Shellfish suppliers also warned their products could be in short supply.
They said the perishable products were stranded as the French border closed.
Britain faces shortages of fresh vegetables, salad, raspberries and strawberries in the New Year if the vast queues of lorries at Dover cannot be resolved today, experts have warned.
ADVERTISEMENT Timing is crucial with the backlog of trucks stuck at the port, say industry insiders, as panicked shoppers queued outside supermarkets from 5.30am this morning.
The warnings come from the British Retail Consortium, the trade association for UK retailers, who have reassured the British public that there is enough food available for Christmas.