Crisis plea by food and drink sector

Food and drink organisations have warned the sector faces an employment crisis, with businesses in jeopardy and the risk of significant disruption over Christmas.

In a plea to the Scottish and UK governments for “immediate help”, representatives for the Scottish food and drink industry say recruitment problems caused by Brexit and the pandemic mean the sector is “rapidly approaching a crisis”.

A joint letter from eight organisations calls on the UK Government to introduce a 12-month Covid recovery visa for the food and drink supply chain to deal with immediate pressures on the industry and allow employers to expand recruitment to overseas workers, as well as waiving employment visa fees for the sector until 2022.

The Scottish Government is also asked to work with the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership to continue to promote the industry and support apprenticeships and other support schemes.

The letter, signed by groups including the Scotland branches of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Scottish Seafood Alliance and Scottish Wholesale Association, states: “We are writing collectively to highlight the recruitment crisis in the food and drink sector in Scotland.

“Both Brexit and the pandemic have accelerated existing pressures on labour availability.

“We have now reached crisis point putting the growth, viability and security of many Scottish businesses in jeopardy, with knock-on impacts for consumers. We need action now to save Christmas.”