Surprising shortages

s7ryf3925pivug · 21-04-2020 4:07am #1

Everybody knows things like hand sanitizer and masks are in short supply, and most people aren't surprised by it. But what things have you found hard to find that you didn't see coming?

Some for me:

Flour. Lots of people baking. It's more practical to store long term than bread.
Toddler pants. Lots of people taking the opportunity to potty train, it appears.
Outdoor furniture. Nice weather and stuck at home so makes sense.
Treadmills. Stuck at home.
Golden syrup. More baking I guess.
Baby formula (temporarily). Nobody wants to run out of baby formula.
Chest freezers. Long term storage.
Cumin, quorn, tinned chickpeas. Lots of vegetarian preppers. Makes sense since lots of veggie food is suitable for doing in big batches in the first place.
Building materials. That diy speech probably.
Nintendo switch consoles.

s7ryf3925pivug · 21-04-2020 4:07am

Oops I thought this was the coronavirus forum

snoopboggybog · 21-04-2020 4:08am

Bog roll

s7ryf3925pivug · 22-04-2020 8:23am

Bicycles are the new big roll - in Australia at least

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/22/bicycles-are-the-new-toilet-paper-bike-sales-boom-as-coronavirus-lockdown-residents-crave-exercise

silverharp · 22-04-2020 8:33am

Paint... but hey I know a guy, can hook you up...good sh1t!

Outkast_IRE · 22-04-2020 8:38am

silverharp wrote: »

Paint... but hey I know a guy, can hook you up...good sh1t!

Paint is a funny one, cause the reality is most people cannot paint to a decent standard at all.

I can only imagine people ordering a load of paint, but not stocking up on sandpaper, tape, filler, rollers , brushes etc. So expect to see alot of poor quality painting in peoples houses next time you are allowed visit.

Gynoid · 22-04-2020 8:38am

The first thing I stocked up were seeds. Not stock piled, mind you! Just enough. Vegetable seeds. Second thing I am doing is using them judiciously and keeping enough aside for next year. There will be seed shortages next year. There are now. It is not the sort of thing that is easily replenished in one year's cycle. Seeds keep for several years. Anyways. Buy a few seeds if you see them out and about, and use them. Online garden stores are a bit short on plants too, I notice.

helimachoptor · 22-04-2020 8:40am

Like a lot of people, I've been doing some sourdough baking.
But strong white flower has been nearly impossible to get, a friend has seen it in his local shop and got me a couple of bags.
Within 1km, I have the largest Dunnes in Ireland, a Lidl and SV and I have yet to find a shelf even 25% of any type of flower.

I've friends who have been trying to get a chest freezer, unless they buy a second hand one.

Weights aswell

brendanL · 22-04-2020 8:42am

Lola Moldy Scabby wrote: »

Everybody knows things like hand sanitizer and masks are in short supply, and most people aren't surprised by it. But what things have you found hard to find that you didn't see coming?
.

I don't think this can be summed up to one chain or store - it's area by area, my mam out in Meath tells me they're finding it tough to get flour meanwhile I've it coming out of my ears in southside Dublin, I've been genuinely surprised at the completely full shelves of different types of flour after the initial rush as I think the majority of the apartments around me are childless millennials like myself that dabble in baking out of boredom for the next zoom call versus the hordes of families with kids turning out a small bakery level of confectionaries to keep kids happy. There's plenty to go around - stores just need time to adjust stocking to the change in demand.

beggars_bush · 22-04-2020 8:44am

Local shops here have plenty of flour recently

When garden centres reopen there'll be plenty of seeds available
The seed companies aren't delivering out to shops as per normal

silverharp · 22-04-2020 8:46am

helimachoptor wrote: »

Like a lot of people, I've been doing some sourdough baking.
But strong white flower has been nearly impossible to get, a friend has seen it in his local shop and got me a couple of bags.
Within 1km, I have the largest Dunnes in Ireland, a Lidl and SV and I have yet to find a shelf even 25% of any type of flower.

I've friends who have been trying to get a chest freezer, unless they buy a second hand one.

