British magazine devoted to grocery sales The Grocer has been reporting product shortages in the convenience trade, notably on the drinks side, as the HGV driver crisis has coincided with the reopening of pubs and restaurants, hot weather and the UEFA Euro 2021.
“The problem is spreading like wildfire. While Morrisons has managed to avert the cancellation of wholesale supply deals at the 11th hour, driver shortages are now affecting supply to supermarkets, with a growing number of fresh produce deliveries cancelled, while food waste soars as deliveries are focused on supermarket replenishment,” the article explains.
Ken Murphy, the Chief Executive of Britain’s largest supermarket, Tesco, has admitted his company is having to “work hard” to keep up with the shortfall, while some wholesalers say they have already reached crisis point.
Fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk states it’s not surprising the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) is calling for army drivers to be put on standby to protect vulnerable communities where food deliveries are at risk. It says fresh produce suppliers are already being forced to dump supplies of fruit and vegetables for lack of delivery drivers.