STRIKE action at Tesco could lead to empty shelves in the run-up to Christmas unless workers are offered a pay offer that keeps in line with inflation.

Warehouse workers and HGV drivers at Tesco are to hold a series of strikes over pay in the coming weeks - but Southampton may not be affected.

The workers are based at Tesco’s depots in Antrim, Belfast, Didcot and Doncaster.

The strike, announced by Unite the Union, is a result of Tesco offering the workers a four per cent pay increase, which is below the current retail price index (RPI) inflation rate of six per cent.

Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham said: “Our members have gone above and beyond the call of duty to keep Tesco’s shelves filled throughout the pandemic.

"At the very least the UK’s largest and wealthiest retailer should be making our members a decent pay offer.

“Unite always prioritises the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and it will be giving its full and total support to our members at Tesco until this dispute is resolved.”

The Didcot and Doncaster sites will see an initial 48 hours stoppage beginning at 6am on Thursday, December 16.

This will be followed by a further five day pre-Christmas stoppage beginning on Monday, December 20.

There will be a further a 48 hour stoppage on Thursday, December 30 and a three day stoppage beginning on January 5 2022 at Doncaster and Didcot.

Unite members at the Antrim and Belfast Tesco distribution centres will begin an all-out continuous strike from 7am on Thursday, December 16.

The workforce is particularly angry that Tesco is trying to "force them into a real terms pay cut", due to the company’s profitability, with the supermarket giant predicting an operating profit of £2.6 billion for the current financial year.