Food shortages at worse level than I have ever seen, says Co-op boss
Co-operative Group chief executive Steve Murrells said the retailer has significantly reduced its range of some products.
![Co-op boss Steve Murrells has said the current food shortages are the worst he has seen (Neil O’Connor/UNP/PA)](https://static.independent.co.uk/2021/08/25/11/29150448-96dcde2d-64be-4f18-8b16-8d3595574542.jpg)
Support truly
independent journalism
Our mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.
Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.
Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.
![Louise Thomas](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/louise-thomas.png)
Louise Thomas
Editor
The boss of one of the UK’s biggest retailers has warned that current food shortages are at a “worse level” than he has ever seen.
Steve Murrells, chief executive of the Co-operative Group said the retailer has significantly reduced its range of some products to help serve customers.
He told the Times newspaper: “The shortages are at a worse level than at any time I have seen.”
Mr Murrells said the disruption to supply has been driven by “Brexit and issues caused by Covid”, and the firm is retraining staff as lorry drivers to help fill vacant roles.
Road haulage bosses have said there is a shortfall of around 100,000 drivers, partly caused by the exit from the UK during the pandemic of thousands of EU drivers who have not yet returned.
Industry groups have also said training for new drivers is taking months, making the shortfall in numbers difficult to resolve quickly.
Labour shortages, which have also affected meat packing and fruit picking jobs, have caused shops and fast food restaurants to struggle for stock.
Subway and McDonald’s are some of the latest victims of the shortages.
Sandwich shop chain Subway said it has seen “minor supply chain shortages” but stressed that it has ensured that disruption to customers is minimal.
Meanwhile, McDonald’s ran out of milkshakes in most of its UK restaurants due to the ongoing supply problems.
The burger chain has also been left without bottled drinks across its 1,250 outlets in England Scotland and Wales as the lorry driver shortage takes its toll.
A spokesman said the group is “working hard to return these items to the menu”.
It comes a week after restaurant chain Nando’s shut almost 50 restaurants because of reduced chicken supplies.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.