Supply shortages impacting drinks and construction

Pubs are the latest hospitality operators to raise concerns over shortages of certain drinks, with Greene King suffering supply issues in Scotland and City Pub Group running dry of Prosecco, it has been reported.

Earlier this week it emerged that McDonald’s had been forced to remove milkshakes and bottled drinks from its 1,250 UK outlets, while shortages of chicken and packaging have blighted Nando’s and KFC this month.

While shortages of materials and labour are also spreading to other industries such as construction, which could impact operators’ plans for refurbishments.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Clive Watson, executive chair of City Pub Group, said the shortages mean that for businesses such as pubs, refurbishing or opening new sites has become impossible.

“People are focusing on chicken and milk because it’s topical. The big worry is the staff and the construction bottlenecks,” he said. “It has already held up our plans for opening new pubs. We can’t open a new pub [in Swansea] until late September, which means we will totally miss the season.”