56 per cent of Britons have now noticed food shortages in their local shops or supermarkets, as Brexit-caused supply chain problems continue.
The figures are up from 45 per cent in mid August, and 36 per cent in late July, according to YouGov polls.
Of the 56 per cent, the age group which most noticed the shortages are those aged over 50.
Reactions
The figures have triggered various reactions from Twitter users.
Chris Armstrong said: “All those countries who fought wars against Britain must be kicking themselves finding out that all they needed to do was wait for us to shoot ourselves in the dick because some newspaper editors told us to.”
And Colin Alston noted: “Over 52 per cent. Is that the beginning of a national awakening?”
Nik Traykov added: “Up from 48 per cent who noticed it in 2016.”
All those countries who fought wars against Britain must be kicking themselves finding out that all they needed to do was wait for us to shoot ourselves in the dick because some newspaper editors told us to. https://t.co/tgWP5snCot
— Chris Armstrong (@DrCDArmstrong) September 4, 2021
Over 52%.
— COLIN ALSTON (@COLINALSTON1) September 3, 2021
Is that the beginning of a national awokening? https://t.co/Ad1eEULKC3
Up from 48% who noticed it in 2016. https://t.co/a73TFcCkZa
— Nik Traykov (@niktraykov) September 2, 2021
One Twitter user said: “But…blue passports!”
Another joked: “Leave voters FINALLY realise that they DIDN’T actually know what they were voting for. “
“It must be hard for those who believe in Brexit but don’t believe in covid to now blame covid for this. But since their covid denial as well as their Brexit belief exist purely in their imaginations, they will still find a way to do it,” another added.
But…blue passports!#FBPE https://t.co/mlzVHJtLp4
— Nicola, you’re on mute ? (@smartcrass) September 3, 2021
Leave voters FINALLY realise that they DIDN’T actually know what they were voting for. https://t.co/TrgOlyTAvJ
— Prof AC Wailing #FBPE #HDTV 350% #PARODY (@AcWailing) September 3, 2021
It must be hard for those who believe in Brexit but don’t believe in covid to now blame covid for this.
— John ? ?? (@UK_Centrist) September 3, 2021
But since their covid denial as well as their Brexit belief exist purely in their imaginations, they will still find a way to do it. ? https://t.co/etSDbF8knX pic.twitter.com/8gduqnYMLH
Last month, the army was ready to step in to tackle UK’s lorry drivers shortage, which is one of the leading causes of food shortages.
Rejecting EU workers
Around 100,000 truck drivers, previously made up primarily of Eastern Europeans, have left the government desperately trying to fill the vacancies because of post-Brexit rules.
But although transport minister Grant Shapps admitted the road freight sector faces “historic shortages” he said: “I do not support using foreign labour to tackle a long-standing issue in the haulage industry.”
Shapps insisting leaving the European Union has provided the UK with the “opportunity to introduce a new immigration system while building a more resilient domestic workforce”.
Among measures the government did take to tackle the shortages are the relaxation of tests for lorry drivers, as well as a “temporary extension” of drivers’ working hours.
Both measures have sparked fears over the safety of UK roads, but were hailed as a benefit from “increased post-Brexit sovereignty”, according to The Independent.
Supermarket worker on missing deliveries
In July, an Italian woman working for a big British supermarket said for most of the week there are no deliveries and she had not seen anything like this in 12 years.
The woman, who works in the London area, said a friend who works for another supermarket is also missing deliveries.
She told The London Economic: “The truth is, I don’t know what is going on, we are getting a delivery and then we are not getting any deliveries for three-four days.
“The deliveries shortage is because of Brexit. I have been here 12 years and I have never seen this happening. Deliveries came before Brexit. During the pandemic, it was never this bad before.”
She added: “It’s not because of the pandemic because it has always worked last year.
“I have worked throughout the pandemic, I have never stopped when people started panic buying, we had some problems but because people bought everything, not because we didn’t have anything to sell like now.”
Related: ‘There are no deliveries because of Brexit,’ supermarket worker reveals