Tough talk from Tesco
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• Supermarket giant Tesco has warned hauliers it will no longer put up with late deliveries or loads delivered on non-standard or broken pallets, which the company has branded as "dangerous".
From 1 November all suppliers to the company's depots will have to meet new standards and operators delivering to eight depots which receive frozen and chilled food will have all loads temperature tested.
The tough conditions were spelt out by Tesco divisional director James Spittle at last week's Transfrigoroute AGM.
Tesco recently checked a 10% sample of frozen deliveries and rejected 1.6% as not meeting the correct temperature required by law, says Spittle. If all deliveries were tested this could represent up to 8,000 pallet loads being rejected.
In all Tesco's depots receive 1,600 lorry loads of frozen and chilled food a week and 10% of them are late: "This affects our business and has a severe domino effect on other suppliers trying to make deliveries," says Spittle.
In future hauliers arriving late will lose their delivery slot and go to the back of the queue. Spittle accepts that achieving 100% of deliveries on time is a difficult task, "but it is Tesco's aim".
Suppliers have been told that goods must be delivered on standard pallets, 1,000x1,200mm conforming to BS2629. Nonstandard or broken pallets will be refused and the load rejected. "Broken pallets can be difficult and dangerous to handle," says Spittle.
"They splinter causing gashes to hands and arms. We are concerned about the safety of our employees."
Spittle says some suppliers "have been complacent and ignored our requests" when warned about poor standards. If improvements are not made they will be asked to sack offending third-party hauliers.
However, Tesco recognises that faulty temperature control can be traced to source and suggests that hauliers fit temperature recorders in their trucks.
D Two new directors were elected to Transfrigoroute's board at the AGM. Tony Savills is director of logistics and planning at Exel Logistics; David Bristow is a divisional director at Christian Salvesen. Peter Brown of Wincanton Chilled Distribution steps down.
This week Transfrigoroute meets the Department of Transport to press its case for the adoption of ATP, the UN standard for refrigerated transport.