Jump to content

Christmas chaos ALREADY:


Rob Thompson

Recommended Posts

Christmas chaos ALREADY: Christmas present shortage fear as major port closes unexpectedly
Source - The Express.
By MARED GRUFFYDD

Date - 14-08-2021

BRITAIN could be faced with a shortage of Christmas presents as the world's third-largest port closes. This could lead to disruptions and delays, meaning some products may not arrive shops in time for Christmas.

Product shortages have made headlines in recent weeks and months, with both Brexit and the pandemic to blame for disrupted goods and missing deliveries. Due to driver and staff shortages within the food, hospitality, and logistics industries, Britons have noticed shortages of various items nationwide, including water bottles, sweets, crisps, beer, and more.

Christmas-chaos-1476886.webp?r=162894523

This is because China has been forced to close the world’s third-largest port following a Covid outbreak.

A terminal at Ningbo-Zhoushan port in China, which handled cargo equivalent to almost 29 million containers in 2020, has closed.

The closure comes at the busiest time of the year, as companies prepare to stock up for Christmas. Retailers are already struggling with product shortages, and now they must also try to avoid a Christmas crisis.

Charlotte Cook, Head of Trade at research firm VesselsValue warned there is “potential” for the situation to affect end-of-year deliveries.

She said: “Congestion in Chinese ports is likely to remain for a while with strict lockdowns being enforced, meaning there’s the potential for this to impact Christmas deliveries if we don’t see a significant improvement soon.

“Just as everyone thought container rates couldn’t climb anymore, it’s now looking likely that congestion at key ports could continue to push up rates even further.”

According to data from VesselsValue, there are 352 large container ships currently in the sea at anchor, waiting to get into ports around the world.

Nick Glynne, Chief Executive of online retailer Buy It Direct, warned the closure of the Ningbo-Zhoushan port will only add to the long list of issues British companies are currently dealing with.

He said: “This is not a good sign for a happy Christmas or even a Black Friday.”
British retailers have struggled to keep on top of stock over the past year due to lorry and staff shortages.

Many workers have either contracted Covid or been pinged by the Track and Trace app, meaning that they have had to self-isolate for 10 days. As for lorry drivers, many of them working in the UK were EU citizens who have now returned to their native countries. This has led to a shortage of around 100,000 drivers in Britain, compared to a shortage of 60,000 before the pandemic in February 2020.

Industry leaders have said that companies are doing their best to rectify the problem, with some businesses offering sign-on bonuses worth £1,000 or more to drivers.

Andrew Opie, a director at the British Retail Consortium (BRC) was positive there won’t be any disruption issues come Christmas.

He said: “Christmas is hugely important to retailers and customers alike, and businesses are already making preparations.

“While we do not anticipate problems, retailers will be taking all necessary measures to mitigate possible disruption.”

There are also fears that the upcoming August bank holiday will be impacted by product shortages.

Experts within the food and drinks industry have warned of a “beer drought” due to staff at GXO Logistics Drinks going on strike.

The company supplies the UK’s hospitality industry with 40 percent of its beer, according to trade union Unite.

Last month, Joe Clarke, Unite’s national officer for the drinks industry, said: “A beer drought could result if our members vote for industrial action because they make 40 percent of the beer deliveries in the country.

“This disruption would be on top of the ‘pingdemic’ that is already hitting the sector.”

This week, Mr Clarke confirmed that the strike will go ahead, adding: “Now industrial action looms for late August, we call, once again, for the company to engage in meaningful negotiations regarding a decent pay increase for our members.”

A GXO spokesperson commented: "We favour dialogue in all our negotiations. Discussions are ongoing in order to reach agreement, in particular for the hospitality sector that is only now emerging from the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown.”

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The impact of covid seems to be never ending,  if this continues, its likely to be another strange Christmas this year!

Ive already noticed in the stores shortages of basics, like bleach, I guess toilet rolls will be out of stock again soon, I'd better check my supply :) 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Rob Thompson said:

The impact of covid seems to be never ending,  if this continues, its likely to be another strange Christmas this year!

Ive already noticed in the stores shortages of basics, like bleach, I guess toilet rolls will be out of stock again soon, I'd better check my supply :) 

The toilet paper thing still baffle me...

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, Black River Santa said:

The toilet paper thing still baffle me...

