Will there be food shortages in the UK?

[munchh]

We get nearly all our inports on container ship nowadays so because that means they dont have huge warehouses full of stuff sitting waiting for us to buy, it is a constant flow from source instead.
If people just keot more in the house normaly it would not come to the ramp up of buying.
I have told my daughter off in the past when her her boyfriend and his mum are all stuck in with flu and she is on the phone because they dont have anything in to eat, as thier norm is going to get what they are having for dinner as the come home from work!

Mental way to live.

[hobo]

The government needs to introduce food rationing urgently to prevent key workers and disadvantaged families going hungry, leading food experts have said in a letter to the prime minister today.

Tim Lang, a former government adviser and professor of food policy at London’s City University, said a major food crisis was rapidly unfolding. Rationing is already taking place unofficially in supermarkets but in a way that takes no account of people’s need, he has told Downing Street along with fellow authors, Prof Erik Millstone of Sussex University, and Prof Terry Marsden of Cardiff University.

They warn that food banks and food share schemes that give food to those on low incomes are reporting serious shortages, while key workers who can only shop at the end of their shifts are finding shelves empty and nothing to eat....

....

The experts’ letter to the prime minister says “there is a dangerous tendency to blame consumers” and that the problems only arise because of panic-buying. In the absence of clearer planning, with market mechanisms failing, consumers are only acting rationally in preparing for being confined at home, the authors add.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... 8573fbe6f3

[diamond lil]

Everybody in every sphere of life seems to have been caught on the hop by this. News of it was coming out of China by the 7th -10th Jan... People need to stop messing about on social media I think and start moving their asses.
I mean people in charge of getting things done - not just ordinary people.

[grenfell]

If people just keot more in the house normaly it would not come to the ramp up of buying.
I have told my daughter off in the past when her her boyfriend and his mum are all stuck in with flu and she is on the phone because they dont have anything in to eat, as thier norm is going to get what they are having for dinner as the come home from work!

Mental way to live.

Yeah fully agree . I posted somewhere that i said the same thing to a facebook thread , that people should have built up a few weeks or a months worth in the house over "normal "times and did i get a slagging off for suggesting such a thing . There were insults and a raft of excuses such as people not having the money or space which frankly for the majority are just that , excuses.

[pseudonym]

Tesco just now, same as my post on Wed Mar 18, 2020 4:52 pm

No

Pasta
Pasta Sauces
Rice
All frozen Veg
Tinned Veg
Tinned Meats
Tinned Soups
Bread
Toilet roll/tissues/wipes
Paracetamol
Soaps/gels etc
Disinfectant

Also now no Fresh Veg at all
No Fresh meat Pork/Beef/Chicken

[grenfell]

The government needs to introduce food rationing urgently to prevent key workers and disadvantaged families going hungry, leading food experts have said in a letter to the prime minister today.

Tim Lang, a former government adviser and professor of food policy at London’s City University, said a major food crisis was rapidly unfolding. Rationing is already taking place unofficially in supermarkets but in a way that takes no account of people’s need, he has told Downing Street along with fellow authors, Prof Erik Millstone of Sussex University, and Prof Terry Marsden of Cardiff University.

They warn that food banks and food share schemes that give food to those on low incomes are reporting serious shortages, while key workers who can only shop at the end of their shifts are finding shelves empty and nothing to eat....

....

The experts’ letter to the prime minister says “there is a dangerous tendency to blame consumers” and that the problems only arise because of panic-buying. In the absence of clearer planning, with market mechanisms failing, consumers are only acting rationally in preparing for being confined at home, the authors add.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/li ... 8573fbe6f3

I've always thought rationing would be a good idea , if nothing else it creates a level playing field irrespective of one's income or wealth. At the risk of accusations of us becoming a nanny state rationing of sugar and fat would probably help with the obesity crisis and TEQ's could help with pollution and congestion.
Ok so i can't really see it happening but a simple question for preppers. If we were limited as to what we could buy building up a stock even for a couple of weeks let alone for several months would be problematic at best. How would people feel about that and what sort of alternatives might be considered. Even without rationing it might be a good exercise.

[cbp125]

I've always thought rationing would be a good idea , if nothing else it creates a level playing field irrespective of one's income or wealth. At the risk of accusations of us becoming a nanny state rationing of sugar and fat would probably help with the obesity crisis and TEQ's could help with pollution and congestion.
Ok so i can't really see it happening but a simple question for preppers. If we were limited as to what we could buy building up a stock even for a couple of weeks let alone for several months would be problematic at best. How would people feel about that and what sort of alternatives might be considered. Even without rationing it might be a good exercise.
[/quote]

I do think rationing should be introduced, but only until this is over, however in answer to how would preppers prep on rationing, I would grow my own food and dehydrate it all for long term storage, including grains if possible

[Arwen Thebard]

I am even more convinced we will see food shortages now that there are suggestions that this lock-down, social distancing and economic chaos could last for a year or more.

Assuming that the trend is global, shortages will extend way beyond food products and start impacting all the products we import and dont make in the UK.

Bet there will also be a run on seed sales soon, which might be a nice little sideline for some preppers to get into? And gardening classes on growing your own. (Don't like to miss an opportunity )

Unfortunately I expect your wish for rationing will come pretty soon, I say unfortunately because hungry people do not think clearly and do silly things.

Can anyone reading this remember the last time they were genuinely hungry, with no clear opportunity for a few days ahead?

[omega man]

Just popped down to the 'One stop' at the end of our street for a bottle of red (like a Tesco express.. and I believe owned by Tesco) and the shelves are bare with lots of signs here and there stating "no more than 2 of any item".... yet the guy in front of me has 4 identical items, the poor young girl behind the counter is feeling awkward and I can see why she doesn't challenge him. I loudly say to Mrs OM "Well I hope she refuses him the extra 2"... he sneers at me and throws his items onto the counter, It's clear he'd happily 'make a scene OR WORSE' -. I don't want anyone hurt so diffused the situation
she serves, he pays'

This needs enforcing now I feel.

OM

[Arwen Thebard]

Just watched a piece on BBC news showing a fruit and veg market, with wholesalers supplying pallet loads of goods to traders, one guy saying that there was plenty of produce "as long as the containers keep arriving" The camera pans in on a stacked pallet truck showing boxes from Ghana, Kenya.....

How long will the containers keep coming?