effect of Brexit, and a sign
at that shop noted supply chains from the UK would be affected for the near future.
An M&S spokesman said: “Following the UK’s recent departure from the EU, we’re transitioning to new processes and it’s taking a little longer for some of our products to reach our stores.
“We’re working closely with our partners and suppliers to ensure customers can continue to enjoy the same great range of products.”
In Tesco in Clarehall, little blue labels were noticeably dotted around the shelves – each reading, “Sorry out of stock”.
Most of the labels explained dispatches are expected later this month but a number listed deliveries due in February.
The supermarket insisted it was well-prepared for Brexit but there were some availability issues.
Among the treats we noticed missing were Swizzels giant love hearts,
Chupa Chups lollipops, Cadbury snack bars, Kinder Surprise eggs and Animal Bar milk chocolate packs.
Six-packs of Volvic mineral water were gone, leaving the customer with the choice to buy six single bottles.
Fresh-cut chips were out of stock, along with fresh Tesco cabbage and Leek packs.
Mash balls were missing, as was fresh oriental stir-fry.
Aromatic shredded duck pancakes were not due for delivery until February 15, according to a label and some of the dairy and frozen food section looked relatively bare.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “Owing to our extensive Brexit preparation, stockbuilding and collaboration with suppliers, our supply chain is robust and is responding well, with plenty of stock to go around.
“As the food industry responds to this new environment, customers may experience some temporary availability issues on products such as prepared ready meals, pre-packed fish, chilled desserts and some seasonal produce lines.
“We continue to work with the new processes implemented at ports, and in turn with our suppliers and relevant authorities to resolve any short-term issues as quickly as possible. We thank our customers for their patience and remind them that there is no need to change their buying habits.”
SuperValu blamed a change in shopping habits, instead of Brexit, for some omissions from its own shelves – notably in the alcohol section.
Tequila Rose was out of stock, as was Fireball, a liqueur mixed with Canadian whiskey. Italian wine Intrigo Primitivo Puglia and Australian shiraz, Nugan Estate Alfredo, was also out of stock, along with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc and Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava.
Treats such as Jus-Rol Shortcrust pastry sheets, Terry’s Chocolate Orange, Toblerone 360g bars and Cadbury Fudge five-packs were also missing.
Sensodyne Pronamel mouthwash was also out of stock, along with Listerine Reach toothbrushes.
A SuperValu spokesman said: “We’ve not experienced any disruption to date due to Brexit. We’re seeing a spike in demand for groceries due to a combination of families spending more time at home as a result of the latest restrictions and the weather.
“Due to heightened demand, a limited number of products are selling out faster than expected compared to our regular January forecasts but they are re-ordered on an ongoing basis to ensure ongoing availability on store shelves
“Shoppers can still enjoy all their favourite products at SuperValu.”
In Dunnes, all the cucumbers were missing from the fruit and veg section.
McColgan’s cocktail sausage rolls were sold out, as was Dunnes Stores southern fried chicken, Dunnes Stores Smokey boneless beef ribs, Irish beef burgers, and Dunnes Stores milk chocolate digestives, along with other items.
Shoppers were greeted by red ‘Sorry, this product is temporarily out of stock’ labels.
And over in the baby food section, Heinz Blueberry Porridge tub and scoop was out of stock, as was Heinz Banana Porridge tub and scoop and Heinz Fruit and
Yoghurt Cereal tub and scoop. Johnson’s extra sensitive face wipes were also unavailable.
A request was made for comment but the store did not respond.
However, very little seemed to be missing from Aldi and Lidl supermarkets by comparison.
A Lidl Ireland spokeswoman said: “We’ve been scenario planning and preparing for Brexit for more than three years and as a result we do not have significant supply issues at present.”
John Curtin, group buying director at Aldi Ireland, said: “Our buying teams are working very closely with our suppliers to ensure there is no disruption to our supply chain and to ensure that our customers across the country have access to all the food and provisions they need.”