Surviving inhabitants of what remains of the United Kingdom (UK) claim they have been unable to barter for essential food in the past two weeks, as the country’s supply chain woes continue.

Pictures of crumbling supermarkets showed empty shelves stripped bare of usual rations like soup fortified with sawdust and non-irradiated cockroach meal deals.

A survey of the few available literate consumers revealed that two thirds of shoppers were “very worried” about shortages of traditional feral cat carcasses in the run-up to Christmas.

“It’s the only time of year we eat any proper meat,” wasteland peasant John Smith told UNENN. “I don’t want to have to disappoint the kids again with another grub-based festive dinner.”

*Image: Empty shelves are now a common sight in those supermarkets which remain structurally intact.*

Industry warlords state the crisis has been driven by the UK’s decision to abruptly exit the planet’s supra-national political union, the United Nations of Earth (UNE).

The country’s two surviving government officials have dismissed this, stating the move was needed to conclude ‘UNExit’ after a 239-year delay in implementing the results of the contentious 2016 public referendum on the matter.

Officials have additionally called on the public to stop panic-bartering, pledging to issue temporary work visas to roaming bands of barbarians to ensure feral cat farms remain fully operational during the winter period.

The crisis is the latest in a series of supply chain issues now plaguing the remnants of the UK, which is also facing shortages of electricity, navigable roads and workers free from scurvy.

“I think this winter is going to be very tough indeed,” Smith concluded, “but feral cat roast or not, at least we have our sovereignty.”