A Liverpool restaurant owner says he “urges” customers to order their Christmas food and drink now to avoid problems with shortages.
With less than 10 weeks to go until Christmas, there are reports of stock shortages across the UK due to a lack of HGV drivers.
The Road Haulage Association estimates there is a shortage of more than 100,000 qualified lorry drivers across the UK and this is said to have affected the food and drink supply chain, plus other stores.
READ MORE: We visited Sainsbury's, Aldi, Tesco and Asda 10 weeks before Christmas to see how they were stocked
This week, the owner of much-loved Liverpool restaurant and deli Lunya has encouraged his customers to order now to avoid disappointment.
Peter Kinsella, who runs Lunya and Lunyalita in Liverpool city centre with his wife Elaine, says that the news people are seeing each day about food and drink shortages is “not scaremongering” and is actually “true”.
In a newsletter to Lunya fans, the owners said they had made the decision to order stock in advance - as long ago as June - to ensure their deliveries arrived on time, though some of it has not arrived just yet.
Peter said that they didn’t want to “take the risk of deliveries not turning up on time” but “would urge you to order now” to guarantee that customers get what they want.
In the newsletter, Peter wrote: “You cannot miss the news everyday about shortages of food and drink, both now and in the run up to Christmas. Believe us, it’s not scaremongering – it’s true.
“The one positive is that because small scale producers and small independents work slightly differently to the big stores, we have advance ordered all of our Christmas range (some as far back as June).
“Most of it has arrived already (with some to arrive in the next two weeks). Usually, we order every week right up to Christmas. This year, we could not take the risk of deliveries not turning up on time.
“We have taken a big risk in getting it in all at once so early (we really hope you like it and buy plenty of it or we’re in trouble!) – but it ensures that your Lunya treats are guaranteed.
“We would urge you to order now (this guarantees your stock) and we will deliver your ambient food and drink (that which doesn’t need to be refrigerated or frozen) in the next few weeks, so it is safe in your own home (you can still choose a date closer to Christmas – but it ensures it is safe in your hands and helps us with storage).
“You can order your refrigerated and frozen food separately to arrive just before Christmas – we recommend ordering this at the end of October. If you order separately (ambient now and refrigerated/frozen later), we will send you a voucher code for free postage for your chilled order – in the notes section of the online checkout, please just ask for a chilled order postage voucher.
“The key message is to order now to guarantee stock. Even with the huge quantities we have, we will run out (but just at the right time)!”
You can read the full newsletter here.
Lunya is based at 55 Hanover Street and is open seven days a week.
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