‘Flour Shaming’ is the latest lockdown trend

What’s strange, however, is that there isn’t actually a flour shortage in the UK whatsoever. 

The UK is in fact very self-sufficient when it comes to producing the ingredient, with 51 mills currently up and running around the country (this is according to the National Association of British and Irish Flour Millers which I didn’t know was a thing either). The problem unfortunately lies therefore in that the commercial chain — where the majority of flour output tends to go — has either shutdown completely, or is incredibly restricted right now.

Basically, with the unexpected events that have transpired since the beginning of this year, millers are struggling to reroute their products into supermarkets and bakeries, the shelves of which remain empty as the supply chain endeavours to keep up. And, although other frequently panic-bought items like pasta, toilet roll, and hand sanitiser have been relatively quick to return to the shelves, the absence of self-raising, rye, and strong white due to these complications is only truly problematic for some people: those with dietary restrictions. 

While regular flour depletion persists, people have been heading over to the ‘Free From’ sections of their local grocery stores and, at the expense of those who depend on it, filling their trollies with as much gluten-free flour as they can.

‘For those of us with dietary restrictions, we can’t just order a takeaway or make use of whatever we can find in the supermarket,’ said nutritional therapist, Jenna Farmer to Vice. ‘So many people in the gluten-free community can’t get hold of the basics, like gluten-free pasta and flour, since it’s been snapped up by those who don’t need it.’

Regardless, what it all really comes down to — the shaming, the arguing, the name-calling, the  outrage — is boredom. Because, at the end of the day, it’s not really about who’s made the perfect pastry is it? It seems rather unlikely that in any other circumstance people would care so much about a flour shortage because in a ‘normal’ reality we’d be too busy doing other things. What it is, is that everyone is getting progressively more fed up having run out of Netflix series to binge or new places to discover on the one government sanctioned walk of the day so they’re channeling this frustration into online hate.

‘At the moment, many people are bored and have little to do,’ says web psychologist Graham Jones. ‘So spending time on social networks and forums moaning about any trivial thing gives them a sense they are doing something and contributing and being helpful to others. It’s a psychological manifestation of the national mood in a time of crisis.’

Boredom isn’t all bad, it can lead to surprisingly amazing things. People are making their own food a lot more, they’re coming to the realisation that perhaps they don’t need to rely on Deliveroo quite so much, they’re saving a lot in the process, and, most importantly, they’re becoming a lot more appreciative of the hard work associated with the complexities of baking.

‘Before coronavirus, selling a cake was like pulling teeth,’ said professional patissier Hannah Halliday to Vice. ‘People take us for granted. They see that they can buy a cake from a supermarket for £10 and expect handmade/artisan bakes to be as cheap. It’s always really mentally destroying for someone to say your art form and work isn’t worth that much.’

But, at the end of the day, no amount of ‘flour shaming’ is ever going to deter British citizens from making apple pie or a beautiful crusty loaf to be served with fresh raspberry jam. So, with that being said, why not instead reflect on just how lucky we are to even be worried about these things and avoid stockpiling where it isn’t essential? Oh, and although baking is lovely, do you genuinely need flour that desperately to merit swearing at a teenager on Facebook? Maybe not eh?