UK Retailers Face Shelf Gaps Due to Middle East Conflict
A recent survey of 1,000 UK shoppers conducted by Invent.ai in April 2026 revealed that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has significantly impacted product availability across both fashion and grocery sectors. Since February 2026, over half (54%) of consumers reported experiencing poor on-shelf availability, with nearly a third noticing shelf gaps when shopping for clothing in stores. The scarcity is attributed to shipping delays caused by the conflict, which have affected £92 billion ($122.5 billion) worth of assets and exposed weaknesses in global supply chains. Consumers are responding by switching brands or retailers—30% said they were less loyal after stockouts—and 42% indicated a shift toward marketplaces for alternatives. Grocery shopping was similarly affected, with 40% of planned spending lost to out-of-stock items and 73% expecting such shortages to increase. Invent.ai's sales director Lukas Fischer emphasized that while shoppers understand the challenges retailers face, they still expect products to be available when needed.
Topics: consumer behavior fashion industry Middle East crisis shelf gaps UK retail