Supply Chain Analysis news

The EU has instructed member states to take steps to improve the flow of goods across borders during the Coronavirus crisis. Border crossings must now incorporate “Green” lanes, which will allow freight of all kinds to pass with minimal delay or discrimination. Crossing a border should take no more than 15 minutes. States are also urged to suspend other measures which might disrupt the fl...

George Eustice, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has published an open letter, thanking all who work in the food and grocery industry for serving the public during the Coronavirus outbreak. He writes: “… I am personally enormously proud and thankful for all the work that you have done in recent weeks, and will be asked to do in the weeks ahead. In many cases you...

With online grocery demand continuing to increase, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we look at how Kroger in the US is trialling a pickup only store. Alternative shopping methods With shoppers looking for alternative ways to shop for groceries, and online services finding it difficult to maintain service levels, Kroger has converted a store in Cincinnati to pickup only, through its ClickList s...

As the UK approaches the end of its first week under near lockdown, we look at how the grocery sector is adapting to new operating conditions. Improving safety for customers and colleagues Retailers have moved at pace to design and install safeguarding screens to protect customers and colleagues. To reduce the risk of transmission, some retailers are limiting the numbers of customers in-sto...

To protect employees and consumers from the Coronavirus (COVID-19), retailers in Denmark, Sweden and Norway have added dedicated hygiene lines and plexiglass to the checkouts. Denmark: hygiene lines and new initiative for suppliers Coop and Salling Group have introduced distancing measures with “hygiene lines”. These are tape markings on the floor of the checkout lines that work to remind s...

China is already working to return to a state approaching normalcy following the outbreak of coronavirus three months ago. Reopening for business Businesses affected by lockdowns have reopened and customers are cautiously returning to stores:  Shopping malls : after this week, most shopping malls will reopen to the public, with adjusted business hours of 10 am–10 pm Gyms : most...

Two years after breaking ground, the facility is the first Ocado Solutions powered CFC to go live overseas. A turnover of €500 million The new CFC is located at Fleury-Mérogis, near Paris. According to Ocado, it is currently operating with “a small number of test orders”, which will be scaled up across the next few months. At capacity, the new facility is due to handle a turnover of up t...

We roundup the latest developments in India, amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Nestlé and Coca-Cola have announced the temporary suspension of parts of their operations in the country, amid the countrywide lockdown due to the epidemic, while Walmart’s Flipkart is to resume its online operations after a temporary halt. Nestlé in discussion with the authorities In a regulatory filing,...

Sainsbury's has unveiled a package of measures to help suppliers manage production volumes and cash flow. Support for suppliers The retailer has pledged to work collaboratively with suppliers to increase production volumes so that they can meet the current surge in demand. Support will also be available to suppliers who find themselves in distress as a result of the current uncertainty. ...

Consumer goods company Unilever has announced a series of measures aimed at supporting consumers, communities and suppliers. Product donations, partnerships and education programmes Unilever is donating products such as soap, sanitiser, bleach and food worth at least €50 million to the COVID Action Platform of the World Economic Forum, whilst adapting its current manufacturing lines to prod...