Fact-checkers trying to get ahead of 'miscaptioned' photos of empty grocery store shelves

As Twitchy reported, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki made light of the country’s supply chain crisis, laughing about “the tragedy of the treadmill that’s delayed.” It’s a lot more than treadmills, and people are noticing. Besides, as Reuters reported, the White House itself has said “there will be things that people can’t get this Christmas,” so we don’t see a solution anytime soon.

Here’s one photo that was passed along to Dana Loesch Tuesday:

“You won’t need to worry about a treadmill, you’re gonna lose a lot of weight, by starvation” -.@PressSec

Here’s the Safeway in my hood today.🤷‍♀️

*lower right picture…cat food shelf nearly bare. pic.twitter.com/FpLVy6WuCk

— Hey Boo Boo 🗣 (@HeyBooBoo16) October 19, 2021

Fact-checkers want you to be wary of such photos, especially since #EmptyShelvesJoe trended on Twitter. The Associated Press, Reuters, PolitiFact, and Snopes have all fact-checked such photos, and the Department of Agriculture says there aren’t any “nationwide” food shortages.

Look how hard they're trying. pic.twitter.com/fkaWA0b8Kw

— Omri Ceren (@omriceren) October 19, 2021

Twitter Trending Topics, ALWAYS trying hard.

— The Sinking Titanic (@TheSinkingTitan) October 19, 2021

Picture worth a thousand words as they say

— Kenneth Pingel 💧 (@PingelKenneth) October 19, 2021

Well, damn. Maybe I should to Walmart and take a picture a picture of the completely empty French fry shelves since I was just there, oh, YESTERDAY!

— Lori Letner (@lori_letner) October 19, 2021

The old, "Don't believe your own eyes" trick. Mixed with a little word switcheroo. It's not a supply shortage, it's "inconsistent inventory". These people should be ashamed.

— Abigail Turner 🇺🇲🐈‍⬛🎃 (@aturner1776) October 19, 2021

Don’t be concerned. Those aren’t “empty shelves” at the grocery store. What you’re experiencing is just “inconsistent inventory.”

— Joel Griffith (@joelgriffith) October 19, 2021

They’re more worried about clarifying some photos than they are about the state of the union.

— Sam (@cowgirlbay) October 19, 2021

AP, Reuters, Politifact and Snopes – the ususal suspects.

— Pals @Entrepreneurix (@Entrepreneurix) October 19, 2021

you know it’s true when multiple fact-checkers report it

— Turtle Capital (@Corp_Raider99) October 19, 2021

Fact

— VBL (@VlanciPictures) October 19, 2021

Gaslighting.

— Manhattan Mingle (@ManhattanMingle) October 19, 2021

I was at Walmart yesterday and there was no chicken… must have been really hungry on a Monday.

— snowflakessuck (@Dogetothemoon99) October 19, 2021

So I guess my eyes were deceiving me when I went to the store yesterday.

— Wendy Minkley (@MinkleyWendy) October 19, 2021

I took this video at the Costco Business Center located on Alameda Ave in Denver, CO the same day I posted it — Oct 13, 2021. It’s still on my phone. https://t.co/NC4qZ1YI0G

— EyeOnDenver (@youreyeondenver) October 19, 2021

Time and again we are told not to believe our lying eyes. Do they really believe the average American only sees grocery store shelves in pictures and not in person?

— Lonnie (@skinsnbirds) October 19, 2021

I just went to Costco last weekend, and guess what out of paper towels and toilet paper. We were there when it opened.

— Mike Njord (@MikeNjord) October 19, 2021

This was my local Stop and Shop paper aisle yesterday. No mislabeling needed. pic.twitter.com/dAgfAqRcIr

— Vinny920🇺🇸🏴‍☠️ (@Vinny9201) October 19, 2021

One aisle in one store in one city in one state. pic.twitter.com/HflkXzzXwA

— Montana Department of Organic Flammability (@MontanaDOOF) October 19, 2021

Central Florida. Yesterday. pic.twitter.com/m7rGlMyR9R

— BuckFiden (@jenntenn) October 19, 2021

Here’s my local Target yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Otrqqix3tb

— Monica (@acinoM_45) October 19, 2021

Here’s their produce section. Inventory is indeed “inconsistent.” pic.twitter.com/AoQPR6rT77

— Monica (@acinoM_45) October 19, 2021

Hey look at that. A week ago. pic.twitter.com/hMcgblty0W

— SeanBarrett (@sbarrett15642) October 19, 2021

pic.twitter.com/tfwuXceyIa

— RealNotimportant (@Realunimportant) October 19, 2021

Don't believe your own lying eyes. My lying eyes tricked me into seeing the frozen vegetable section half empty, the frozen fish section completely empty and one pack of pastrami on the cold cuts shelves on my trip to Aldi's. I musta been shopping in another country by mistake.

— TamaraNeverKnows (@TamaraInphilly) October 19, 2021

“No widespread” or “nationwide”…same language used to explain the election discrepancies. Guys it’s only a problem supposedly if everybody and their brother is being affected…if not, hush hush move on plz

— Dexter (@RealJournalest) October 19, 2021

I know the trick they are playing. They look for or plant one photo from 2020 on social media and use that one sole example to "fact check" the rest that are genuinely from October.

— Great American Schism (@DiablitoDeOro) October 19, 2021

The wording is very telling. They’re fact checking memes, not for the accuracy of the specific date, but just that the shelves being empty, “predate President Biden’s presidency.”

— Mike Daitch (@mikedaitch) October 19, 2021

CNN reports that "They are MOSTLY stocked"
🤡😂💩

— GSchex (@Bajapalm) October 19, 2021

Fact checkers? Seriously? Just stop.

— Allan (@baconfan73) October 19, 2021

Everyone take pictures of empty shelves at your store and post them – put something in the picture with the current date. Copy Biden, Jenny P and the White House

— Why ask Why? (@CommunityBnkInv) October 19, 2021

Do we have to hold up a newspaper in front of the picture? They’d probably say it was photoshopped

— amberwave (@NOYB2869) October 19, 2021

Wow, like we can't walk into a store and see the empty shelves with our own eyes!

— Laura Lahaug (@LauraOncelaw) October 19, 2021

Well, easy enough to snap current photos of the lack of products and empty shelves we are seeing. Because we have, in PA and Maryland.

— Debbie Flanigan (@DebFlanigan) October 19, 2021

Grocery shopping now takes 3 different grocery stores to get what I need. It wasn’t like this during the height of the pandemic last year.

— Lisa Lou (@Lis_aLouu) October 19, 2021

They think we’re stupid and blind.

— Let’s Go Brandon! (@LouieandGus) October 19, 2021

They’re just looking out for you in the face of so much misinformation.

Related:

Breadlines aren’t THAT bad! WaPo telling Americans to ‘lower expectations’ instead of ranting about #EmptyShelvesJoe does NOT go well https://t.co/0OkaeqVcxb

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) October 19, 2021