May 01, 2020
In mid-March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the UK in earnest and store shelves began to empty. Panic buying saw products from flour and eggs to toilet paper vanish, as retailers struggled to meet the demand.
As the UK moved into a countrywide lockdown, it became clear that the retail industry was going to have to change dramatically, and with it, its established supply chains.
To oversee the security and integrity of food supply, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) created a supply chain “war room”, headed up by GS1 UK’s chairman, Chris Tyas, the former supply chain director of the world’s largest food company, Nestlé.
Speaking to SAS just before the coronavirus pandemic, Chris outlined seven key areas for consideration that would become crucial for businesses trying to navigate the troubled waters of the current crisis, ranging from the applications of artificial intelligence, to the importance of total lifecycle traceability of products.
Read the whole interview