Filenews 8 September 2021
Sparse or empty shelves in stores: shortages hitting Businesses in Britain due to the Covid-19 and Brexit pandemics are now also seen in supermarkets.
"We had already decided to reduce our stocks due to COVID, but now we are having a hard time getting some products delivered to us because they just aren't available," complains Satian Patel, head of a store in central London.
Behind him the shelves are half-empty. "Last week I had finished the coca cola. We haven't had big Evian bottles for three weeks," he explains. "Without products there is no trade. With empty shelves like these no one will enter the shop."
British businesses have been experiencing supply problems for many months, which may have an impact on the country's economic recovery.
While these problems are not confined to Britain, as the pandemic has caused unrest around the world, they are more acute there due to the effects of Brexit, which complicates the entry of foreign workers.
Many of them returned to their countries of origin when COVID-19 broke out and some never returned to Britain. For example, there is a shortage of 100,000 professional truck drivers, necessary for the transport of goods.
Near Patel's shop a supermarket seems to be more well stocked. But appearances are deceiving because all the products the store has are already on the shelves, according to Toma, a 22-year-old saleswoman.
"There's nothing in the warehouses," she says. "We have shortages" on all shelves, "sometimes we receive limited quantities (of products). We don't even have water!" she adds.
Customer concern
Although the shortages began with the outbreak of the pandemic, they have worsened since Brexit came into force on January 1, comments Toma. According to her, customers have begun to worry and they sometimes "blame" us for the shortages of some products.
As the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) says "it will take at least 18 months to train enough heavy-duty drivers" to end the delivery problems. The CBI has called on the government to be more flexible in its immigration policy.
As they wait, transport companies compete with each other by offering bonuses or salary increases in order to attract truck drivers.
Supply problems this summer forced automakers to suspend production due to a lack of electronic components, while construction companies found themselves without materials.
In recent weeks, shortages have also reached McDonald's restaurants, Wetherspoon pubs, and even Coca Cola factories, as well as Ikea stores. And the British Government is under pressure to find solutions so that consumers do not find empty shelves during the Christmas holidays.
Source: AMPE
