Bread Flour

pumpkin89

Steve_L said:

The situation is complicated, but familiar to anyone who's studied economics. As above, the overwhelming majority of flour goes via commercial bakeries to the catering industry. Restaurants, etc. are closed. The demand for flour for bread is a lot smaller. So, there's lots more unsold flour for us home bakers? Sorry, no. The supply now far exceeds demand, and the price has plummeted. It now isn't worth the distributors buying more than the demand for bread dictates. 

There is lots more flour for us home bakers, yes.  The crux of the issue in this particular case is that retailers aren't set up to buy and sell 50kg sacks.  The limit is the amount of flour that can be put through retail packing lines, not the flour itself or the price.

Steve_L

Noted with thanks. And someone has just reminded me that, in really industrial applications, flour comes in bulk tankers. To utilise this supply chain, you'd need to install a silo.

Bacman

Given the excess of flour referred to, if doesn't seem logical that supermarkets have been out of stock for weeks now; there is no  issue with demand for it!

MrsStepford

Chick pea flour = gram flour in Asian stores. In Italian delis, look for ceci. Wellocks the catering supplier is doing home deliveries within 25 miles radius of its depots and selling own brand flour. Friend of mine sold half a pallet of 25kg bags of 00 flour sold to retail customers in EIGHT minutes ! He imports flour and pasta from Italy and is completely cleaned out. 

Steve_L

Bacman said:

Given the excess of flour referred to, if doesn't seem logical that supermarkets have been out of stock for weeks now; there is no  issue with demand for it!

See above. The issue is with the supply.

You seldom see "logic" and "supply and demand" in the same sentence.

od244051

One of the things I have seen on Facebook is a Lockdown palm print which is made with flour. Same ingredients as dough dollies (remember them)

MysteryMe

Not something I buy but noticed they had flour in Waitrose today so hopefully it will be in stock in other supermarkets for those that want it.

cognoscenti

Available in Lidl yesterday. Not boxes full, only a dozen or so bags but it was there.

Clowance

Went to sainsburys first thing and there were a few bags of plain flour, also some bicarbonate of soda which I have been looking for a while. HTH

pogofish

I’ve not had any great problem getting bread flour - stocks are low yes and my preferred brands may not be available but I’ve managed to get something adequate.

Yeast however - that has simply vanished. Not seen any for weeks, in-store or online so I’m glad I had a couple of packets in-hand!