Extend UK trucker visa scheme to avoid Christmas disappointment - retail industry

LONDON (Reuters) - Christmas 2021 will be disappointing for millions of British households unless the government extends a new visa scheme to allow foreign truck drivers into the country, the retail industry's lobby group said on Tuesday.

"Christmas is about more than just food, so to avoid disappointment for millions of households during the festive season we urge the government to rapidly extend this programme, both in size and scope, to HGV drivers in all sectors of the retail industry," said Andrew Opie, director of food & sustainability at the British Retail Consortium.

He warned it would take many months before there are enough new British drivers to cover the shortfall.

(Reporting by James Davey and Guy Faulconbridge, Editing by Alistair Smout)