Weights aswell

go for a restaurant supplier, you should be able to pick up a 5kg bag

22-04-2020 8:47am

Gynoid wrote: »

Second thing I am doing is using them judiciously and keeping enough aside for next year. There will be seed shortages next year.

Isn't that the definition of stock piling.

Not disagreeing with you. Just own it :P

alias no.9 · 22-04-2020 8:48am

Did somebody say flour...

brendanL · 22-04-2020 8:48am

alias no.9 wrote: »

Did somebody say flour...

hahaha that's amazing.

happyday · 22-04-2020 8:51am

Acetone was is big demand for removing shellac nail polish at home. The relief when I finally did my diy nails was huge!

greenttc · 22-04-2020 8:55am

where on the southside of dublin are you getting flour? and as someone else in particular said, any strong flour?

Gynoid · 22-04-2020 8:55am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Isn't that the definition of stock piling.

Not disagreeing with you. Just own it :P

No.
One can sow seeds in careful quantities and mind them better, or be a bit over generous to allow for slug and pest wastage. I did not buy extra packs of seeds, I just got them quickly and will save half for next year.

rampantbunny · 22-04-2020 9:02am

Common sense. Yea, looks to be in short supply in some places. I think I have plenty in stock, but I'm biased. I'd like to help some of my neighbors out and give them some, but not easy even without social distancing. Am hoping some of the big chains get some in so I can watch people stockpile.

Away With The Fairies · 22-04-2020 9:02am

Elastic, people have been making their own face masks

Gynoid · 22-04-2020 9:04am

https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-introduces-wheat-flour-export-quotas

Kazakhstan will export flour again, just reduced amounts.

https://russiabusinesstoday.com/agriculture/russia-restricts-grain-exports-amid-coronavirus-risks/

Russia restricts flour exports.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.dailysabah.com/business/economy/turkey-wont-see-virus-induced-food-shortage-agriculture-expert-says/amp

Turkey has no restrictions on flour exports.

22-04-2020 9:09am

Gynoid wrote: »

No.
One can sow seeds in careful quantities and mind them better, or be a bit over generous to allow for slug and pest wastage. I did not buy extra packs of seeds, I just got them quickly and will save half for next year.

Okay, saving seeds for next year because of shortages next year seems like text book to me, but not going to go all 'pistols at dawn' over it.

helimachoptor · 22-04-2020 9:16am

greenttc wrote: »

where on the southside of dublin are you getting flour? and as someone else in particular said, any strong flour?

My friend has been getting strong flour in Tesco Ballybrack

Gynoid · 22-04-2020 9:28am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Okay, saving seeds for next year because of shortages next year seems like text book to me, but not going to go all 'pistols at dawn' over it.

Well that's a relief because I have just washed my hair and blood spatters would ruin things.

Balmed Out · 22-04-2020 9:35am

Deleted User wrote: »

Okay, saving seeds for next year because of shortages next year seems like text book to me, but not going to go all 'pistols at dawn' over it.

Think of it like this. If I buy a pack of carrot seeds and plant all of them I would have enough carrots to last me several years but they will go off. So I choose between a few options.

I can either plant them and only keep those that take best discarding the rest

Plant some throw out the rest.

Plant some and store the seeds in a cool dark place till next year.

Not having being very organised I would normally have done a combination of the first two but having cleaned out the shed am now doing the third. Also if I have loads of time later in the year I may try to keep some seeds from whatever I do grow.

22-04-2020 9:46am

I found it very hard to get yeast in my online shop. Flour too.
I imagine if i went in person in the morning it would be easier but it wasn't major essesntial.

loyatemu · 22-04-2020 10:53am

the flour thing is a supply chain issue I think - most of our flour comes from the UK, surge in demand there means it's not making it to us. Last couple of times I've been in Tesco, every single type of flour has been sold out, I mean who's buying up all the cornflour, semolina etc?

Like seemingly everyone else, I've been making sourdough, and getting strong flour from the local bakery.

jrosen · 22-04-2020 10:55am

Flour which has been said, yeast was another. Still have not been able to get any flour other than SR.

red peppers
pink lady apples
new potatoes
corn on the cob
mince
tesco own brand cereal and brown bread
eggs
wraps
frozen fish
frozen butternut squash
biscuits

These would be the things that I would buy regularly and have found them not available or in short supply. The biscuit isle in my tesco has been ransacked since this all started.

