One in three lorries on road is 'empty' as UK supermarkets shelves go bare

Around 31 per cent of lorries on the road are completely empty, claimed a media outlet recently, citing statistics from the Department of Transport amid reports of supermarket shelves going bare over the weekend across London and other parts of the country.

While around 31 per cent of lorries on the road are completely empty, those that contain goods are on average only 60 per cent full, claimed the publication.

The news comes as millions of Britons reportedly have been unable to buy essential food in the past fortnight, with one in three already having started stockpiling for Christmas.

Depleted supermarket shelves have been seen across London, with supplies of milk, bread, sandwiches and fizzy drinks running low in certain stores, The Mirror reported.

A nearly empty fresh fruit and veg section was also seen in an Asda store in Cardiff, where some of the freezer and fridge sections were completely empty.

Britain's supply chain is reportedly under extreme pressure due to the exodus of European truckers due to Brexit, leading to fuel shortages and empty shelves in supermarkets.

Ministers have stepped up their drive to avoid further lorry driver shortages by moving to create an additional 2,000 fast-track driver courses and reportedly, almost a million letters have gone out asking HGV licence-holders, who have left the industry, including bus drivers, to return.

As demand builds in the run-up to Christmas, business leaders have urged supermarkets to show greater collaboration to ease the burden on supply chains.

"The biggest choice every one of the major supermarkets has got this week is: are we going to have a survival of the fittest Christmas or are we going to all work together and try and get through Christmas,” the publication quoted Shane Brennan, chief executive of the Cold Chain Federation.

"The problem with the crisis is everyone fights to protect their own. So what you are finding is businesses fighting to protect the certainty of their own deliveries and that pushes against collaboration and co-ordination of efficiencies