A pensioner has been left "depressed and disappointed" after Asda ran out of his favourite 34p Smart Price sardines.
Harty Ervine has been "suffering" for as long as six weeks and argued that "it would have been quicker for the little fish to have just swam here from the Mediterranean".
Stock issues at the Asda store created the 69-year-old's plight, which began in March this year, upon his discovery of the empty shelves.
The former teacher told Chronicle Live that he had to take a two-mile round trip on foot to pick up a tin of the succulent sardines.
"It would have been quicker for the little fish to have just swam here from the Mediterranean," he said.
"It amazes me in this day and age of computers that anything can be out of stock.
"But I always get the Smart Price ones, they have a very nice flavour.
"But they went out of stock and never came back, so I got in touch with Asda, but they hummed and harred.
"And it was just these - none of the other tinned fish were out of stock."
The fish returned to the Metro Centre store's shelves in May.
"The shelf was full of them," recalled Mr Ervine.
But shortly afterwards they vanished again.
When the sardines vanished previously, Harty got an email stating: "Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you."
"Depressed and disappointed", Harty wants answers now that his favourite snack is gone again.
An Asda spokesperson said: "We’ve been in contact with Mr Ervine to apologise for Asda Smart Price Sardines being out of stock in our Asda Gateshead store," said a spokesperson.
"But we’re pleased to confirm that they will be back in stock within the coming weeks so his favourite dish will be back on the menu.”
The store's shelves currently remain empty, while the firm's website states they are "currently unavailable".
Leaving one of several five star reviews on Asda's website, one customer claimed they would "be getting loads more to keep in (the) pantry."
Although they are set to be back on the shelves next week - the shortage has forced Harty to look elsewhere.
"Morrisons sell an equivalent, and at exactly the same price," admits Harty, who says he's lucky to live near a string of supermarkets.
But he doesn't want to have to settle for second best, adding: "I'd rate Asda's sardines slightly above Morrisons' - plus the store is more on my route."
