Sainsbury’s: Expert discusses food shortage concerns
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In recent weeks, many food and drink companies have reported they are struggling with deliveries to shops due to a lack of workers, including lorry drivers. This has led to supermarkets not receiving all their stock, meaning some of their shelves have remained empty.
From water bottles to tinned tomatoes, British shops are currently faced with shortages on a number of products.
This is due to several different issues, including a lack of lorry drivers.
Haribo is the latest food brand to report it is struggling with supplies.
The company issued a note to customers, saying: “Haribo are experiencing an unprecedented and sustained surge in demand.
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“We are working flat out to manage the situation.
“We are faced with several challenges throughout our supply chain including a shortage of drivers.
“Whilst this demand is great news for the category and wider economy, it does mean we will have to review our activity plans with all our wholesale and retail partners to ensure the best availability possible is maintained.”
Haribo added it had no choice but to cancel the “upcoming promotions on our share size bag ranges, both £1 price marked packs and non-price marked” to protect availability on products.
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Additionally, a Haribo spokesperson said the company was “working with partners across the food and drink industry” to address the problem.
All Haribo sweets are affected, including Goldbears and Tangfastics.
Like many other manufacturers and retailers, Haribo is currently dealing with a shortage of lorry drivers.
This issue is due to several factors, including Brexit, the coronavirus pandemic, the dwindling of the furlough scheme, and the start of the summer holidays.
In a letter sent to Downing Street last week, calling the prime minister to act, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) said the number of HGV drivers had reduced by 100,000 since the start of the pandemic.
It also estimated that around 30,000 lorry driving tests did not take place last year due to the pandemic.
Furthermore, before the pandemic, many EU lorry drivers in the UK had been EU nationals, but they returned home when coronavirus struck.
Kate Shoesmith, Deputy Chief Executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, added: “They [EU citizens] have either sourced work in their home countries or they feel it’s not right to return to the UK, either because of Brexit or the pandemic.”
Haribo is not the only brand to have reported shortages on products in recent days and weeks.
Danone Waters, which owns bottled water brands Evian and Volvic, said: “We do not have the required amount of trucks and drivers to cover customer demand, this is due to a national shortage.
“As a result of this we have had to cancel or rebook many orders for delivery this week and next week. Apologies for the reduced service and availability impacts.”
A spokesperson for Nestlé Waters added the company had “experienced demand for our products increase beyond our expectations at this point in the season” over past months.
They explained: “We believe this is driven by the easing of national lockdown restrictions, and we have also been enjoying a warm British summer.
“This increase in demand has also had a knock-on effect on the haulage industry and we are experiencing shortages in the network servicing our supply, particularly for our international brands such as S. Pellegrino.”
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