Doncaster McDonald's hit as chain runs out of milkshakes at all its UK branches

The fast-food chain said supply chain issues had affected availability of a small number of menu items.

It said milkshakes and bottled drinks are temporarily unavailable in its 1,250 outlets in England, Scotland, and Wales.

The problems emerged because of low stock distribution caused by the continuing shortage of HGV drivers.

Firms from a number of sectors in the UK have been battling with a supply chain crisis due to a shortage of lorry drivers.

Earlier this month, a survey by the Road Haulage Association estimated there was a shortage of more than 100,000 drivers in the UK, out of a pre-pandemic total of about 600,000.

The industry body has said some 30,000 HGV driving tests did not take place last year because of the coronavirus pandemic, adding that a "historic" shortage in drivers had been exacerbated by changes to rules following Brexit.

More recently, drivers being told to self-isolate after being notified by the NHS Covid app have also added to the problem.

Last week, Nando's was forced to close about 50 of its restaurants after running out of chicken.

Rival KFC also warned recently that supply chain issues meant it was unable to stock some menu items.

Dairy giant Arla has had to cut back on milk deliveries to UK supermarkets because of a shortage of drivers, while sweet producer Haribo also reported problems resulting from a shortage of drivers.

A McDonald's spokesman said: "Like most retailers, we are currently experiencing some supply chain issues, impacting the availability of a small number of products. Bottled drinks and milkshakes are temporarily unavailable in restaurants across England, Scotland and Wales.

"We apologise for any inconvenience, and thank our customers for their continued patience. We are working hard to return these items to the menu as soon as possible."

Business groups representing the retail and transport sectors have been calling for the government to reverse its decision not to grant temporary work visas to drivers from the EU.