Hurrache · 22-04-2020 11:00am

alias no.9 wrote: »

Did somebody say flour...

brendanL wrote: »

hahaha that's amazing.

The issue with flour is not that it's in short supply, it's that the consumer demand is so high that the packing plants for consumer sized bags don't have the capacity to keep up. If you want a commercial sack like the photos you'll be grand,.

joficeduns1 · 22-04-2020 11:21am

Me and the missus haven't been able to get chickpeas (tinned nor dried) in the last month (Supervalu and Lidl in the town). Also, I've ran out of 00 flour for pizzas and running low on gram flour too. May have to do some online research.

happyday · 22-04-2020 12:12pm

Away With The Fairies wrote: »

Elastic, people have been making their own face masks

Yes! I'm looking for some. Don't know where to get it.

Away With The Fairies · 22-04-2020 12:14pm

happyday wrote: »

Yes! I'm looking for some. Don't know where to get it.

I've heard Poundland in the UK has some. Poundland is dealz here.

happyday · 22-04-2020 12:20pm

Away With The Fairies wrote: »

I've heard Poundland in the UK has some. Poundland is dealz here.

Thanks. I'll try Dealz tomorrow when I'm shopping - my once a week outing!

Supercell · 22-04-2020 12:49pm

Flour, unless you hit the jackpot shortly after shelves are stocked most supermarkets around here have none. Someone earlier mentioned Tesco Ballybrack having it but anytime I've gone there the shelves are bare, still. Herself uses it a lot for making noodles and other things so its sorely missed here.
Does anyone know where to get the bigger bags/any bags in the Dun Laoghaire borough area?

silverharp · 22-04-2020 12:54pm

if flour someone had posted a link way back for Ballymore Organics, I assume they deliver

sabat · 22-04-2020 12:58pm

Patê, strawberry crisp cereal in lidl, smokes

Sam Hain · 22-04-2020 1:04pm

jrosen wrote: »

Flour which has been said, yeast was another. Still have not been able to get any flour other than SR.

red peppers
pink lady apples
new potatoes
corn on the cob
mince
tesco own brand cereal and brown bread
eggs
wraps
frozen fish
frozen butternut squash
biscuits

These would be the things that I would buy regularly and have found them not available or in short supply. The biscuit isle in my tesco has been ransacked since this all started.

That's a most bizarre list as the majority of those items, I have seen well stocked in the local Tesco, but I cannot confirm the supply status not stock levels locally on frozen butternut squash.

s7ryf3925pivug · 22-04-2020 1:24pm

Sam Hain wrote: »

That's a most bizarre list as the majority of those items, I have seen well stocked in the local Tesco, but I cannot confirm the supply status not stock levels locally on frozen butternut squash.

Yeah same here.

jrosen · 22-04-2020 1:34pm

Sam Hain wrote: »

That's a most bizarre list as the majority of those items, I have seen well stocked in the local Tesco, but I cannot confirm the supply status not stock levels locally on frozen butternut squash.

I know.
Did my food shop yesterday, no peppers, no PL apples, no corn. The tesco wheaten bread has been out of stock for about a month

Plasmoid · 22-04-2020 2:38pm

Supercell wrote: »

Flour, unless you hit the jackpot shortly after shelves are stocked most supermarkets around here have none. Someone earlier mentioned Tesco Ballybrack having it but anytime I've gone there the shelves are bare, still. Herself uses it a lot for making noodles and other things so its sorely missed here.
Does anyone know where to get the bigger bags/any bags in the Dun Laoghaire borough area?

Try Pallas.ie

I'd use them, nearest collection point is Stillorgan so that might be questionable shopping trip, but luckily near me in Greystones I've managed to get plenty of Plain and Strong white flour through a combination of Supervalu and Tesco... with luck on the timing of course.

