Supermarkets stocking shelves with Lynx instead of Christmas products after delivery issues
Supermarkets are filling shelves with deodorants in order to make shops look stocked.
Speaking to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) committee, Food and Drink Federation boss Ian Wright said shortages of HGV drivers had resulted in some “extraordinary” scenes.
The food boss was keen to stress that the country was “not going to run out of food” at the session, which was looking at the impact of supply chain delays.
While supermarkets would usually stock seasonal food items for customers to see on entering the shop, this year things are a bit different.
“Now, you can walk in and see a massive display of Lynx deodorant,” Wright said.
“Now that isn’t because the nation has suddenly got itself really smelly. That’s what they have got in profusion so they are sticking it on the shelves to make it look good.”
Food categories to struggle with delivery issues in recent months have included poultry and pork businesses.
Bulkier items – such as bottled water – have also been missed off deliveries in order to save space in vehicles while the soft drink sector has faced its own challenges after a CO2 shortage.
Despite shelves looking different this autumn, retail chiefs have been eager to reassure customers and to urge them to not panic buy for the festive season.
Morrisons’ chairman recently downplayed concerns over the supermarket supply chain this Christmas.
Andy Higginson said he was “not worried” about the challenges arising from a shortage of goods drivers and reports forecasting empty shelves this autumn, the BBC reported.
The supermarket boss said problems in the supply chain were “well publicised” and “slightly overblown”.
Tesco’s chairman John Allan has also reassured shoppers that they will not “have a terrible Christmas” and did not need to panic buy any items.
“So much effort is going into averting that,” he added.
“We’re probably looking at, for food overall…mid-single digit increases which is much higher than we’ve had in recent years,” Allan, told ITV