There will be enough turkeys for Christmas, says British Poultry Council boss
Though the UK will not face a severe shortage of turkeys this Christmas, choices will be limited, according to the head of the British Poultry Council (BPC).
The shortage of the festive bird has been a symptom of the country’s current labour shortage, which has seen fewer retail staff, butchers and meat processing plant workers.
Though the government’s temporary visas for 5,500 staff from abroad has eased some of the poultry pressure, BPC boss Richard Griffiths explained, according to Sky News.
Griffiths said: “There will definitely be enough turkeys for Christmas.
“I think there will be a focus on whole birds and very simple crowns and roasts,” he added. “This streamlining of our products choice has helped us in terms of overall volume.”
Last week, market researcher Kantar found that there had been a slim supply of frozen turkeys in supermarkets across the country.
Around 18 per cent of stores stocking the Christmas dinner staple in the UK had either “low” stock or “none” at all.
Senior investment analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, Susannah Streeter said: “Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without turkey on the table, as the birds are flying out of the deep freeze faster than supermarkets can stock up again.
“Consumers have taken warnings to heart about the potential for a big gap on the festive menu and many have been stocking up many weeks before the big day.”