Britain’s stalling economy blamed on inflation and product shortages

Last quarter survey of 2021 shows firms worried about raised interest rates, and cash flow and debt issues, prior to plan B Covid rules

Britain's economic recovery stalled before the arrival of the Omicron variant of Covid and the dampening effect of the government's plan B restrictions on consumer spending in the Christmas shopping period, a wide-ranging company survey has found.

Businesses blamed spiralling inflation and shortages of imported goods for a decline in sales in the fourth quarter, which meant that an expansion during the spring and summer ground to a halt.