‘Consumers need advice on stockpiling’

CONSUMERS have learnt lessons from stockpiling over lockdown but more should be done to help them understand the effect they can have on supply chains, according to a sector expert.

Rick Tellez, the co-founder of supply chain logistics platform KlearNow, said most consumers wanted to do the “right thing” by maintaining normal shopping behaviour but it only took a “tiny minority” to panic and affect supply chains.

Mr Tellez called on the logistics sector and the Government to do more to educate consumers about their part in the global supply chain.

A survey for KlearNow last month found that 64 per cent of UK shoppers are resigned to missing out due to shortages and delays this Christmas, but 52 per cent said they refused to stockpile as a result of experiences during the pandemic.

Almost a third said warnings of shortages and delays would not affect their Christmas shopping plans.

Some 57 per cent who stockpiled during lockdown said they regretted it and would not do it in future.

Mr Tellez said scenes of panic buying of fuel were not representative of national attitudes but pointed to a lack of trust in the logistics sector. He said: “Our research suggests that most consumers understand that stockpiling is unnecessary and lockdown taught us all some valuable lessons. But it only takes a tiny minority of consumers to panic to make it look like there’s a national crisis, which is when things begin to