UK shoppers hit by taramasalata shortage due to strike

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Some UK supermarkets are grappling with a shortage of taramasalata after strikes disrupted production at a large supplier.

Two industry sources told the Financial Times that the shortages of the creamy spread, made from cod roe, were caused by industrial action over pay at Bakkavor.

The London-listed company is one of the UK’s largest makers of fresh food such as dips, soups, salads and ready meals. Employees at Bakkavor’s Spalding site in the Midlands launched strike action six weeks ago.

“There has been a short disruption to our supply of taramasalata, but drawing on the skills based across its 21 UK sites, production steps up again next week,” the company told the FT on Monday.

Tubs of own-brand taramasalata were out of stock online on Monday evening at retailers including upmarket chains Waitrose and Marks and Spencer, which both declined to comment.

Shoppers have been taking to social media to complain about availability issues at various retailers, with some customers saying there had been gaps on shelves for weeks.

Bakkavor added that the strikes would not affect food supply long-term and that its Christmas ranges were manufactured at the company’s other sites.

The British Retail Consortium, which represents the industry, acknowledged there were taramasalata availability issues but said that retailers were “adept at managing supply to ensure the impact on customers is kept to a minimum and they can purchase goods as normal”.

The Unite trade union has said that 700 of the Spalding factory’s 1,400 workers are currently on strike, however Bakkavor has countered that only 450 are not attending work.

According to the Unite union, workers at the company’s Spalding site are demanding a pay rise of 81p an hour — the union has said most workers at the site are paid £11.54 an hour.

In a statement issued last week, Donna-Maria Lee, chief people officer at Bakkavor, disputed Unite’s claim that the company had carried out years of real term pay cuts.

She said Bakkavor had increased pay at the Spalding site at “above inflation” over the past three years.