The UK food and drink sector is calling on Boris Johnson's government to introduce a 12-month COVID-19 Recovery Visa to help ease workforce shortages that are causing serious disruption across the supply chain.
The report, commissioned by an alliance of 12 leading food industry bodies, including the British Frozen Food Federation, was sent to government ministers on Friday, highlighting the impact the pandemic and the UK’s post-Brexit immigration policy is having on the sector’s ability to recruit key workers.
It highlights an average vacancy rate of 13 percent and estimates more than 500,000 vacancies across food and drink businesses.
