Feeding London 2030 – a study commissioned by The United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) and delivered by research company Global 78 – warned that making deliveries on time in London was becoming increasingly difficult.
Andrew Morgan director at Global 78, speaking at FoodEx, said: “Things are becoming stretched across London’s food and drink supply chain and current logistics thinking will not be fit for purpose for much longer.”
He added that new trends in the way food and drink was bought and consumed was adding to London’s changing population profile.
“A transport infrastructure that is already creaking, will bring significant challenges to food and drink manufacturers, retailers and the logistics companies tasked with supplying food and drink that is both safe and delivered on time to London’s retail and food-service sectors,” he said.
"And their ability to do so at an appropriate cost.”
Too reactive in their approach
He accused the food and drink industry and its logistics partners of being too reactive in their approach to meeting changing consumer demands.
“This report provides a chance to identify and assess future trends and, as a result, gives stakeholders the chance to ‘get on the front foot’,” he added.
Meanwhile, Peter Ward ceo of UKWA, said that all businesses responsible for moving food and beverages around London were aware of the difficulties.
‘Insights along the supply chain’
“This study brings together all the facts in a single report, offering remarkable insights along the supply chain and an informed, cogent response to the challenges ahead,” Ward said.
“It’s important, as the association for the logistics industry that we support members and the wider community in providing valuable intelligence for successful forward planning.”
The report, which will be available from May 15, 2016, will provide information and analyses on the issue for the logistics community, grocery retailers, food and drink manufacturers and distributors, waste management companies, government agencies and industrial property agents.
The UKWA is the only UK trade association dedicated to the warehousing and logistics sector. It has over 600 members and represents owners that control nearly 9.2Mm2 of warehousing space at up to 1,300 locations across the UK.