Because of Omikron: soon delivery bottlenecks at Aldi, Rewe & Co.?

Created: 01/14/2022Updated: 01/14/2022 05:34

From: Lisa Mayerhofer

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

(Symbol picture) © Christoph Soeder / picture alliance / dpa

Omikron ensures a sharp increase in the number of infections.

This could lead to serious delivery bottlenecks, warns the President of the Federal Association of Freight Transport and Logistics (BGL).

These then also affect supermarkets such as Aldi, Lidl or Rewe.

Berlin - Retailers and companies have been struggling with delivery bottlenecks since the beginning of the corona pandemic *.

The new Omikron variant, which is currently spreading very strongly 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 to 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 newcomers: the expert told ZDF that around 30,000 truck drivers retire every year, while only between 13,000 and 17,000 new workers follow.

Many young people do not want to work as truck drivers - in addition to below-average pay, the bad image of the job is also a problem.

According to Engelhardt, it was already clear in Great Britain after Brexit what the driver shortage can lead to.

There was a supply chaos there last autumn and empty shelves in the supermarkets due to a lack of truck drivers and service staff.

Rewe boss: "Delivery bottlenecks in Germany meanwhile everyday"

Problems are already noticeable at German supermarkets and discounters such as Aldi *, Lidl and Co.: “In the grocery trade, too, delivery bottlenecks are now part of everyday life in Germany.

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

That is completely unusual and partly unacceptable, "said Rewe boss Lionel Souque of the German press agency.

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

In the event of delivery bottlenecks, for example, the Federal Republic of Germany could be divided into up to six emergency regions.

Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing * (FDP) promised in

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

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