U.K. Faces Food Shortages as Worker Scarcity Gets Worse
- Return to eating out in U.K. magnifies shortage of staff
- Industry groups warn of rising costs and food shortages
Photographer: Hasan Esen/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
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From abattoirs to restaurant kitchens, the U.K. food sector is facing a massive challenge this summer: there just aren’t enough workers.
The food industry, already facing labor shortages because of Brexit and the pandemic, is now being stretched to capacity as the country reopens. Meat processors are cutting production and a “catastrophic” dearth of drivers is disrupting food deliveries to supermarkets. Warehouses and farms are short of labor too, threatening to choke food supply flows, while local pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants are having to restrict service and boost wages for chefs and waiting staff.