Industry leaders urge extension to emergency retailer delivery hours

• The FTA said unless flexibility was continued, it would be impossible for retailers to stock shops safely and keep up with demand

• The government set no deadline when it relaxed delivery restrictions in March

The government has been urged to extend the emergency hours brought in for retailer deliveries, as it prepares to launch the next phase of the recovery from lockdown.

Industry leaders said it was “vital” for the continued resilience of the supply chain for ministers to extend the measures first introduced in March, when the government relaxed restrictions on delivery hours to make sure shops remained stocked with basic items amid the panic-buying chaos.

The Freight Transport Association warned that unless flexibility was continued, it would be impossible for retailers to stock shops safely in line with social distancing measures, while keeping up with demand.

The BRC also called on the government to ensure the temporary measures remained in place indefinitely, despite concerns over noise at night and union fears over drivers’ hours.

It told MPs the relaxation of hours had been a key part of the industry’s battle to continue feeding the nation during the crisis.

The government set no deadline when it relaxed delivery restrictions in March.

At the time it said: “The government recognises that the increased frequency of deliveries, particularly at night, could have a temporary impact on local residents.

“However, this needs to be balanced by the significant public interest in ensuring local residents have continued access to food, sanitary and other essential goods in their local shops.

However, it added: “The government will review the need for the flexibility outlined in this statement after the pressure from the coronavirus has reduced, and it is the intention to withdraw it once the immediate urgency has subsided.”

FTA policy director Elizabeth de Jong said: “As the business group representing the logistics sector, FTA campaigned successfully for delivery hours to be extended to strengthen the resilience of the supply chain during the pandemic.

“Now, we are urging government to continue the relaxation as the nation emerges from lockdown to support economic and societal recovery from Covid-19.”

She added: “With ‘non-essential retail’ units permitted to open next week, we expect to see demand for products increase significantly. Continued flexible delivery hours will allow logistics businesses to stock shops safely and efficiently while keeping up with demand.”