Why is there a fear of empty dairy shelves in UK?

According to British news site The Independent, Arla, the UK's largest dairy supplier, was unable to deliver to all stores last week. Arla supplies milk to around 2.400 stores in the UK every day. The company said last Saturday it could not deliver to 600 stores due to a shortage of drivers.

Ash Amirahmadi, managing director of Arla UK, said the supplier had regularly struggled to supply 1 in 10 stores in recent weeks. “I think when you're not able to supply 10% of the stores that expect to get milk every day, it's quite worrying. We're taking the problem very seriously. We're seeing the problem getting worse and it's "The shortage of drivers can turn into a crisis. We therefore ask the sector and the government to recognize and tackle the problem together."

Sign-up bonus
The sector is currently already offering bonuses to attract drivers. For example, Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket, has announced a £1.000 joining bonus for drivers who sign up before September. Arla also says transport companies have increased wages and are offering a £2.000 sign-on bonus.

Amirahmadi also emphasizes that a structural solution from the government is needed. For example, corona testing must be optimized. It is estimated that there are currently approximately 30.000 drivers still waiting to be tested. There should also be temporary visa changes that allow European drivers to enter to solve short-term shortages.  

Supermarket shelves
Consumers may experience problems when they want to buy milk in the store if the government does not act. They have already been warned of empty shelves due to supply chain shortages. Supermarket executives have even indicated that shelves could be empty for months if the current staffing crisis is not resolved.