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UK's leading supermarket warns of price rise amid supply chain crisis

UK's leading supermarket warns of price rise amid supply chain crisis
(Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images

Supermarket Morrison has warned that prices will rise across the retail industry, stated recent reports, as the supermarket giant claimed on Thursday (9) that Britain’s supply chain is creaking, causing continuing product availability issues.

The sustained inflation may continue for the rest of this year, Morrisons’ spokesperson said, adding that higher raw material prices and freight charges have led to “slight inflation” and the company will look for ways to mitigate this rather than pass it on to consumers.


The UK supermarket chain- the current target of competing takeover offers from Fortress Investment Group and Clayton, Dubilier and Rice (CDR)- cited the “sustained recent commodity price increases and freight inflation and the current shortage of HGV drivers” as contributing factors.

“That combination of a dearth of labour, a dearth of skills, the pingdemic and Covid does mean that everywhere in the supply chain there is strain,” chief executive David Potts said today after the group published first-half results.

He emphasised that the firm had experienced some shortages of water, carbonates, juice, crisps, pet food and wine, saying “we’ve still got pop to choose from, it’s just not as wide a range as it was”.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence over its most important season ahead, declaring: "Christmas is going to be biblical".

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Indies: It’s criminal police and government turn blind eye to shoplifting

Independent retailers are demanding tougher police action, more bobbies on the beat and harsher punishments as shoplifting levels reach an all-time high, a new survey reveals.

A whopping ninety-one per cent of respondents to a survey conducted by the Federation of Independent Retailers (the Fed) called for more police patrols on streets, while a similar number - 90 per cent - said that shoplifters should be handed harsher sentences.

Seven out of 10 respondents (72 per cent) said their stores had experienced shoplifting, break ins and damage to property, while they and their staff had been physically or verbally threatened.

Just under half of respondents (47 per cent) said they and their employees had been threatened or had suffered abuse and violence when asking for proof of age ahead of selling an age-restricted product.

Forty-four per cent reported that they and their staff had faced abuse or violence because they had refused to make a proxy sale – selling an age restricted product to a customer buying for a minor.

The results of the Fed’s survey came as new figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that shoplifting was at a record high, with almost half a million offences recorded last year.

According to the ONS, 469,788 offences were logged by forces in the year to June 2024 – a 29 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

The ONS added that this figure was the highest since records began – in March 2003.

“Inadequate responses from the police and a slap on the wrist for offenders means that shoplifting is soaring, and offenders are becoming more aggressive and brazen,” said Fed National President Mo Razzaq.

“From the responses we received, it is clear that real action is needed by police, by courts and by the government to stem the overwhelming tide of crime against retailers and their staff. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work and for their businesses to be protected against criminals.

“Fed members are also sending a clear message that one of the catalysts for verbal and physical abuse in stores is asking for proof of age before selling an age restricted product. If the government presses ahead with its plans to phase out smoking and vaping through a progressive ban to gradually end the sale of tobacco products across the country, independent retailers will be subject to even greater levels of violence, abuse and theft.”

Calling for action from the government and not just words, Mr Razzaq continued: “Without effective deterrent, criminals and opportunistic members of the public will continue to commit crimes.”

According to Ministry of Justice statistics, during the year to March 2024, 431 fines were handed out for retail theft under £100, while Home Office statistics for the same period show that 2,252 cautions were accepted for shoplifting.