Empty Shelves At Supermarkets

Wegmans, Publix, Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Costco, Aldi, Trader Joe's, all loaded with everything. So much so, we donate regularly to the local food bank.
I don't do Chinamart, though there's one a few miles away, so no idea what they have.
 
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One year ago, I walked into my local hardware store and told the owner that my new year's resolution was to buy local as much as possible. I wanted/needed a new charroal grill and true value is a weber dealer. I told them the model number of the grill I wanted and they assured me it was on order.

Each month I would stop in to the hardware store to buy batteries or furnace filters or something and would inquire about the grill. "Any day now" was the standard reply. Each visit I noticed less and less product on shelves. After awhile, they started apologizing about the grill not being in. I eventually stopped asking about it. I feel bad for the store owner and expect them to close the doors "any day now."

I still need a grill but so far have refrained from buying from Amazon, who can have it on my front porch in just two days. Home depot has 'em in stock. A nice family owned/operated hardware store doesn't stand a chance these days.
 
Publix in Enterprise, AL (SE corner) had lots of empty spots in the dairy, freezers and in between. Cousin says it is the same in St. Augustine, FL. Staffing does not seem to be an issue.
Not sure about the smaller stores like Piggly Wiggly or the independents, but have heard folks complain about Wally World.
We go ever 7-10 days and the emptiness seems to rotate. This week it was store brand bottled drinking water, TV dinners and some bread items. And prices are up quite a bit from the previous weeks.
And as the others have said, "It likely will get worse before it gets better".
Thom Braxton
SWCA #1474
 
Same here.
Supplies always low.
Prices mostly 70% higher on all.
Need mtg. to buy meat.
Can't imagine trying to feed a family these days?
 
It's been weird here- Organic and grass fed cow Milk has been flying off the shelves as if it's some miracle cure- We switched to organic or local milk over a year ago trying to cut more GMO's and stuff out of our diets- my wife has lost close to 30 pounds, and I am down 10 (I'm not trying as hard as she is).

Some other stuff like bread, stuffing, some juices (juice boxes etc), and ironically some hot sauces and condiments have been harder to find in some stores. Meat prices are up a bit.

Overall, I think stock is coming back slower than it sells in some items, and some people have started panic buying again... Not sure why, but then I rarely get involved in political issues, we always have a few months worth of food in my house... We'd be eating rice and green beans and corn, but we'd live :)
 
Mike said:
Publix and Wally World, The clothing stores, Napa ALL have had shortages(empty shelves) here for weeks......Tried buying any truck parts???
Its like living under communism.....Further discussion will get me banned.
Click to expand...

I can't find a new 2500HD to replace my 2016 2500HD.
 
Locally we have a Fry's and a Safeway. For the most part things are available except there has always been a weird outage of certain cuts and types of meat. And of course the price of meat has gone up noticeably.

We don't buy at Costco but I have talked to people that were used to paying 18.00 for something and now it is 38.00.
 
We buy certain products at WalMart because the prices for the items are just so reasonable (note I didn't say "cheap")

Last week the 6 or 8 bays of coolers had not one single gallon of milk. As we were leaving a clerk opened the door to the back room and we saw with our own eyes there were pallets and pallets of milk. My son called out to the clerk and she said that the 2 stockers in that department didn't show up for work that day. We asked her to go in and get us 3 gallons and she obliged, complaining that it wasn't her department and she was afraid she'd get into trouble.
 
dirty & hairy said:
One year ago, I walked into my local hardware store and told the owner that my new year's resolution was to buy local as much as possible. I wanted/needed a new charroal grill and true value is a weber dealer. I told them the model number of the grill I wanted and they assured me it was on order.

Each month I would stop in to the hardware store to buy batteries or furnace filters or something and would inquire about the grill. "Any day now" was the standard reply. Each visit I noticed less and less product on shelves. After awhile, they started apologizing about the grill not being in. I eventually stopped asking about it. I feel bad for the store owner and expect them to close the doors "any day now."

I still need a grill but so far have refrained from buying from Amazon, who can have it on my front porch in just two days. Home depot has 'em in stock. A nice family owned/operated hardware store doesn't stand a chance these days.
Click to expand...

