To solve its labor shortage, the UK food industry is importing more workers

The post-Brexit environment should have put pressure on employers to train British workers and raise wages. Instead, they're recruiting them from Europe.

The labor shortage in the UK is particularly apparent in its food industry. McDonald’s milkshakes, Nando’s chicken, and, potentially, Christmas turkeys are all among the items made scarce in Britain because of a lack of workers.

To alleviate the labor pressure confronting the post-Brexit industry, this weekend, the UK government said 5,000 foreign truck drivers and 5,500 poultry workers will be able to work in the UK for three months. The short-term recruitment will begin in October and last until Dec. 24.

The UK food industry relies on migrant workers. Of the 2 million European Union nationals working in the UK, about a fifth of them work in the food and beverage supply chain, according to a report from the Food and Drink Federation, an industry group. The migrant workers are particularly represented in manufacturing, shipping, and food services. Most seasonal agriculture also depends on EU workers, mainly from Bulgaria and Romania.

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