SCOTS are sharing their experiences of supermarket shortages on social media amid what companies are calling “some patchy disruption”.
Supermarkets say they are continuing to receive regular deliveries and that any gaps on the shelves are temporary.
It comes as a large number of people in England are self-isolating due to the so-called “pingdemic” of people being told they’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19, as well as a shortage of HGV drivers and post-Brexit delays to produce arriving in the UK.
Prior to the pandemic about 10% of the 600,000 HGV lorry drivers in the UK were from the EU – now most have left the country. The Road Hauliers Association believes there is a shortage of about 60,000 drivers.
READ MORE: Empty supermarket shelves prove it's time for a food revolution in Scotland
Firms have told people not to panic buy, saying this would create a problem that does not exist.
Pro-independence writer Grouse Beater asked followers to share their experiences in local stores this week – The National reported at the weekend that fruit and veg sections in some parts of Scotland were particularly badly affected.
Bonny Clyde shared this photo on Twitter of the Co-op in Lochgilphead. “Manchester distribution centre not enough drivers apparently,” they suggested. “Think to myself .. why do we rely on England? Can't we source locally?”
Co-op Lochgilphead yesterday. Manchester distribution centre not enough drivers apparently. Think to myself .. why do we rely on England? Can't we sourse locally? pic.twitter.com/N73Ki5id1q
— Bonny Clyde (@BonnyCl38464459) July 22, 2021
Gary Elliot shared an image from the Tesco in Kilmarnock, showing the fruit and vegetable section nearly empty.
Just posted this on somebody else's thread. Tesco in Kilmarnock the other day. pic.twitter.com/0HcOcOgiQH
— Gary Elliot (@GaryE1869) July 22, 2021
One user from Biggar shared a picture from their local Co-op, suggesting they were also facing delivery problems.
Co-op in Biggar. Staff said difficulty getting delivery drivers pic.twitter.com/5W0RCY8Wcq
— Alan (@DoesntTweetMuch) July 22, 2021
Another person based in Newtonmore in the Highlands showed their local Co-op wiped out of water and ice.
@coopuk Newtonmore No water or ice 🤣🤣 and were slap bang in the middle of the Highlands.. pic.twitter.com/f3Z49n7Q2x
— Born in Gorgie (@WindaeCleaner) July 22, 2021
SNP MP Douglas Chapman shared several images of his local Tesco’s fruit and veg section wiped out in Fife, Dunfermline, and added that a constituent had said this “is not the Brexit I voted for”.
A Co-op spokesman said: “We are sorry that we are running low on some products. Like many retailers, we are impacted by some patchy disruption to our deliveries and store operations but we are working closely with our suppliers to get re-stocked quickly.”
Tesco added that it had plenty of food and deliveries arriving across the UK every day.
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