UK could face alcohol shortage in run up to Christmas, trade group warns

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association wrote to Britain’s transport minister urging him to take action as driver shortages cause long delivery delays for alcohol

In a statement to the media, the British government said it had ‘acted quickly’ to tackle supply chain challenges and doesn’t anticipate any alcohol disruptions

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson holding a pint of beer. Photo: Jacob King/PA Wire/dpa

Published: 1:46pm, 28 Nov 2021

The United Kingdom could face a shortage of alcohol ahead of Christmas as the country deals with limited delivery drivers, The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has warned.

WSTA wrote to UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps asking him to take action amid shortages of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers, with 49 of Britain’s wine and spirit businesses signing on to the letter, WSTA said in a press release.

“There is mounting concern amongst our membership that unless urgent action is taken, we will fall deeper into delivery chaos,” WSTA CEO Miles Beale said in the release.

A learner driver and instructor prepare for an HGV driving test at a centre in south London. Britain is facing a shortage of HGV drivers. Photo: AFP

In a statement, the British government said it does not anticipate any alcohol disruptions.

“The government acted quickly to tackle the challenges to our supply chains, which were brought on by global pressures including the pandemic and the international shortage of HGV drivers,” it said in a statement to CNN.

WSTA said that some of its wine and spirit businesses reported it is taking five times as long to import products compared to last year and businesses are now taking 15 days to process shipment orders compared to just two or three days in the past.