McDonald’s reassures customers after signs in store warned of post-Brexit ingredient shortages

The signs appeared in a London branch of the Big Mac chain

(Getty Images)

McDonald’s has reassured customers over post-Brexit food supplies, after signs were placed in the fast food restaurant warning items could be unavailable from the new year.

The signs, which were seen by customers in the McDonald’s Penge branch in south London on Wednesday, said that some fresh ingredients, such as salad and tomatoes, could be missing from menu items.

It read: "Due to supply challenges following Brexit, some of our menu may be unavailable or have ingredients missing e.g. lettuce, tomato.

"Please ask a member of staff for further details."

But McDonald’s confirmed to The Independent that the posters had been distributed as a contingency measure last week and the fast food chain is not now anticipating any supply issues related to Brexit or otherwise.  

It has also clarified with restaurant teams that the signs do not need to be displayed and could be taken down.

At 11pm on 31 December, the UK will end the one-year Brexit transition period and will have officially left the European Union single market.

There had previously been warnings from food suppliers that a no-deal Brexit would cause shortages on shelves and price hikes into 2021.  

But last week, on Christmas Eve, Boris Johnson confirmed a trade deal had been established and it was voted through in the House of Commons on 30 December. 

Plenty of McDonald’s customers saw the funny side to the posters, with one on Twitter asking “who buys the Big Mac for the lettuce”?  

Another said: "Phew. The gherkin isn’t affected. Thank goodness."

Another joked: "Can't they just switch to local produce? Brussel tops and turnips?"

Fellow burger outlet, Burger King, announced earlier this month it would be giving free advertising space to independent restaurants after more tier restrictions forced businesses to close again before Christmas.

“There’s more to life than the Whopper,” a statement from the company said on Twitter, before going on to name various eateries in need of support.