The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Responsible shopping call by Spar wholesaler
CJ LANG: Record volumes reported by firm that supplies stores across Scotland
The boss of Spar wholesaler CJ Lang has urged people not to panic buy as the firm looks to recruit more staff to keep shelves stocked during the coronavirus crisis.
Based in Dundee, CJ Lang owns and operates 113 Spar stores and supplies more than 300 outlets across Scotland.
Chief executive Colin Mclean said “record” volumes of stock had been supplied to Spar stores across Scotland over the past three weeks.
He said he had been pleased at how the firm’s supply chain had stood up to the increase in demand but echoed industry calls for shoppers to be considerate with their purchases.
He said: “It’s been a very busy few weeks to say the least. The messages from the government have changed by the day and we’ve had record volumes going through our warehouse.
“We’ve come out of this very strongly in terms of supply chain availability because we are working very closely with our local suppliers and producers.
“We’ve got the wheels, we’ve got the warehouse, we’ve got the stores and we are trying to keep the engine running throughout all of this so we can do our very small part.”
The government has estimated that an additional £1 billion more food than normal has been purchase over the past three weeks.
Mr Mclean said customers had clearly been filling their cupboards and the firm had restricted purchases of essential items.
“We need to keep the stores stocked for key workers, such as those working in the NHS, who are coming off their shifts,” he added.
“We would be encouraging people not to panic buy and shop sensibly as there is plenty stock. Our team has been on it since day one, chasing the volumes and securing the products.
“The team have done a brilliant job staying on top of it.”
Mr Mclean said CJ Lang was keen to recruit additional workers to serve its warehouse operation and its SPAR shops.
“The challenge is quite simple and our priorities are very clear – we need to keep enough staff in the business to keep the stores and the warehouse going. And we need to keep our supply chain moving while we prioritise staff and customer safety.
“I’m looking to recruit additional staff in the business – whether it’s in Dundee for pickers and drivers or whether it’s in stores across the country, I’ve got a wide range of positions available.
“I need the resources to help to keep the stores running to feed the nation.”