Shoppers are finding some of their favourite products are missing from Tesco stores when they go to do their weekly shop. Ketchup, soup, beans and even dog food are all affected
Manufacturing giant Mars has paused supplying five brands to the UK's biggest grocer, according to The Sun. The paper said Heinz Kraft had done the same with many of its products.
The issue behind the gaps on the shelves is down to a pricing row, the Mirror previously reported. It come as households are struggling to face rising costs. Inflation, which measures price rises, is at 40-year high of 9.1% with concerns it could rise still further.
It is understood Mars has temporarily stopped supplying products to the supermarket giant. However the company insisted there was no issue with supplies elsewhere.
A Mars spokesperson told The Sun: “We are aware that some of our Petcare products are currently out of stock at Tesco stores. We want to reassure pet owners that their favourite products are in supply and remain widely available in the UK marketplace.
Kraft Heinz said it is working with Tesco to resolve the situation "as quickly as possible". A spokesperson said: "In today's challenging economic environment - with commodity and production costs rising - many consumers are working within tight budgets."
Heinz warned in October last year that shoppers would see price hikes to products. It has stopped deliveries of key items to Tesco, with the supermarket claiming it would not "pass on unjustifiable price increases" onto customers.
This is the list of items you could find missing from Tesco's shelves.
The following Mars items are affected by the price row:
- Whiskas
- Dreamies
- Pedigree
- Sheba
- Crave
And the following Heinz items are out of stock on Tesco's website:
- Top down squeezy tomato ketchup 460G
- Top down squeezy tomato ketchup 700G
- Top down squeezy tomato ketchup 910G
- Baked beans 415g
- Baked beans no added sugar 415g
- Baked beans 4x415g
- Baked beans snap pots 4x200g
- Ravioli In tomato sauce 400G
- Chicken noodle soup 400G
- Heinz top down squeezy tomato ketchup 700G
- Heinz baked beans 3X200g
- Heinz salad cream 605G
- Heinz salad cream light 605G
A Tesco spokesperson has previously said: “We’re laser-focused on keeping the cost of the weekly shop in check, offering customers great value through our combination of Aldi Price Match, Low Everyday Prices and Clubcard Prices. With household budgets under increasing pressure, now more than ever we have a responsibility to ensure customers get the best possible value, and we will not pass on unjustifiable price increases to our customers.
"We’re sorry that this means some products aren’t available right now, but we have plenty of alternatives to choose from and we hope to have this issue resolved soon.”
What do I do if my favourite is unavailable?
Availability online and in stores can vary depending on existing stock levels, demand and delivery dates for new stock. Items may already be on the way to stores before the row, meaning you could still see items restocked.
Exact availability will depend on your local store - you can find your using the store locator tool. You could ring ahead to check they have what you want available to avoid a wasted journey.
You could also find that what you want is available, just in a different size. For instance 415g tins on Heinz baked beans are out of stock on Tesco's website, but you can still get 200g ones, though this can work out pricier overall.
You could try a different brand to Heinz, which could work out cheaper. For instance Tesco's own brand baked beans are only 40p compared to around £1 for the branded version.
You can also try getting the item at a different supermarket. And you might find you are saving cash as well.
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