Greggs is the latest food chain to fall victim to nationwide chicken supply shortages.
It’s been reported today by PoliticsHome that the same poultry supplies issue that caused around 50 Nando’s restaurants to close across the UK last week has now similarly afflicted the ever-popular bakery chain Greggs – which has over 2,000 branches across the UK, and plans to open a further 100 shops before the year is out.
The Greggs menu has several items containing chicken, including the much-loved chicken bake.
The chargrill chicken oval bite, and several chicken-filled baguettes are also said to be affected, but the bakery chain has stressed that despite the ongoing supply chain disruption, its broad menu meant it had been able to mitigate the impact.
A combination of post-Brexit restrictions and COVID-19 disruption have caused shortages of workers in several industries.
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Addressing the wider issue, Richard Griffiths – Chief Executive of the British Poultry Council – said that members had reported a 5-10% drop in weekly chicken production as a result of workforce issues.
“They are currently producing a reduced range of products for UK customers, and are seriously concerned that the supply of staple chicken products will be impacted,” Griffiths said.
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“When you don’t have people, you have a problem – and this is something we are seeing across the whole supply chain.”
The Greggs menu has several items containing chicken, including the much-loved chicken bake / Credit: TripAdvisor | Greggs
Rod McKenzie from the Road Haulage Association also told the BBC earlier this week that: “We’ve lost 20,000 European drivers, then COVID meant that 40,000 driver tests haven’t happened.”
He added the shortfall, combined with Brexit-related border disruption, represents a “real and present danger” to UK industry.
The UK government has been urged to grant 10,000 temporary visas to EU drivers in a bid to make up the shortfall, however it is currently resisting and instead arguing that companies should concentrate on training up British workers.
A spokesperson for the Home Office said: “The British people repeatedly voted to end free movement and take back control of our immigration system.
“Employers should invest in our domestic workforce instead of relying on labour from abroad.”
Featured Image – Pinterest
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Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation to open in Manchester city centre
Emily Sergeant
Cult US sustainable clothing brand Reformation is set to open its doors in Manchester very soon.
Since it was first founded in Los Angeles all the way back in 2009, Reformation has gone on to become one of the largest sustainable womenswear brands on the planet, and is now known and loved for making beautiful, timeless apparel and accessories that aim to ‘inspire confidence’ across life stages and occasions.
Operating on a business model that pairs a smart approach to merchandising with a responsive supply chain, Reformation now operates more than 70 retail stores across the US, UK, Canada, and France.
At the heart of the Reformation story is a genuine commitment to ‘doing things differently’.
Since day one, sustainability has been woven into everything the brand makes – from the eco-certified fabrics and responsible factories, to its famously transparent sustainability reports.
Currently, Reformation has five UK stores to its name – but, it may come as no surprise to fans of the brand that they’re all in London.
That’s why the news of this new Manchester opening is such a big deal.
Set to be the label’s first UK store outside of the capital, Reformation has secured a prime spot on King Street in the heart of the city centre, and although there’s no confirmed opening date as of yet, if the shop windows saying ‘Summer 2026’ are anything to go by, we can only imagine it’ll be very soon.
“For Manchester, it’s a landmark moment, and for King Street, it’s the latest signal that this is one of the UK’s most exciting retail destinations,” a spokesperson for King Street said in a statement.
Stay tuned for details on opening dates to be announced in due course.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
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Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis
Emily Sergeant
A series of ‘everyday fixes’ to help combat the rising cost of living crisis are soon to be rolled out nationwide.
Kicking off with two measures today, new Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that he plans to ban retailers from making ‘misleading’ claims to customers about discounts.
The Government says shoppers have ‘increasingly complained’ about outlets artificially inflating prices to give a false sense of value, such as increasing prices only to then immediately advertise ‘discounts’ to make savings look larger than they really are, which goes on to create an uneven playing field for honest competitors.
The Prime Minister also wants to see an end to so-called ‘subscription traps’, where people find it hard to cancel their subscriptions, and contracts are automatically renewed at a higher cost.
Set to come into force in January 2027 and saving people an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription, the changes will mean businesses will need to provide clearer up-front information, regular reminders. and a ‘much easier’ exit to contracts.
Andy Burnham to begin rolling out new ‘everyday fixes’ for Brits amid cost of living crisis / Credit: gov.uk | Piotr Cichosz (via Unsplash)
A new 14-day cooling-off period will also be introduced to let consumers cancel after a trial or long-term contract renews.
Certain charitable memberships, like the ones for cultural and heritage organisations for example, will be excluded from the new subscription rules due to the fact they have a unique role in preserving the nation’s history, landscapes, and cultural collections.
The Prime Minister says he is ‘determined’ to use every chance he gets to restore fairness and take pressure off people.
“I know people are sick and tired of rip-off discounts and subscription traps,” Andy Burnham said. “Westminster has got used to telling people that everyday hassles like this are just part of life, but I don’t think that’s right, especially when the cost of living continues to weigh heavily on so many people’s lives.”
Emily Sergeant -
25th August 2021 