Can't find Rye flour at the moment, and Pallas are only doing 25kg bags. Anyone want 24kg of Rye flour

greenttc · 22-04-2020 2:41pm

Plasmoid wrote: »

Try Pallas.ie

I'd use them, nearest collection point is Stillorgan so that might be questionable shopping trip, but luckily near me in Greystones I've managed to get plenty of Plain and Strong white flour through a combination of Supervalu and Tesco... with luck on the timing of course.

Can't find Rye flour at the moment, and Pallas are only doing 25kg bags. Anyone want 24kg of Rye flour

they only have 25kg bags in stock, today anyway.

edit: sorry only half read your post you said it was 25kg! they did have mutiples of the smaller packs (so you could have divided among family or neighbours etc but they are gone as far as i can see.

Alun · 22-04-2020 2:42pm

silverharp wrote: »

if flour someone had posted a link way back for Ballymore Organics, I assume they deliver

I ordered some from there nearly 3 weeks ago, no sign of it yet. They've effectively closed their online shop for the time being, only semolina available now.

EDIT: Just heard back that my order should be with me in a few days, so happy out

Geuze · 22-04-2020 2:42pm

I was surprised that just 4% of flour is packed for retail sale.

That is causing the shortage.

Alun · 22-04-2020 3:12pm

Geuze wrote: »

I was surprised that just 4% of flour is packed for retail sale.

That is causing the shortage.

Yes, there is no shortage of flour per se, just capacity in the factories packaging it in small quantities for retail.

BTW I saw plenty of dried yeast in my local Lidl the past two times I was in there. Small green striped packets on the shelf above where the flour is, or should be

gmisk · 22-04-2020 3:15pm

happyday wrote: »

Thanks. I'll try Dealz tomorrow when I'm shopping - my once a week outing!

I got elastic off amazon took about 4/5 days to arrive

Pbbuster · 22-04-2020 3:40pm

Brillo pads, hair colours and home waxing strips

CIARAN_BOYLE · 22-04-2020 3:50pm

Alun wrote: »

Yes, there is no shortage of flour per se, just capacity in the factories packaging it in small quantities for retail.

BTW I saw plenty of dried yeast in my local Lidl the past two times I was in there. Small green striped packets on the shelf above where the flour is, or should be

Theres a lot of wholesalers who usually sell 25kg packs to restaurants trying to figure out how to get their stockpiles out into the market.

Thoie · 22-04-2020 4:15pm

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

Theres a lot of wholesalers who usually sell 25kg packs to restaurants trying to figure out how to get their stockpiles out into the market.

I remember my granny buying flour in a shop (which was old fashioned even in those days) where the shopkeeper had a giant bag of flour, and you said how much you wanted. He weighed out what you wanted into a paper bag on a brass scales with little brass (coloured) weights. Used buy sweets from a big jar the same way.

Probably wouldn't meet health standards these days.

Scarinae · 22-04-2020 4:16pm

I haven't been able to get flour for a few weeks now. We picked up a bag of almond flour though so I'm going to try making something with it this weekend, I have no experience with it so it should be interesting.

Alun · 22-04-2020 4:27pm

Scarinae wrote: »

I haven't been able to get flour for a few weeks now.

Try your local Polish shop if you have one, I found some there when none of the local supermarkets had anything at all. Good places for yeast too.

sunshinew · 22-04-2020 4:34pm

Chorizo is one I couldn't find on my last couple of shops. They had the pre-sliced but not the sausages or diced. Wondering if it's the Spanish/Italian supply chain.
Chickpeas
Cumin
A certain type of cat food my mum's cat will only eat was dangerously out of stock for a long time but seems to be back on track. The cat will live!
Hair dye
Certain brands of pale coloured make up foundation are running low.
Local newsagent hasn't had marlboro lights for weeks now. Would love to quit but my anxiety is through the roof so I'm smoking more than ever.

na1 · 22-04-2020 5:35pm

Lola Moldy Scabby wrote: »

Bicycles are the new big roll - in Australia at least

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/22/bicycles-are-the-new-toilet-paper-bike-sales-boom-as-coronavirus-lockdown-residents-crave-exercise

many of which are entry-level models costing $700 to $1,200.

:eek:

Surprising shortages

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