Jesmond’s Tesco Metro stock of Unilever goods appears to be holding up despite fears of a run on certain store cupboard staples.

A pricing dispute between Tesco and Unilever continues today with many shoppers around the country unable to purchase their favourite products from Tesco’s online shop.

The dispute came about after a decrease in the value of the pound, which has fallen 16% against the euro since the UK’s decision to leave the European Union in June. This means that it is now more expensive to import goods from Europe, and Unilever has demanded that Tesco absorb some of the extra cost of trading, which is done primarily in euros and dollars.

Unilever is the third largest consumer goods company in the world and owns over 400 brands. They suppply some of the UK’s most loved products including Marmite, Hellman’s mayonnaise, PG Tips, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, Lynx deodorant, and the student favourite – Pot Noodle.

Media reports claim Tesco is playing hardball with Unilever and has removed all Unilever products from the Tesco website, warning consumers  it is only a matter of time before Unilever items will disappear from shelves altogether, as the supermarket giant refuses to restock Unilever’s products.

The stock levels at Tesco Metro in Jesmond appear to be resilient so far with a spokesperson telling JesmondLocal that they have “not run out of anything yet.”

JesmondLocal visited the store on Acorn Road to inspect stock levels on the supermarket’s shelves.

On-shelf stock levels of products like Marmite, PG Tips, and Dove appear high. However the Jesmond store shelves were empty of Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream, and are down to a solitary Curry and two Bombay Bad Boy Pot Noodles could be seen at the time of reporting.

Dan, a Northumbria University student living in Jesmond, said: “I like Pot Noodle, but I’m not going to start hoarding… I would rather just go to Sainsbury’s or Waitrose.”

JesmondLocal also spoke to Ryan Kelly, an ex-resident of Jesmond, who said: “This affects everyone – almost every person has a Unilever product in their home.”

When asked whether he would seek out Unilever products elsewhere, Kelly remarked: “You kind of stick to the supermarket you always use, like Tesco for me, so I just wouldn’t buy it (Unilever products) and buy something else instead. It will be bothersome trying to get XYZ product, but it’s not the end of the world.”

The on-going dispute has seen both companies lose value in the stock market with Unilever and Tesco down 2% and 2.5% respectively. Tesco have said that they “hope to have the issue resolved quickly”, but there seems to be no end to the stalemate in sight as of yet.