Meat shortages on items like lamb chops could hit UK as staff shortages caused by Covid hit supplies

SHOPPERS could see a shortage of meat items like lamb chops and steaks because so many staff are being told to self-isolate due to Covid.

Trade body the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has warned that businesses are currently seeing a shortfall of up to one in 10 workers.

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Around 10% of the meat processing industry’s 97,000-strong workforce have been told to self isolate by the NHS Covid app.

The number of people being pinged by the app has created a widespread “pingdemic” that is threatening pubs and hospital staff too.

Now products that need high-level butchery skills – like lamb chops and steaks – could be in short supply because of it.

Handmade burgers and specialist sausages could also suffer too.

BMPA said that businesses are therefore having to cut down the range of products they’re offering because of the lack of staff.

A drop of 15% would create a critical staffing level that could threaten the food supply chain and trigger an intervention by the government to keep things moving.

Chief executive Nick Allen said: “If the UK workforce situation deteriorates further, companies will be forced to start shutting down production lines all together.”

It comes as 500,000 people are self-isolating everyday, with businesses – including Wetherspoons – having to close venues at short notice due to staff shortages.

Shops and boozers have been calling for the government to tweak the NHS Covid app to avoid it causing further chaos to staffing issues.

Meat isn’t the only fridge staple that could be in short supply this summer.

A shortage of Haribo sweets is expected to hit the UK this summer due to a lorry driver shortfall that could threaten Britain’s supermarket shelves.

Haribo confirmed it is “experiencing challenges” getting sweets into shops.

Meanwhile, a Cadbury 99p flake shortage hit the UK in May due to an unprecedented demand for the crumbly chocolate.

Cadbury confirmed to The Sun that supply has failed to keep up with a boom in demand for the ice-cream topping staple across the country and Ireland too.

The Sun revealed there was a national shortage of baby milk across shops including Tesco and Boots earlier this year.

Sainsbury’s warned shoppers about a national pet food shortage earlier this year.

Pedigree and Chappie dog foods were recently recalled over fears they could contain dangerous levels of vitamin D.

This post first appeared on thesun.co.uk