Chicken producers blame Brexit for staff and supply shortages

Government urged to relax UK immigration rules after one in six jobs left unfilled since EU departure

The British Poultry Council has said food producers are facing serious staff shortages because of Brexit as this week's partial closure of the Nando's chain threw the spotlight on problems made worse by the fallout from Covid.

The trade association said its members, which include 2 Sisters Food Group - the country's largest supplier of supermarket chicken, said one in six jobs were unfilled as a result of EU workers leaving the UK after Brexit.