Question

How should supermarkets adjust their supply chain/logistics/product flow strategy in light of COVID-19?

Answer 1

The outbreak of Covid 19/corona create lot of challenges in Supermarkets supply chain and logistic management. All over the world number of small and big supermarkets were closed during this period. The first week of the covid outbreak supermarkets and all supply system facing the high demand due to the fear of people and incomplete information regarding food shortage. The main thing is during this period increase the demand of groceries and necessary goods other type of goods like luxuary , prestigeous , and even normal good demand also decreased. So that supermarkets facing a big challenge in over the all area. To adjust the situation supermarkets take some sudden actions in these days. In the case of goods other than grocessary or necessary item they try to preserve good for future sales and they make a plan on the basis of expectation on sales of unnecessary commodities.They take new plans and technology support like e.commerce and delivery on thebasis of tele calling. start to give offer for incresing sales and sales completely on the basis of customer convenience and assure fullfillment.They deploy the employees to the demanding area and home delivery services and back office work related to online supply.

On the other hand, in the case of necessary goods like grocerries, personal hygene related goods like sanitiser, mask hand wash, soap,etc demand goes up and start to make supply shortage. the lock down conditions and health threat make astronomous challenge.So that super markets start to use private transporting to fill the commodity and to maintain logistic system. They deploy lot of employees to the demanding area and assure the technology help and home delivery system in the case of online orders. supermarkets assure social distancing while customers shopping from store.They try to do maximum supply of product on time. and They reduce the variety of product and they change their investment pattern and receive varity of strategies to overcome the covid threat situation.

Thus supermarkets take variety strategies to adjust their supply chain and logistic flow, However,People consumption pattern change a lot due to covid fear so that the strategies how much success is questionable. Because the increasing demand of some good and deep decline of large area of consumption may create negative impact on economy , that will be affect the supermarkets business also. Todays consumption and shopping trend is more favour to e.commerce due to health security, convenience,and technology enhancement . This will promote to supply chain and logisticand product online supermarkets like amazone, wallmart.