We use it to wipe our bottoms, we moved on from leaves a few years ago lol :) 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

47 minutes ago, Rob Thompson said:

We use it to wipe our bottoms, we moved on from leaves a few years ago lol :) 

You Brits are so civilized. ;)

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like these?Poison Ivy Pictures: Identification Tips

  • Haha 2
  • Wow 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a fancy they may be somewhat dangerous!

Given my  derriere this would be what I would need lol

dda095cd93294af204cd853d63ae1e84-elephan

  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Jeff Hillyard said:

Lucky! In Canada we have to use pine cones during the long and harsh winter.

Is that used as a plug, I guess you would save on the loo roll then :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

🎄 COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

  • Days
  • Hours
  • Minutes
  • Seconds
  • Donations

    All donations go directly towards the cost of hosting and running ClausNet!

    Your support, through donations or simply by clicking on sponsor links, is greatly appreciated!

    Donate Sidebar by DevFuse
  • Our picks

    • 10 Essentials to Being a Better Santa
      Here are some DOs and DON'Ts on being Santa

      Treat every child with respect.


      Never make fun of a child.


      Look into the child’s eyes when you speak to them.


      Speak softly. Children are sharing confidences with you.


      Acknowledge a child’s requests even if you don’t understand them.


      Never promise a toy request to avoid a child’s disappointment.


      Never promise a pet. Santas a toymaker and only animals produce pets.


      If the child can’t remember their wish list, assure them you know what they want.


      Never leave a child wondering if Santa heard their Christmas wishes.


      Every child worries about being on Santas “Naughty or Nice List”. Tell each child “You’re on the “Nice List.” It will bring happiness to everyone!   




      Santa Lou Knezevich is the creator of the Legendary Santas Mentoring Program
      Contact Santa Lou at: LegendarySantasMentoringProg@gmail.com
        • Thanks
        • Love
        • Like
      • 8 replies
    • How do You Portray Santa?
      Portraying Santa is acting; it is a characterization of a mythical character.

      Most of us never think of ourselves as actors, but we are. Certain characteristics of Santa Claus have been handed down from one generation to another. The way we dress and conduct ourselves all follow an established pattern.

      Santa Claus is one of the most recognizable characters throughout the world. This came about from the advertising campaign of the Coke Cola Company and the creative painting genius, of Haddon Sundblom. Coke Cola was looking to increase winter sales of its soft drink and hired Sundblom to produce illustrations for prominent magazines. These illustrations appeared during the holiday season from the late 1930s into the early 1970s and set the standard for how Santa should look.

      This characterization of Santa with rosy cheeks, a white beard, handlebar mustache plus a red costume trimmed in white fur is the image most everyone has in their minds. Unconsciously people are going to judge you against that image. If your beard isn’t white or you have a soiled suit it will register with the onlooker.

      By the way, the majority of Sundblom's paintings depict Santa with a Brown Belt and Brown Boots. Not until his later illustrations did he change the color to Black for these items. Within the past few years many costume companies have offered the Coke Cola Suit and it has become very popular. You can tell it by the large buttons and absence of fur down the front of the jacket.

      No matter how you portray Santa, be it home visits, schools, churches, parades, corporate events, malls, hospitals we all make an entrance and an impression! The initial impression we make determines if our client will ask us to return.

      The 5 Second Rule

      I have a theory: When you enter the presence of your audience you have about 5 seconds to make people believe you are the real Santa.
        • Thanks
        • Love
        • Like
      • 18 replies
    • Not Everyone Can Be Santa!
      Yes, I said it and it is not meant to hurt anyone’s feelings. I do view many Facebook sites along with websites and posted photos. Frankly, many of these postings should have never been put on public display.
        • Thanks
        • Love
        • Like
      • 10 replies
    • Auld Lang Syne
      Every New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight, millions around the world traditionally gather together to sing the same song, “Auld Lang Syne”. As revilers mumble though the song’s versus, it often brings many of them to tears – regardless of the fact that most don’t know or even understand the lyrics. Confusion over the song’s lyrics is almost as much of a tradition as the song itself. Of course that rarely stops anyone from joining in.
        • Wow
        • Thanks
        • Love
        • Like
      • 4 replies
    • Is it time to start calling out Bad Santas?
      Is it time to start calling out Bad Santas?

      Do you think we should start calling out those in our community whose actions or behavior is unbecoming of Santa Claus or Mrs. Claus?
        • Wow
        • Like
      • 94 replies
×
×
  • Create New...