Supermarket items out of stock

We have a local cake decorating shop and the owner is buying in sacks of flour and rebagging it into 1Kg bags, same with sugar.
It's been very handy as I haven't had to venture into any of the big supermarkets for some time. Our green grocer and butcher will also deliver.

Yes, every week, I fail to get some item that previously was not a problem. Currently missing my "Ginger Parkin" biscuits (larger and with a softer texture than traditional Ginger biscuits). I shop at Aldi (and used to shop at Lidl as well - until locked down due to "shielding" my hubby). I don't feel that I can ask my Volunteer shopper to travel 19 miles to the nearest Lidl. This week, I couldn't get "Dreamies" treats for my two cats, either! Hopefully, their existing supplies will last for another week or two, if I ration them.

Waitrose was the worst. It is never in stock for on line deliveries as it reserve all supplies for those who go into the store

Woodmouse my friend’s DD who looks about 12 went into Waitrose & got some flour.
When she got to the checkout, the checkout person glared & snapped ‘You can’t have that, it’s reserved for NHS staff!’
Friend’s DD smiled & said ‘I’m a doctor.’ ?
Personally I am sick of going on Waitrose’s website & being told they are prioritising the elderly and vulnerable & no matter what time of day or night it is, there are never any delivery slots.
Strangely, since I’ve been buying absolutely everything at Morrison’s and Asda, I’m finding I spend significantly less on food and drink than I did when I shopped mainly at Waitrose, despite the fact that the last time we ate out or at anyone else’s house was probably the end of February.

Same here Rosenoir my breakfast is always toast and marmalade!

Still cant get eggs or self raising flour

I got bread flour (Inc gluten-free and specialty flours) and yeast today in a local shop. They’ve never not had them in the last two months, whereas the supermarkets have had none in all that time. ?

I’ve recently bought flour, brown sugar, eggs and lasagne sheets from Aldi. Aldi also do a multi surface spray cleaner with bleach, it is much cheaper than the branded ones.

The things we are struggling to get are building sand, paving slabs and paint for our garden shed and garden bench. I also found there were no electric toothbrush replacement heads in Wilko today.

Tins of Corned Beef. We are all baking pies up here in the North East ?

Jane Ainsworth

I think things must vary from store to store, My nearest one is very small, but I rarely have any problems getting what I ordered,just the rare substitution which is invariably acceptable. They do prioritise their older customers - over 70 - but one does not have to be vulnerable to get on their list, which is why I am there, and there are masses of delivery slots on offer every day for three or more weeks ahead. I am very satisfied with their service. as I have been for many years. Since I cannot now get into the store I do not know how many more items are available there but I have had no problems getting what I wanted.

Can't find any almond essence or indeed any flavourings other than vanilla but have found flour, including bread flour. Toilet rolls now in abundance thank goodness!

Jane I’m over 70 and Waitrose know that as I’ve had a membership card for years. They know what I buy and what we have for dinner.
But when I tried to register I was directed to a government website & told I didn’t qualify.

Since lockdown I’ve done 2 shops in Waitrose and my husband uses our local corner shop daily. Both DDs also shop for us sometimes , using Asda, Aldi and Tesco between them.
None of us can find Quorn fillets, which I like to eat regularly. There’s lots of Quorn mince and pieces and battered fillets, so where’ve the fillets gone?
I agree with the poster’s mother who prefers Roses lime cordial, it’s much superior to other brands. My SIL bought me some from Tesco 3 weeks ago, I sincerely hope there isn’t a shortage as my bottle’s getting low!

Crenniemac, it may not be wise to bake a cake for neighbours, anyway. My sister said that a friend made biscuits for her. She put them on the bird table, too scared to eat them - due to the possibility of infection.

Espee, we have found All Bran in the Spa shops.

I have always made my own bread.My home help managed to get bread flour from Morrison’s but I am running out of dried yeast. Then I shall make soda bread. My daughter in law gets flour from a local mill and makes sourdough bread.

Hello Bijou - not ‘seen’ you for a while. Hope you’re doing ok in all this!

Thank you for your advice about your Tesco having All Bran. I shall try mine again for my next shop.
Stay safe. ?

Sorry that was meant as a PM to Puzzler 61. ?

@Daftbag1 your suggestion made me smile. We don't have anything quite so salubrious in my neck of the woods but I will try my local Spar store.

I got flour from a mill in the neighbouring county and I get eggs from a local farm. But Sainsburys never has caster sugar.

I haven’t been in a shop since the middle of March, all of my groceries are delivered. In the beginning there were lots of unavailable items, not so many now but a couple of weeks ago I had a tin of rhubarb instead of fresh in my delivery but no toothpaste as the one I’d ordered was out of stock. I did think that the picker must have been in an odd mood that day, cannot believe the supermarket had absolutely no toothpaste.

Flour
Yeast
Baking powder
For a while, condensed milk. Odd.
Condensed milk caramel/dulce de leche
Tinned tomatoes
Sometimes the cheese I order
A couple of weeks ago, bread? Odd.
Powdered emergency milk although I have some now.
Tinned fruit in juice (plenty in syrup available)
For a while, eggs

I was sent Typhoo tea instead of Yorkshire, tofu instead of Quorn, and crab paste instead of crab pate.

I just keep looking for macaroni, there’s everything but back in the shops.

Just had a delivery from Sainsburys. The only substitutes are things like a different scent of washing up liquid. I order a small bag of rice (250gm). Then when I went to make some amendments, that was unavailable so changed it to 500gm. They've substituted 1kg which will last me years. All the use by dates were reasonable which makes a nice change.
I felt guilty because it was a very large shop and a small woman delivering it up a flight of stairs. She also got accosted by my neighbour asking what she was doing (which was pretty obvious). She's a friendly neighbour but does like to know what's what. She was panting a bit. I won't order so much next time. My fridge is small so is packed.
It's a relief to know that I'll be ok for hopefully 3 weeks.

The delivery woman was panting, not my neighbour!