Aldi, Lidl, Rewe & Co. facing huge problems: Because of Omikron, soon delivery bottlenecks at supermarkets?

Created: 01/14/2022 11:17 am

By: Lisa Mayerhofer

Will there soon be delivery bottlenecks in supermarkets because of Omikron?

(Iconic image) © Christoph Soeder/picture alliance/dpa

The Federal Association of Road Haulage and Logistics (BGL) warns that the spread of the Omikron variant could also lead to delivery bottlenecks for supermarkets and discounters.

Berlin – Trade and companies have been struggling with delivery bottlenecks since the beginning of the Corona pandemic*.

The new Omikron variant, which is currently spreading very rapidly in Germany, could exacerbate this problem even further.

Aldi, Rewe & Co.: Will supermarkets soon suffer from delivery bottlenecks because of Omikron?

Dirk Engelhardt, President of the BGL, explained the

: "Omicron has the potential for supply bottlenecks* to occur more frequently and not all supply chains can be maintained." He describes Omicron "as a short-term but very serious problem". In the long term, however, the industry will also have to deal with a “worldwide driver shortage”.

According to Engelhardt, up to 80,000 drivers are missing in Germany - mainly because there are no young people: The expert explained to ZDF that although around 30,000 truck drivers retire every year, only between 13,000 and 17,000 new workers follow.

Many young people don't want to work as truck drivers - in addition to the below-average pay, the poor image of the profession is also a problem.

According to Engelhardt, what the driver shortage can lead to has already become apparent in Great Britain after Brexit.

There was a supply chaos and empty shelves in the supermarkets last autumn because there were no truck drivers and service staff.

Rewe boss: "Supply bottlenecks in Germany are now everyday"

Problems in German supermarkets and discounters such as Aldi*, Lidl and Co. are already noticeable: "Even in the food trade, delivery bottlenecks in Germany are now part of everyday life.

For many weeks, less than 90 percent of the food ordered has been delivered by the industry.

That is completely unusual and sometimes unacceptable," said Rewe boss Lionel Souque of the German Press Agency.

That is why the BGL is making an urgent appeal to politicians: to ensure that customers in Germany do not stand in front of empty shelves, provisions should be made for emergencies.

For example, the Federal Republic could be divided into up to six emergency regions in the event of supply bottlenecks.

Federal Minister of Transport Volker Wissing* (FDP) promised in the

: "We will do everything to keep the supply chains stable."

*Merkur.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.