Supply Chain issues ahead of Christmas, what is the solution?

From Nando’s running out of chicken and Costas’s coffee bean crisis to Weatherspoon’s facing Beer shortages and talking Carlings and Coors off the menu, the LGV Driver shortage continues to cause disruption to Supply Chains all over the UK, and it’s not getting any better.

The issue that has long plagued the Logistics and Transport industry is now noticeable, sizeable, and accurate. It is affecting businesses of all shapes, and eventually, we all agree that following empty shelves across the country, something must be done about it.

Following last year’s Christmas being canceled at such short notice, retailers and the rest of the UK are taking a hit due to food shortages, and there are a lot of goods to transport between now and Christmas, so a strong supply chain is vital for everyone.

We are seeing government and employer incentives to offer lorry drivers a £1,000 joining bonus, as well as wages soaring higher than that of lawyers and doctors.

As the Commercial Director at SP Training, I oversee our national LGV Driver Apprenticeship partnerships with the likes of Asda, Co-op, Hermes, Clipper, and more – and they are desperately recruiting at the moment, and even offering Driver Training to already existing staff.

With the national supermarket and Logistics companies still doing everything they can, and the issue of uptake and interest in forcing a career as a Driver, we most certainly should be worried about Supply Chain Issues at Christmas.

As an industry, we need to collectively focus on promoting HGV/LGV Driver careers as a great opportunity, while not overlooking the existing issues such as conditions and the lack of facilities – there are some great opportunities out there being an LGV Driver with some great companies.  While these problems need to be tackled, we still need to encourage more young people to train and want to join the industry as that is our only long-term solution for years to come.

This is why, ahead of Christmas, and on an ongoing basis, I am urging my fellow Logistics industry partners to help promote positive stories about working in the industry and as an LGV/ HGV Driver. Please share your thoughts with me, so we can inspire the next generation of key workers anddrivers to ensure our economy flourishes, and so consumers are happy!