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Next-day deliveries could become a "thing of the past" because of the threat of staff shortages after the UK leaves the EU, a union has warned.

The GMB said a third of warehouse and storage workers are EU nationals, compared with 7.6% across the economy as a whole.

EU nationals make up a fifth of the workforce in 18 industries, including hotels and food manufacturing, a study by the union found.

Tim Roache, GMB general secretary, said: "As Brexit approaches it is becoming increasingly clear that many of the comforts we take for granted, such as next-day deliveries, could become a thing of a past.

"Too many warehousing operations in the UK have been built on the exploitation of both EU and UK nationals, and it is clear that a low wage, insecure economy is a big contributing factor as to why we're leaving the EU in the first place.

"There is an obvious irony that business models which created the frustration that led to Brexit, will be the ones hit hardest by their own shortsighted pursuit of profit.

"Without a plan to improve the quality of employment in many of the impacted sectors, and a proper deal in place, how this sector will continue to function is anyone's guess.

"We need a proper plan of action and we need it now."