British analysts and major retailers warn residents of the country that Christmas this year may turn out to be “unhappy” due to the limited choice of food and goods and rising prices for them. According to The Times, citing analysts, “not every family will be able to buy a turkey for the holiday table,” and imported toys and other gifts ordered from online stores may simply not be able to reach the UK on time. All this is due to the acute shortage of truck drivers and farm workers in the UK.
Commenting on the situation, Shore Capital analyst Clive Black told The Times: “I expect Christmas to be a consumer nightmare. There will be products on supermarket shelves, but there will obviously be a complete lack of choice. A labor shortage has meant that companies have not stocked enough turkeys and raised the required amount of crops, and the problem is exacerbated by a shortage of truck drivers. ” According to the analyst, the government itself created a crisis that could have been completely avoided. “And it’s not about Brexit. The point is the inept management of the economy, ”he said.
Representatives of the clothing retailer Next also warned of a possible rise in prices for goods and a possible decrease in the quality of services. The retailer expressed hope that “the government will take a more decisive approach to resolving the looming crisis of staff shortages in warehouses, restaurants, hotels, nursing homes and many seasonal industries.”
The Times reporters visited several large supermarkets to check the situation with the availability of goods. Sainsbury’s and Tesco, according to them, generally have enough goods, but the selection of vegetables is noticeably smaller, there are not many types of salads and ready-made dinners, and empty shelves were found in the pasta and bakery sections. Both stores had signs warning of possible disruptions in the supply of certain products and with apologies.
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