Convenience store shelves are being left empty due to shortage in delivery drivers

Convenience store shelves are being left empty because of a shortage in delivery drivers due to Covid and a reduction in hours they are allowed to work.   

The latest research warns that the problem is escalating as leading wholesalers struggle to cope with too few drivers available to carry out deliveries.

Spar wholesaler AF Blakemore has been forced to introduce caps on the amount of products that retailers are able to order as the lack of drivers has resulted in fewer wagons on the road and less capacity to transport goods between its depot and shops.

Trade magazine The Grocer said it understands that products are also being returned to the company’s Midlands Willenhall distribution centre as available drivers run out of hours in which they are allowed to drive.  

Blakemore Wholesale Distribution managing director James Russell believes that the Government’s reduction in the number of hours drivers are legally allowed to work has stopped them from returning to the UK. 

He said the problem had been caused by both Brexit and coronavirus as drivers returned to the EU in 2020 and have not been back.

The Government temporarily relaxed drivers’ rules in the UK last year from nine hours’ of driving a day to 11 because of the pandemic. 

However, the rules went back to normal on June 15 and distribution centres believe this encouraged drivers to look elsewhere for work.   

The Department for Transport (DfT) introduced the temporary and limited urgent relaxation of the enforcement of both the EU and GB drivers’ hours rules in England, Scotland and Wales, on March 23 last year.   

An independent Spar retailer supplied by the wholesaler told The Grocer: ‘Our shops look horrendous. We needed 40-50 cases of Foster’s last weekend and received three.’ 

The retailer said he would be forced to visit a rival cash and carry for the first time.

Blakemore Wholesale Distribution managing director James Russell said the problem had been caused by both Brexit and coronavirus as drivers returned to the EU in 2020 and have not been back, compounded further by the reduction of hours drivers are legally allowed to work.

Mr Russell told The Grocer: ‘Over recent weeks we have been subject to the same influencing factors as the rest of the industry. We understand via the Federation of Wholesale Distributors that 12per cent of the UK driver pool has repatriated, creating a significant shortfall.

‘The impact of this is not proportionate across the country. Our Talbot Green South Wales, and Hastings depots are operating as normal. The situation is more challenging in the Midlands where the driver demand is higher. ‘

The magazine said that the issue appears to be affecting wholesalers across the board. One Londis retailer also told The Grocer he was experiencing shortages.

Bestway Wholesale MD Dawood Pervez agreed the driver shortage was a concern.