HP Sauce and Salad Cream in fridges: Shoppers mock supermarkets for filling empty shelves with unexpected products amid shortages

‘They’ve taken to filling the empty refrigerated section with what ever they do have,’ says shopper

(Twitter/StuartTurner)

UK shoppers have started mocking their local supermarkets after they noticed that unexpected products had been used to fill aisles and sections that had been left empty due to ongoing shortages.

Despite retailers warning shoppers to buy early for Christmas to avoid disappointment, a government minister has said that the supply chain crisis at the UK’s largest commercial shipping port is “improving”.

Conservative Party co-chairman Oliver Dowden insisted the government is “working through these challenges” amid a build-up of cargo at UK ports.

He told Sky News: “The situation is improving. I’m confident that people will be able to get their toys for Christmas.

“Some people buy very early for Christmas - my wife is quite an early Christmas buyer – others buy later. I would say just buy as you do normally.”

However, supermarket shoppers are still noticing significant shortages in their local shops.

One person shared a photograph on Twitter of an entire section in an aisle at their local Asda that appeared to have been stocked entirely with Lynx Africa.

“When they said Brexit would lead to less choice. I didn’t expect it to mean that Gloucester would smell exclusively of Lynx Africa,” they tweeted.

Another person responded with a photograph of two fridge sections in their local supermarket stocked entirely with HP Sauce and salad cream.

“Swap it for some salad cream and/ or HP sauce from the fridge section,” they wrote.

A third person shared a photograph of their local Co-op, where it appeared that packets of Celebrations and Quality Street had been placed in baskets usually used for vegetables.

“Yep....that’s our local Co-op....Chocolates in the vegetable section too,” they wrote.

Many others responded with photos of empty shelves in their local shops while others expressed their shock at the lack of stock.

“This can’t be genuine, what store?” one person wrote.

“At least you have plenty of HP to put on your chocolate,” another added.

The Independent has contacted Co-op and Asda for comment.