FAMILIES have been warned to buy Christmas toys early — or see kids disappointed.
Top sellers including Elf on the Shelf, Paw Patrol and Barbie figures are among those likely to be missing from shops.
6
6
6
The shortage of truckers has left imports piling up at ports
The warning came as supermarkets tried to disguise empty shelves and chiller cabinets by filling them with random items they do have — including HP sauce, salad cream and cooking oil.
Quality Street, Celebrations and Dairy Milk have been put in what would otherwise be empty fruit and veg sections.
An industry source said: “Retailers know there is some tension in the air and don’t want to see panic buying.”
Ministers have also begged shoppers to carry on as usual — and insisted the situation in ports, where shipments are piling up due to the lack of lorry drivers, is starting to improve.
But at Felixstowe in Suffolk, some 50,000 containers are waiting to be collected.
Toy retailers encouraged families to buy early. Gary Grant, boss of toyseller The Entertainer, said that shops are well-stocked right now but were anticipating problems in the weeks ahead.
The British Toy & Hobby Association said that manufacturers were working “around the clock” in time for Christmas.
As well as Barbies, Paw Patrol toys are said to be “prime candidates” for being in short supply.
A million Elf on the Shelf figures are waiting to be shipped out of China.
Robert Gliddon, owner of Gliddons Toy Shop in Sidmouth, Devon, urged shoppers to “buy now”.
Peter Wilson, group managing director of the Cory Brothers shipping agency, advised buying for Christmas in a “timely fashion”.
He said supply chains would not “fail” but warned people to be wary.
He told the BBC: “What I would say to the consumer is be sensible, think ahead, plan appropriately and order your Christmas goods and the items that you need in a timely fashion to ensure that you have them.
“There is a potential nearer to Christmas to see some items maybe not being available on the shelves but this supply chain will not fail.
“Christmas, the toys, the goods, will be the significant big selling point as we build up to Christmas, and I think that is where we are going to get pinch points.”
Doug Bannister, chief executive of the Port of Dover, told Times Radio: “I don’t feel particularly Grinchy . . . but I do wonder if my wife needs to pre-buy some early Christmas presents for the kids.”
Meanwhile, supermarket bosses are having to prioritise what deliveries they do get. As a result, most have meat and veg, but are cutting back on items such as bottled water or a full range of pastas.
Gaps are often plugged with whatever there is plenty of. An industry source said: “Some of these more silly options — like chocolates where there should be veg or chillers full of salad cream — are not something coming from head offices. It shows staff just thinking a bit outside the box.
There is a potential nearer to Christmas to see some items maybe not being available on the shelves but this supply chain will not fail.
Peter Wilson
“Clearly, they are not going to hoodwink customers. And, to be honest, some of it is just busy and sometimes stressed staff having some fun and hoping it will make customers laugh.”
At a Tesco Extra in Cardiff, a large display of sunflower oil had been put at the end of a frozen food aisle.
Gran Barbara Davies, 71, said: “It feels like items have been plonked in odd places where other products would normally be. Why would they put so many bottles of sunflower oil right next to all the frozen food? It does make me worry about what Christmas might look like.”
Shopper Val Lewis, 62, was stunned when she was met with a wall of tomatoes where a range of salad items would normally be at her local Tesco in Pontypridd, South Wales.
She said: “I couldn’t believe it. Where there was meant to be lettuce and cucumber, all there was for sale were tomatoes, tomatoes and more tomatoes. Clearly they didn’t want empty spaces so put tomatoes there instead.”
Recruiters warned of shortages of seasonal workers thanks to a huge number of job vacancies.
And according to the British Chamber of Commerce, 92 per cent of firms in the hotels and catering sector reported difficulties recruiting in the last quarter, along with 75 per cent of service sector firms — the highest levels in 20 years.
This year’s surge in seasonal vacancies, which typically peaks in October and November, has come later than usual too, they said.
Earlier this week shipping giant Maersk said it was diverting vessels away from UK ports back to Europe — with a Dunkirk-style flotilla of small boats in operation to get goods across the Channel to other ports.
Referring to the US Armed Forces’ alert grades, ParcelHero’s head of consumer research David Jinks said: “The problems at Felixstowe mean Christmas 2021 is now at Defcon 2.”
But asked about potential Christmas shortages, Tory chairman Oliver Dowden stressed: “The situation is improving. I’m confident that people will be able to get their toys for Christmas.
“Some people buy very early for Christmas, my wife is quite an early Christmas buyer, others buy later. I would say just buy as you do normally.”
Asked if Father Christmas would visit, he added: “Yes, I have children myself and they can be comfortable on that front.”
6
6
6
Rishi Sunak admits there will be shortages at Christmas because ‘we can’t wave a magic wand’
