Problem: Empty Supermarket Shelves Threatened by Driver Shortage
The labor market is extremely tight, and gradually everyone is feeling the effects. Trains are not running because NS cannot find traffic controllers, restaurants are closing for a day because there is no one to serve customers, and supermarket shelves are at risk of remaining empty due to the shortage of drivers. What is going on?
Just like in the hospitality industry, there are many vacancies in transport and logistics, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find people. Half of all business owners say they are affected by this. An additional problem is that a large group of drivers are approaching retirement, meaning the shortage will increase even further in the coming years. At the moment, around 9,000 driver vacancies are open across the Netherlands—and can transport companies find people for them? Absolutely not.
Empty shelves
Transport en Logistiek Nederland (TLN) is doing its best to find new people, but it does not see a solution anytime soon. In England, the driver shortage has already led to empty shelves in supermarkets and petrol stations running out of fuel. It has not come to that in the Netherlands yet, says the spokesperson for the TLN trade association. ‘Fortunately, we are still part of the EU. Unlike in the United Kingdom, drivers from other European countries can still come and work here as normal.’
Retraining
The solution? Salaries need to go up, says TLN. And employers need to take a good look around them, the spokesperson advises. ‘For example, employers can attract new talent by upskilling or retraining current employees.’
Also read:
- Stocking up like crazy: what stores look like now, and why it is complete nonsense
- Supermarkets in trouble because of very angry farmers
- From aubergines to bananas: who orders what in which city
Source: AD.nl
