Country where 54% drink alcohol once a week can run out of liquor for Christmas

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London (CNN Business) -

UK stores could run out of wine and liquor before Christmas because there aren't enough drivers to make deliveries.

The warning was made in a letter sent by the UK Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WTSA) to UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last week.

It was signed by 48 members of the industry association, including champagne and cognac makers Moet Hennessy, owned by LVMH, and Laurent-Perrier.

"This is an urgent problem for our companies. And it is imperative that the [UK] Government take immediate action to help mitigate the impact of the driver shortage crisis before the Christmas period," the letter read.

The industry wants help with a better cargo route from ports, as well as more regular updates from the government on how quickly it processes driving tests and heavy vehicle (HGV) licenses.

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He also urged the government to extend for a year a temporary visa program that allows foreign drivers to cover long-term deficits.

The three-month program will expire on February 28 of next year.

"We are already seeing significant delays in delivery times for wines and spirits. That is driving up costs and limiting the range of products available to UK consumers," WSTA CEO Miles Beale said in a statement. .

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Alcohol consumption in the UK

In 2019, 54% of adults in England reported drinking alcohol at least once a week, according to research by the UK Parliament.

The beverage industry association said some of its members took up to five times longer to import wine and spirits than a year ago.

He also said that rising costs have been passed on to importers as freight forwarders have to pay more for scarce drivers.

Ed Baker, managing director of wine distributor Kingsland Drinks, said his company fills about 185 million bottles of wine each year.

This equates to "roughly 1 in 8 bottles" that is drunk in the UK.

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The backlog of deliveries has meant that container spaces on rail axes are in high demand, it said in a statement.

"Normally we would expect to have between 80 and 100 tank spaces, but right now we can have between 10 and 20. This is limiting the amount of liquid that reaches our plant. And it adds to the shortage of heavy vehicle drivers who carry out the tests. deliveries, "Baker said.

What the government says

The UK government said in a statement that it did not expect any disruptions to the alcohol supply this Christmas.

"The Government acted swiftly to address the challenges to our supply chains, which were caused by global pressures. This includes the pandemic and the international shortage of heavy vehicle drivers," said a government spokesman.

The truck driver shortage sparked a fuel crisis earlier this year, with many gas stations closed and long lines where they were lucky enough to get supplies.

In September, the UK government deployed Army fuel tankers to fill fuel supply gaps.

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Supply chain shortages and crises

Supermarkets have also been struggling for months to keep their shelves fully stocked.

This, amid a crisis in the supply chain caused by the pandemic and a shortage of workers caused in part by the country's exit from the European Union.

Some EU workers left after Brexit.

And farms, food processing factories and transport companies are no longer able to hire staff from the European Union due to new UK immigration rules.

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The government issued 5,000 temporary visas for foreign drivers.

But the UK Road Transport Association has said Britain needs 100,000 more drivers to keep up with demand.

Farmers, bankers, retailers, logistics companies and restaurateurs warned the government in recent months that stricter immigration rules implemented after Britain left the European Union made it difficult for them to find workers and keep their businesses running.

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