Employee shortages are the main challenge facing two-fifths of small-to-medium-sized businesses, while a fifth complain of unfair competition, according to a recent survey. Some 39% of businesses reported struggling with employee shortages, according to the most recent Chamber of SMEs barometer covering the second quarter of this year. And 19% cited unfair competition as one of the two most important issues facing their business. SMEs highlighted inadequate enforcement of regulations as the main issue distorting the market. The largest proportion of businesses surveyed were from the retail, import, distribution and wholesale sectors.