I have 2 local hardware stores. One is a local chain and they mostly hire old retired codgers as clerks. Their shelves are stocked and the service is excellent. The other store is now owned by the grandson of the founder. He hires young guys and often some don't show up for work. Of the 6 original stores the family owns, 3 are now closed. Having witnessed the attitude of the owner, I don't see him being in business very long.

My son has a degree in business and has spent his whole career in retail management. He has moved from company to company many times because he didn't like the atmosphere where he was. Each move included a big step up. He's now working for Amazon and he says it will be where he retires from. Contrary to what some people say, they treat their employees extremely well. Upward mobility, even for people without degrees, is possible IF you are willing to work hard. Those looking for a Union are the goldbricks.

If I need something right now, and its available, I buy locally. Otherwise I have shifted most of my business to Amazon because I have high respect for the company
 
A quick scan of this thread leads me to the conclusion that those seeing shortages are reporting from locations that are often associated with a particular side of the aisle. At least one has obviously fabricated the shortage report (happy Valentines day).
 
GypsmJim said:
We buy certain products at WalMart because the prices for the items are just so reasonable (note I didn't say "cheap")

Last week the 6 or 8 bays of coolers had not one single gallon of milk. As we were leaving a clerk opened the door to the back room and we saw with our own eyes there were pallets and pallets of milk. My son called out to the clerk and she said that the 2 stockers in that department didn't show up for work that day. We asked her to go in and get us 3 gallons and she obliged, complaining that it wasn't her department and she was afraid she'd get into trouble.
Click to expand...

The "Not my department" attitude is another whole issue... That is a generational thing too... I was taught no matter what your title is, if you boss asks, you should try to do it (if it's legal and not immoral of course). that has gotten me very far, and farther than others in my company.

But the lady at the sporting goods counter at one of my local walmarts said the staff won't stock the ammo unless she forces them... Said I was lucky they stocked the night before, and often they have cases of ammo out back they just are too lazy to put out
 
We are surrounded by Mega Marts and they all have varying degrees of supply issues. While smaller, ALDI is usually well stocked as, unlike some of the big boys, they strive to source as much product as they can from local producers.

The biggest hit or miss items for us from the big stores are canned cat food and kitty treats.
 
Referring to my earlier post I have been to 3 stores today looking for crackers. There are none. I asked one store what was going on. The clerk told me they only get a small supply on each truck and they are gone almost as soon as put out. Why that it I have no idea.
I don't believe it has anything to do with a states side of an aisle on with the incompetency of one side.
 
twodog max said:
Referring to my earlier post I have been to 3 stores today looking for crackers. There are none. I asked one store what was going on. The clerk told me they only get a small supply on each truck and they are gone almost as soon as put out. Why that it I have no idea.
I don't believe it has anything to do with a states side of an aisle on with the incompetency of one side.
Click to expand...

Yep, crackers here are sometimes elusive as I believe folks view them as survival rations. My favorite late night snack is canned peaches in heavy syrup (another popular survival food) and their availability is sporadic.
 
GT_80 said:
The "Not my department" attitude is another whole issue... That is a generational thing too... I was taught no matter what your title is, if you boss asks, you should try to do it (if it's legal and not immoral of course). that has gotten me very far, and farther than others in my company.
Click to expand...
Yup, Dad taught me that when you go to work for someone you have agreed to sell them X number of hours of your time for X number of dollars. What they choose to do with that time is their business - they are paying for it - so they should be able to ask you to do anything as long as it isn't unsafe or unethical. If they want you to sweep floors or scrub toilets, they are paying for it. If you feel that what they want to do with your time they have bought and paid for is "beneath" you or just something you aren't willing to do, then it is time to look for another job.
 
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Chuck24 said:
Around here the bread and milk are all gone because the weatherman mentioned snow, even though it didn't. Don't know about the rest of it. However, the ABC store has been a little bare.
Click to expand...

Monday snow storm. at local Vista market
I got the last loaf of bread, $3.19 for1 loaf.
Jim
 
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