McDonald's milkshakes taken off the menu in the UK as supplies run out

McDonald's stopped selling milkshakes in its almost 1,300 fast-food outlets in the United Kingdom. Based on the reports, the staff shortages and delays in the supply chain due to the pandemic were the reasons for the move.

According to CNN Business, the staff shortage is related to Brexit but was not explained further. Aside from the milkshakes that McDonald’s was forced to temporarily pull out from its stores, the restaurant will also not be selling bottled drinks until the issues are solved.

"Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing some supply chain issues, impacting the availability of a small number of products,” the company’s spokesperson said in a statement.

“Bottled drinks and milkshakes are temporarily unavailable in restaurants across England, Scotland, and Wales. We apologize for any inconvenience, and thank our customers for their continued patience.”

McDonald's is the latest company in the U.K. to be affected by the tightened supply chain caused by Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic. The former also contributed to the worker shortage problem that has also hit the world-famous fast-food chain.

One of the worst hit by the same issues in the region was Nando’s. It was forced to close down 45 restaurants due to the shortage of its signature menu, which is the peri peri chicken.

McDonald’s said that it is facing supply chain issues, and this affects the availability of milkshakes and some other products. While it did not mention a specific reason as supply chain delay is broad, it seems that the issue mainly points to the lack of lorry drivers who deliver the goods.

The Independent reported that Arla, the Denmark-based dairy company, confirmed that it has stopped delivering milkshake mix to McDonald’s, which has led to the restaurant’s inability to sell the favorite cold beverage in its stores. It was added that the issue with the milkshake supply was first observed earlier this week when the burger joint had to take it off the menu list in all of its outlets in Great Britain.

“We are working closely with McDonald’s to ensure we support them as they navigate the supply chain issues faced by retailers across the UK,” Arla’s spokesman stated. “We are ready to support McDonald’s as soon as milkshakes return to the menu.”