The development of an effective supply chain has taken on added significance in the credit crunch, it has been claimed.
According to Asda's distribution director Ian Stansfield, supply chain efficiency is vital if costs are to be kept low - and this is especially desirable at a time when customers are becoming ever more watchful of price.
Speaking at the Humber International Logistics Convention held at Hull University Business School Mr Stansfield said he believed that in this "interesting time for retailers", keeping costs low will help them maintain their competitive edge - and having an effective supply chain will certainly help achieve this aim.
Another thing that an organised supply chain can help with is shelf availability, as highlighted two other speakers at the convention, Talking Retail reports.
Discussing shelf availability in the grocery sector, Professor David Grant, from the Logistics Institute at the school, and Professor John Fernie, from Heriot-Watt University, noted that supply chains would be more effective if they were customer driven rather than supply-motivated.
