Greggs, Costa and Subway latest to be hit by product shortages

26 August 2021, 09:31

Supply chain issues are continuing to affect various high street chains, with Greggs, Costa and Subway becoming the latest to face problems.

Greggs is one of many high street food chains facing a lack of products, as it struggles to restock ingredients.

The supply issues are mainly impacting chicken products, but other menu items such as corned beef bakes are also affected.

The company said it is struggling with "temporary interruptions" to the supply chain, but hastened to reassure customers.

A spokesperson said: "There are no current supply issues with our chicken bakes and our customers can continue to enjoy these as they usually would.

"Unfortunately, like others, we're seeing temporary interruptions in supply for some ingredients which occasionally results in shops not being able to maintain full availability on all lines.

"However, we have a wide range of choices in our menu for customers happy to buy an alternative."

Read more: Co-op boss blames Brexit and Covid for the worst food shortages he's ever seen

Read more: McDonalds runs out of milkshakes amid disruption to supply chain

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Meanwhile, Costa is reportedly struggling with keeping stocks of decaffeinated coffee, among other unspecified items.

Costa Coffee said on Twitter: "We are facing some supply chain issues just now. We're working hard to resolve this ASAP."

Sandwich shop Subway have also stated they are facing "minor supply chain shortages" which are affecting fresh produce, but they are working to ensure customers face minimal disruption.

A spokesperson said: "We appreciate that supply chain pressure is something a lot of the industry is experiencing at the moment.

Read more: Warning over Christmas pigs in blankets shortage due to post-Brexit supply problems

The high street has faced challenges with supply chain shortages in recent weeks. Reasons for this include a lorry driver shortage of around 100,000 drivers, the impact of coronavirus and Brexit.

McDonalds recently had to pull all milkshakes and bottled drinks from their menu, while Nando’s has faced issues with the supply of chicken.

Supermarkets have also been hit, with Co-op boss telling the Mirror that supply issues are "chronic".

Pictures of empty shelves have resurfaced in recent weeks following the so-called "pingdemic" which caused mass staff shortages in the industry. But far from resolving, these latest reports suggest that the problem is worsening.

Read more: KFC and Nando's chicken shortage 'crisis' caused by 'Brexit' poultry chief claims

Following the closure of many Nando’s and KFC stores, the chief executive of the British Poultry Council Richard Griffiths said that the shortages were the result of worker shortages caused by Brexit.

"When you don't have people, you have a problem - and this is something we are seeing across the whole supply chain. The labour crisis is a Brexit issue," said Mr Griffiths.