Walkers shortage: Leicestershire parents hope to find crisps for autistic son 'refusing to eat'

The parents of a severely autistic boy are appealing to the public to find a specific flavour of crisps he likes, as he is 'refusing to eat' amid a nationwide shortage.

Sarah and Jason, who live in Enderby in Leicestershire, are desperate to find Smoky Bacon flavour Walkers crisps as, without them, Connor Lewis is "refusing to eat anything else.”

Their son, Connor, 14, who is autistic and non-verbal, has a highly restricted diet, only eating limited, familiar foods of a certain texture and flavour.

Sarah said: "We're at the end of our tether.

"My husband has been driving up and down the motorway to check service stations.

"That flavour of crisps is his main food.

"Because of his severe autism and learning difficulties his diet is really limited, but since these shortages, they're just non-existent."

In recent weeks, Walkers crisps has been in short supply, which a spokesperson said was due to IT issues.

According to Walkers owners, PepsiCo, production could be affected until the end of the month.

But for Connor, it has already been "too long.”

Connor's regular medication is also being affected as his parents usually have to disguise it in juice, which he only drinks alongside a packet of Smoky Bacon crisps.

"It's having an impact on his mental health as well because he just doesn't understand why his main food isn't there," Sarah said.

The 45-year-old even asked her radio presenter brother to appeal for help finding the crisps.

"We managed to get a box of the crisps from someone from Lancashire but apart from that we've had no luck," said Sarah.

The couple is now appealing for anyone to help them to get a hold of the crisps.

They have also been referred to a dietician for a consultation in December, but Sarah says it is a "long time to wait for a child who isn't eating.”

Although unable to comment on the specific case, PepsiCo said they’re doing "everything they can to increase production.”