A pallet shortage across Australia is interrupting production schedules at some food factories – and the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) is warning it could disrupt Christmas deliveries.
Australian consumers have been urged to stock up on Christmas provisions early due to the ongoing impact of supply-chain disruptions which are impacting retailers across all categories.
Covid has caused chaos all over the world with containers and pallets stranded in factories and wharves, and interruptions to shipping schedules.
But in Australia, says AFGC CEO Tanya Barden, some food and grocery manufacturers have been forced to slow or stop production because pallets are sometimes not available for shipping out finished stock.
“We remain in regular discussions with retailers, pallet providers and the Federal Government and we’re working with all stakeholders to reduce the impact of this issue,” she said.
“Consumers do need to be aware that they may be limited in some of their choices and if they have particular products they want then planning to shop early is a good idea,” she said.
“Our food and grocery manufacturers have continued to keep supermarket shelves stocked throughout all the disruptions that Covid-19 has thrown at the industry and they are continuing to do their very best in the face of unprecedented challenges.
“But the shortage of pallets is a concern for our members and we hope that pallet providers are able to find a way to meet their projected supply of these vital items.”
