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Tesco six-packs of bottled water - shortage?

(213 Posts)
ElderlyPerson Mon 26-Jul-21 18:43:01

I buy a six-pack of bottled water each week from Tesco, delivered as part of my grocery delivery.

There are several brands, I usually order a particular one of them, but sometimes it is not available and then I order a different one. I allow a substitution and so various brands arrive in practice.

This week, none of them is available at the store from where my deliveries arrive.

I know there is hot weather. I know there is the pingdemic.

I am just wondering if this is just a temporary glitch locally or something more permanent and widespread going on.

As I do not go to the shops, I am wondering, are the shelves generally bare at present?

I see photos of empty shelves, but it is easy for someone with an agenda to go to the fresh bread aisle at the end of the day and make something of a typical situation for one fresh product that has happened for many years.

JaneJudge Mon 26-Jul-21 18:44:45

Yes, there are a lot of supply issues unfortunately

Ladyleftfieldlover Mon 26-Jul-21 18:52:05

There’s always tap water! My OH spent most of his career working in third world countries and can’t understand why people in this country would choose to buy bottled water.

ElaineI Mon 26-Jul-21 18:55:56

Fill up a washed used bottle with tap water and put it in fridge. That's what we do. If you don't like the plastic ones use a glass one or one of the popular sports ones.

ElaineI Mon 26-Jul-21 18:57:32

There are shortages of lots of stuff - cat food being one. Lots of empty shelves here in Midlothian - and an earthquake this morning apparently!

Esspee Mon 26-Jul-21 18:59:01

I have been in Lidl, Tesco and Asda in the last week and did not notice any empty shelves. The media seem to be hyping things up. Either that or the problem is localised.
I must say that I wouldn’t have noticed water being in short supply as I never buy the stuff. The best quality water is on tap in this country so why would anyone wish to add to the plastic mountain plus all the pollution of bottling and transporting an unnecessary product.

FarNorth Mon 26-Jul-21 19:02:32

I use a filter jug for water, to remove the taste of chlorine and, possibly, other things I'd rather not imbibe.

wildswan16 Mon 26-Jul-21 19:02:34

There are quite a lot of "temporary" shortages just now because of so many delivery drivers off work after being pinged.

I realise you are perfectly at liberty to buy bottled water if you want to, but it really is a terrible waste of money and plastic. It is treated and filtered just like the water coming out of your tap.

ElderlyPerson Mon 26-Jul-21 19:05:34

Esspee

I have been in Lidl, Tesco and Asda in the last week and did not notice any empty shelves. The media seem to be hyping things up. Either that or the problem is localised.
I must say that I wouldn’t have noticed water being in short supply as I never buy the stuff. The best quality water is on tap in this country so why would anyone wish to add to the plastic mountain plus all the pollution of bottling and transporting an unnecessary product.

Perhaps because he or she needs to have a supply of water in his or her bedroom that is at ambient temperature and does not smell of chlorine as he or she needs to keep himself or herself hydrated.

Soroptimum Mon 26-Jul-21 19:10:43

Sainsbury’s this morning had very depleted shelves for some items, water being one. Also flowers, some cereals, cordials and squash. There was actually a sign up saying ‘bear with us as we are experiencing problems’ or words to that effect.

Galaxy Mon 26-Jul-21 19:12:46

Yes Tesco is particularly bad at the moment. No media hype here just my own eyes.

Casdon Mon 26-Jul-21 19:15:51

Goodness me this post isn’t to give us the opportunity to query what the OP buys from the supermarket and criticise the choices is it, it’s about shortages in the supermarkets?

Last time I went shopping there were quite a few items not available, including bananas, antiperspirant, and dishwasher rinse aid, and I’ve read that shortages are likely to continue for at least the next few weeks. I think we’ve just got to be more flexible, and get alternatives when our usual shopping lists can’t be fulfilled.

JaneJudge Mon 26-Jul-21 19:29:35

Ocado had ran out of loads of lager grin now you can all make assumptions about my lifestyle

ElderlyPerson Mon 26-Jul-21 19:34:00

Casdon

Goodness me this post isn’t to give us the opportunity to query what the OP buys from the supermarket and criticise the choices is it, it’s about shortages in the supermarkets?

Last time I went shopping there were quite a few items not available, including bananas, antiperspirant, and dishwasher rinse aid, and I’ve read that shortages are likely to continue for at least the next few weeks. I think we’ve just got to be more flexible, and get alternatives when our usual shopping lists can’t be fulfilled.

Exactly.

Otherwise we could get on to why people buy cigarettes, alcohol, bits of murdered animals, milk stolen from the mouths of the babies for whom it was intended, and so on.

Marydoll Mon 26-Jul-21 19:36:57

I was in Asda this morning and a few things missing.
We just have to adapt.

Yet, when I was in Morrisons on Friday, there were more staff (stacking shelves) than customers! No shortages there.

MawBe Mon 26-Jul-21 19:38:45

My most recent internet shops have been fine (including bottled water + I prefer sparkling ) butt I popped into a new local Lidl on Saturday which was a) deserted and b) had lots of empty shelves
So yes, there are supply issues at the moment but as logistics staff have been included in the “ping exempt” category, I suspect this will soon be sorted.

MissChateline Mon 26-Jul-21 19:39:07

Sorry but I happen to like my bit of murdered animals and milk stolen from the mouths of babies……

ElderlyPerson Mon 26-Jul-21 19:40:49

A week is a long time in politics.

A weekend is a long time when food shortages start.

As was seen some years ago, a couple of hours is a long time when a run starts on a Building Society!

MawBe Mon 26-Jul-21 19:42:27

We are not exactly talking food shortages though are we?
I think you need to keep a sense of proportion and drink tap water!

ElderlyPerson Mon 26-Jul-21 19:47:45

MawBe

We are not exactly talking food shortages though are we?
I think you need to keep a sense of proportion and drink tap water!

Not the usual scenario of when a lady criticises a man's drinking habit though.

Chrissyoh Mon 26-Jul-21 19:49:10

JaneJudge

???

Casdon Mon 26-Jul-21 19:49:54

To be fair though MawBe if you are relying on supermarket deliveries rather than shopping for yourself it can be difficult to substitute even when you get advance notice that something isn’t available, and very frustrating if something you have ordered just doesn’t come with your order, so I do have some sympathy.

Flexagon Mon 26-Jul-21 19:53:07

There are many empty shelves in my local Morrisons, both fresh and dry goods. It's a largeish store.

I saw only two staff working on shelf replenishment. Meat, fish, cheese and deli counters were all closed. The bakery was open.

Only one staffed checkout was open from ten or twelve. There was no dedicated member of staff to help with glitches on the self-service tills. All you could hear was: Strange item in the bagging area and customers tutting. One valiant young man was having to deal with it all dashing between his staffed checkout and the self-service tills.

The security guard said it was a mix of delivery shortages and that almost all the staff had been pinged.

ElderlyPerson Mon 26-Jul-21 19:58:25

Wow! It all seems rather theoretical on the television with the huge numbers and the politicians and so on.
This thread is bringing the on-the-ground actuality.

growstuff Mon 26-Jul-21 19:58:54

ElaineI

There are shortages of lots of stuff - cat food being one. Lots of empty shelves here in Midlothian - and an earthquake this morning apparently!

Same here. I'm flexible about what I eat, but the cats aren't. There have been a number of unavailable items in my last two Tesco deliveries.