Shortage fears: Wine and spirit bosses warn of Christmas delays thanks to lack of drivers
Brits face disappointment as deliveries of their favourite alcoholic drinks are being delayed due to the shortage of HGV drivers, a coalition of 49 wine and spirits companies has said.
Bosses from household names such as Campari and Bibendum Wines have today written to secretary of state for transport, Grant Shapps, calling for further action to tackle driver shortages in the run up to Christmas.
The letter, organised by trade body The Wine and Spirits Association (WSTA), calls for an extension of the temporary visa scheme for HGV drivers to at least one year.
Businesses also called on the government to “actively facilitate better routing of freight from ports and smaller UK-based driver networks for short-haul journeys.”
Bosses warned of the possibility of price hikes for consumers as businesses struggle to cope with increased costs of around seven per cent or more by freight forwarders to account for driver retention.
The WSTA’s members have battled with shipping times that are now up to five times longer than they were a year ago.
Drivers and vehicles “unpredictable” arrival times mean goods are “either not ready or are left waiting for collection,” the letter stated.
The letter continued: “As a particularly competitive industry, the inability to fulfil orders in a timely manner can result in the loss of business, as products can be easily replaced by comparable products from elsewhere in the world.”