JD Wetherspoon has suffered shortages of some beer brands due to a lack of lorry drivers, compounded by strike action, in the latest disruption to hit the UK’s food and drink supply chains.
Following posts on social media showing warnings of shortages in pub windows, the chain confirmed that it was “experiencing some supply problems with both Carling and Coors, which means that some pubs do not have the products available”. It apologised to customers.
Wetherspoon said that the problem stemmed from industrial action by drivers supplying another brand. “As a result of a shortage of deliveries of Heineken, some other products ran out in some locations,” it said. “We understand that the industrial action we refer to has now been called off, which, we hope, means that the supply issues will be resolved in early course.”
About 1,000 so-called draymen, who are members of the Unite union, voted for strike action and an overtime ban in August, but have since accepted a revised pay offer. A 24-hour strike scheduled for Thursday has been called off.
Wetherspoon added: “As of today the majority of pubs, we believe, are now fully stocked but some pubs may be short of a few brands, pending deliveries in the next few days.”
The chain did not mention the general shortage in lorry drivers which is plaguing supply chains but Molson Coors, which brews both Carling and Coors in the UK, said there were “intermittent pockets of pressure in our supply network that are unfortunately affecting a number of Wetherspoons pubs”.
“We’re working around the clock with our customers and third-party logistics partners to ensure we minimise any impact to our customers,” the US-owned company added.
The problems are the latest to afflict food and drink supplies in the UK, which is short of up to 100,000 lorry drivers due to a combination of a backlog of heavy goods vehicle driving tests, changes to UK tax rules and the return of many EU-based drivers to their home countries during the pandemic.
Greene King, another brewer, has also reported difficulties in keeping pubs supplied with beer, which is bulky and heavy to transport.
Last month restaurant operators Nando’s and McDonalds reported supply issues with fresh chicken and milkshakes, while retailers have battled to keep stores fully stocked with less freight capacity than usual at their disposal.
Many in the food, retail and hospitality industries have advocated a temporary easing of immigration rules to allow European drivers back into the UK, allowing more time to recruit and train British drivers. The government has repeatedly ruled this out.
Lord Simon Wolfson, the chief executive of clothing chain Next, earlier described Whitehall’s stance as “insane”.
“We need to look at the policies we have to make sure the people who want to come to Britain and have the skills we need can get here,” said Wolfson, a Conservative peer who — like Wetherspoon founder and executive chair Tim Martin — was one of the few high-profile business figures to campaign for the UK to leave the EU.
“Despite the fact that everyone knows we desperately need drivers, the Home Office is still preventing people coming to this country to work as drivers,” he told LBC radio yesterday.
“I personally don’t think that’s a problem with Brexit, it’s a problem with the way our immigration system is being run.”
Source: Economy - ft.com
