Night deliveries report by C-licensees
Page 40
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A REPORT on the six-month experiment in .1-1. delivering goods by night to Tesco supermarkets in the London area, which has just ended, will be given by two C-licensees at a TRTA meeting in London on November 28.
Mr. R. Beckham, of SPD Ltd., and Mr. F. B. Roberts, of the Nestle Co. Ltd. will be speaking at the Central London area meeting at Heal's Restaurant, Tottenham Court Road, at 5.30 p.m.
The experiment involved 12 food manufacturers, and an interim report by the Food Manufacturers' Federation makes it clear that far greater support from retailers is necessary if the practice of delivering at night is to be adopted at all widely; co-operation by Tesco at 35 retail outlets in the London area made this experiment possible but about 30 food producers, instead of 12, would have participated if there had been co-operation from enough retailers.
Although the 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. deliveries did encounter some early delays because of traffic congestion created by peak-hour commuter traffic, van travel speeds increased by an average of 12 per cent and unloading times were reduced by as much as 30 per cent. Direct van-toshelf handling was possible in some cases.
Now it is understood that some suppliers dealing with supermarkets and large multiple shops in an area stretching from the Potteries to Carlisle are considering trying deliveries between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., while some manufacturers in the North are thinking of night service to wholesale grocers, by advance arrangement.