Scotland is in the midst of a shortage of containers for exports because the recession has limited the number of imported boxes reaching the UK.

The Freight Transport Association (FTA) said the container shortage in Scotland ?C a net exporter of goods fuelled by the spirits trade ?C was "heaping pressure" on the country's supply chain and could harm the environmental credentials of its businesses.

To combat the issue, the FTA's Scottish Supply Chain Forum (SSCF) has set up a working group, comprising shippers, shipping lines, logistics service providers and rail and road freight hauliers, to tackle the issue.

Chris MacRae, the FTA's Head of Policy for Scotland, said: "The recession has meant that fewer containers are coming from the Far East into the UK's southern ports, like Felixstowe, and then being moved around the country. "