Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown

''Just when we thought the days of pandemic panic buying were over, warnings that fuel and food could run short due to supply issues, risk sparking gridlock in supermarket car parks and forecourts once again.

The HGV driver shortage is rearing its head, with reports that BP may have to restrict deliveries of petrol and diesel to its service station network in the UK. It seems no amount of cash being bunged at drivers can magic more out of thin air, with log jams at driver testing sites, and no fast track visas offered for workers overseas. Refineries may be awash with fuel, with tankers available to take it but it seems BP can't fill the seats in the cab to ensure it ends up at forecourts.

Worries are also mounting at agricultural firms that a severe shortage of labour will stop food getting from farms to forks. The National Farmers Union is the latest to warn that there will be gaps on the shelves at supermarkets if the government doesn't grant emergency visas to overseas workers

This all seems far from idle speculation given the grim reading in today's ONS Business insights survey which showed that the transportation and storage industry had the lowest percentage of businesses currently trading in early September 2021, at 80%. The shortage of drivers has meant that haulage firms have simply had to cease trading because they can't fulfil jobs, even though everyone keeps knocking at the door.''

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Media Contact:

Susannah Streeter

Senior Investment and Markets Analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown

susannah.streeter@hl.co.uk

07527 384747

@StreeterNews

About us

Over 1.64 million clients trust us with £135.5 billion (as at 30 June 2021), making us the UK's largest digital wealth management service. More than 98% of client activity is done through our digital channels and over 600,000 access our mobile app each month.

Our purpose is to empower people to save and invest with confidence and help them build their financial resilience over the long-term. We provide a lifelong, secure home for people's savings and investments that offers great value and an incredible service making their financial life easy.

Clients rate our service highly, 90% say we are good, very good or excellent. Our expert research has been helping investors for almost 40 years through thick and thin.

In 2018, we also launched Active Savings, an online cash savings platform that lets savers move money easily between partner banks and building societies to help their money work harder without the hassle.

Find out more about HL and our history, what it's like to work with us, and how we support our community, including our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

.

(C) 2021 M2 COMMUNICATIONS, source M2 PressWIRE