McDonald’s has stopped selling milkshakes and bottled drinks at nearly 1,300 restaurants in the United Kingdom as Brexit-related staff shortages and supply chain delays caused by the pandemic continue to slam companies.
“Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing some supply chain issues, impacting the availability of a small number of products. Bottled drinks and milkshakes are temporarily unavailable in restaurants across England, Scotland and Wales,” a spokesperson for the fast food giant said in a statement on Tuesday.
“We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank our customers for their continued patience. We are working hard to return these items to the menu as soon as possible,” the spokesperson added.
McDonald’s is the latest in a series of UK companies to see its supply chain strained because of the pandemic coupled with Brexit, this has contributed to a shortage of workers and introduced new trade barriers with the European Union.
Last week, Nando’s closed 45 of its UK restaurants due to a shortage of the chain’s signature peri peri chicken.
A shortage of truck drivers has contributed to supply disruption in Britain. The Road Haulage Association says the United Kingdom is short around 100,000 truck drivers, 20,000 of whom are EU nationals that left the country after Brexit. There’s also a shortage of workers in other parts of the food supply chain.
Supply chain blockages are harming the broader UK economy.
UK companies experienced a sharp slowdown in output growth in August, according to data published Monday by IHS Markit. Companies reported widespread constraints on business activity due to staff shortages and supply chain issues, with damage being done in both the manufacturing and services sectors.