Above all, try to reassure to avoid panic purchases. Petrol stations run by Britain’s BP and its US competitor ExxonMobil have closed in the UK due to fuel shortages amid delivery problems in the country caused by the lack of truck drivers.
Hydrocarbon giant BP said on Thursday (September 23) that“A small number” of its petrol stations in the UK had “Temporarily closed due to shortages of unleaded fuel and diesel”.
In a statement, the group admits “Suffer from gasoline supply problems in certain UK sales sites”, caused by “Delivery delays due to shortages of truck drivers across the UK”.
For its part, the American giant ExxonMobil, owner of the Esso stations, said that a ” small number “ of its 200 stations in Tesco supermarkets were also affected by the problem, according to the PA agency.
Avoid panic buying
These supply problems are due in part to the pandemic, which prompted many truck drivers, largely foreign, to return to their countries, while training centers for new drivers remained closed for months.
At the same time, the arrival of new drivers from the European Union is complicated by Brexit, with much more complex immigration formalities. BP says it is working to resolve these difficulties and give the “Priority for service stations on highways, major highways and sites with the highest demand”.
To avoid panic shopping at gas stations, the British government is trying to reassure by ensuring that there is “No shortage of fuel in the United Kingdom” and calling people to “Buy fuel normally”.
“We recognize the challenges facing the sector [logistique] and have taken steps to increase the availability of heavy truck drivers, facilitating procedures for new drivers and increasing the number of driver’s license tests ”, details a government spokesperson.