London, Nov 11 (FN Bureau) The United Kingdom’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 1.3 percent from July to September, down from a 5.5 percent growth in the previous three months, as supply chain issues took their toll on the economy, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported on Thursday. “UK gross domestic product (GDP) is estimated to have increased by 1.3 percent in Quarter 3 (July to September) 2021. This follows the 5.5 percent increase in the previous quarter, where there was an easing in many of the coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions,” the ONS said.
The agency noted that the quarterly GDP in the UK is now 2.1 percent below pre-pandemic levels, adding that the largest contributors to this increase were the hospitality, arts and recreation and health sectors. Driver deficit in the UK led to shortage of fuel at gas stations and food products at supermarket shelves in September, forcing the government to put soldiers at the wheel of tanker trucks and issue 10,000 temporary visas to foreign truck drivers and poultry workers to solve the issue with the supply chain. The government has blamed the shortage on the suspension of 40,000 trucker training tests during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the Road Haulage Association claimed that around 20,000 foreign drivers left the country after Brexit put an end to the free movement of persons between the European Union and the UK.