SUPERMARKET SWEEP
Shoppers complain of ‘looted’ shelves as supermarkets are stripped of Christmas food
SHOPPERS around the UK say supermarket shelves have been "looted" of food as households stock up for the festive period.
Last minute Christmas shoppers report empty shelves in their local Aldi, Sainsbury's, Tesco, and Waitrose stores both this morning and earlier this week.
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Many have shared their disappointment on social media alongside snaps of barren shelves with one or two forlorn looking items left.
One shopper tweeted this morning: "I just nipped to Waitrose, then Sainsbury’s - both shops have been looted. The shelves were empty! So it’s bin bags and bleach for Christmas lunch... again."
Another shopper in London added: "I must have missed the memo that advised customers to buy all they need for Christmas dinner before December 24.
"@Tesco#FinchleyCentral store at 6:10am has many empty shelves and the aisles are strewn with cardboard and plastic waste... #ChristmasEve #messynotmerry".
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Someone else added today: "We've left our food shopping until today and husband is reporting back from the Waitrose front line. Empty shelves and empty selves."
Another person tweeted a picture of bare shelves in the Christmas aisle of Sainsbury's this morning with the simple caption: "SCENES #livexmasshop".
Others report depleted stock at Sainsbury's on December 23 - although the supermarket says these stores would have been re-stocked overnight for this morning.
One shopper tweeted the following today alongside a picture of an empty store in Fosse Park, Leicester: "@sainsburys This is what my local Sainsbury’s looked like last night... lots and lots of empty shelves.
"Looks like a trip to Tesco today. Am very disappointed."
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Someone else added: "Psst... @sainsburys it's two days before Christmas and I'd guess quite a big food buying day. Time to restock #nocamembert #nomarispiper #noroquefort #emptyshelves"
Another shopper, who doesn't say which store they frequented, quipped late last night: "Lots of empty shelves... no milk at all! Not even skimmed!"
Shoppers have been pictured queuing outside stores today, while supermarkets have been rammed with people trying to stock up for the break.
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But elsewhere shoppers report more success. One person tweeted this morning: "I went to Asda at 6am this morning to get my goodies and it was empty! Shelves full no queues!"
Another early bird added: "5:30am Christmas Eve best time to do the Christmas Shop - Tesco virtually empty of shoppers, no kids - shelves re-stocked - absolute breeze!"
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An Aldi spokesperson said: “Our fantastic festive products are proving extremely popular, and our colleagues are working hard to make sure Aldi customers are well stocked for Christmas.”
A Sainsbury's spokesperson added: "We can reassure customers we’re well stocked for Christmas."
A Tesco spokesperson said: “Our availability and service levels are really strong this week and we continue to do our best to make sure our customers have a great Christmas.
"We have plenty of festive products in stock to ensure everyone gets what they want.”
The Sun has contacted Waitrose.
More on Christmas
If you've still got festive bits to buy, lots of supermarkets have slashed the price of Christmas veg.
While B&Q and Tesco have cut the price of real Christmas trees to just £1.
And Boxing Day sales have started TWO days early with up to 88 per cent off Currys PC World, Boohoo, Very and more.
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