Why the current supply chain crisis casts a shadow over the festive period

“Christmas is cancelled” – three words most people do not want to hear. While there’s every hope that the pandemic is in retreat, this doom-laden scenario could become reality if the global supply chain buckles as a result of the pressure it is currently operating under, outline Hill Dickinson’s Richard Allingham and Elizabeth Elliott

The general perception that the international supply chain runs smoothly and without incident – appearing to tick over like a well-oiled machine – has been unceremoniously shattered by a series of events which have shone a collective spotlight on this global behemoth. The Covid-19 pandemic, the blocking of the Suez Canal and the unleashing of pent-up retail activity have all focused attention on shipping’s critical role in the supply chain.