Camping fans and hikers are being warned that some outdoors products could be in short supply this summer.
Items such as the best tents, gas canisters for campervans, garden furniture, picnic baskets and outdoor toys and games are listed as being hard to get hold of.
The reasons for import issues and British supplier delays include, a backlog caused by the six-day Suez Canal blockage in March, Covid-19 restrictions, increasing demand worldwide for shipping containers, disruption to shipping caused by India's public health crisis and a shortage of packaging materials.
In a recent survey by customs clearance platform KlearNow, some two-thirds of UK suppliers have experienced import delays in the last month. The findings are based on interviews with 300 import-export businesses based in the UK.
In addition, there is a rising consumer demand for products related to staycation holidays and because people know they will be spending more time at home this summer.
Many outdoors items, such as camping equipment, garden toys, games and furniture, are manufactured in China – and this has affected supplies to UK and US retailers.
Another product in short supply affects people with campervans. Calor gas bottles and refills are especially problematic and hard to find across the UK.
- All of the products in our buying guides to the best sleeping bags and best sleeping pad are currently available
- As our best large tents for family camping
