The lorry driver shortage is not going to be solved anytime soon either. This will affect the JIT aspect of supermarkets on a continuing basis. This is likely to lead to short term shortages of different products. Warnings are being made about toys for Xmas – get in early if you can.
Various unions are in a situation where, with job shortages, demand for wage rises will increase. This is already happening in the hospitality industry (which is notorious for low wages). Will these rising costs be passed on to the consumer, or will investors have to take a hit? In particular the NHS needs a proper pay rise to ensure the recruitment of more doctors and nurses to meet the shortfall and exhaustion rates present demands are causing.
Covid HAS NOT gone away. With tomorrow marking the Autumnal Equinox and the official start of autumn there was a definite chill in the air at 6am this morning. More people will be inside with closed windows so ideal conditions for the virus and ‘flu to spread. Even if the government suddenly finds it needs to go to plan B with mask wearing, etc., it is unlikely to be observed fully due to mixed messages.
Weather this winter – I have seen nothing yet to indicate anything. However I am sure there will be floods in some areas – there always is! Met Office prediction with zero certainty is for drier in the west and wetter in the east for the rest of the year. Snow in Somerset is always unlikely. However Sod’s law is that if we have energy problems we will also have a cold spell. I am not sure about folk law – the number of berries, etc. is dependent on spring conditions, so not a prediction of the winter ahead?