Covid-fuelled 'food shortage' hits McDonald's, KFC
McDonald's in the UK has been forced to take some items off the menu as a result of Covid-19 and post-Brexit supply problems.
The fast-food giant ran out of thickshakes and took them off the menu in all of the 1250 British restaurants, the Associated Press reported.
However, it's not just shakes, McDonald's is also suffering from a lack of bottled water.
“Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing some supply chain issues, impacting the availability of a small number of products,” McDonald’s said in a statement Tuesday.
“Bottled drinks and milkshakes are temporarily unavailable in restaurants across England, Scotland and Wales.”
The statement said the company is working to get the items back on the menu, apologising to customers and thanking them for their patience.
McDonald's isn't the only fast-food chain in the UK impacted by shortages.
Last week, Nando's was forced to shut down around 50 restaurants across the UK due to a chicken shortage, blaming staff shortages at suppliers, and a reduced number of truck drivers.
KFC also flagged there were supply issues, meaning it was unable to stock some menu items.
The fast-food woes are the latest in a series of shortages to parts and products in Britain blamed on a combination of Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic.
Britain’s exit from the European Union at the end of last year has made it harder for the bloc’s citizens to work in the UK, and businesses have also been hit by large numbers of employees having to self-isolate because of possible exposure to coronavirus.
The supply pressures have also been affecting supermarkets in recent weeks, while manufacturers have reported sharp increases in the prices of raw materials, PA reported.
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Business groups representing the retail and transport sectors have been calling for the government to review plans not to grant temporary work visas to drivers from the EU.
The pandemic has also seen a delay in new recruits taking their driving tests, the Road Haulage Association said.
An industry body said Britain is short about 100,000 drivers, from a total of 600,000, which was the norm before the global pandemic took hold.
With AP and PA
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