The independent operators of Delhaize supermarkets in our country are demanding financial compensation from Delhaize for the many empty shelves in their store. “The delivery problems keep dragging on,” says sector federation Buurtsuper.be.
–
Delhaize is struggling with meters of empty shelves in several stores “after technical, logistical problems at the beginning of this month”. Delhaize – which apologizes to its customers – said on Saturday that the delivery problems will be resolved in 2 weeks. In the affected stores, there is mainly a shortage of coffee, cereals, biscuits and chips.
But also the store owners themselves – “more than half of the more than 700 Delhaize stores are run by the self-employed” – are sick of the delivery problems.
Extended weekends
“The problems have actually been going on for about 2 years, right from the commissioning of a quasi-fully automated new warehouse in Ninove, East Flanders,” says Luc Ardies of sector federation Buurtsuper.be.
“Especially at peak times – for example during periods of extended weekends – Delhaize is unable to supply the stores sufficiently. With the past week even empty shelves in numerous stores. Normally we try to resolve such problems discreetly with the management, but now the situation seems to be escalating and images of empty shelves are even being shared on social media. ”
Evidence collected
Neighborhood supermarket – which at the beginning of this year was promised during a meeting with Delhaize that the persistent supply problems would be resolved quickly – is now asking Delhaize financial compensation for the loss of turnover suffered by the independent operators.
Buurtsuper.be has been collecting evidence of delivery problems for some time now to be able to press the Delhaize management face to face with the fact. Independent Delhaize operators can use a special website to inform Buurtsuper.be which products they were not delivered or were unable to order.
