Some firms saw 50% of staff off pre-Christmas, one employers' group said.
Staff shortages continue to blight retailers and hospitality firms, with one warning of closures if Covid absences worsen.
Ministers are due to review Plan B restrictions on Wednesday, although Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said on Monday "there's nothing in the data" to suggest further coronavirus measures will be needed later this week.Mr Josephs, which sells fruit and vegetables to businesses such as restaurants, said that before Christmas he had about 15% of his workforce isolating or sick. "We have had to re-deploy staff from stores into other stores to keep them moving," he said.
Around 20 Fullers sites in the capital have been closed temporarily before Christmas because of falling sales, which he blamed on England's policy of work from home if possible. He said it was important the government resolves supply problems with Covid testing kits: "Testing is really key for confidence and making sure we have that as ingrained behaviour."
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