// Sainsbury’s boss warns no-deal Brexit could affect food supplies
// Mike Coupe criticised the Brexit deadline of 31 October
Sainsbury’s chief executive Mike Coupe has warned that a no-deal Brexit would affect fresh food supplies.
Coupe said while the UK is “not going to starve as a nation”, everyday items that people took for granted could be impacted in the event of a no-deal, Sky News reported.
Speaking on Sky’s Ian King Live show, Coupe criticised the Brexit deadline of October 31, saying that it came in the run up to Christmas, which is when the supermarket’s distribution centres are “already creaking at the seams”.
On Friday, Co-op chief executive Steve Murrells also told Sky News that a no-deal would leave “gaps on the shelves”.
Meanwhile, Coupe told Sky’s business presenter Ian King that the impact of a no-deal Brexit “would undoubtedly disrupt our supply chains, particularly the fresh food supply chains”.
“The time of year makes that even less helpful because we have moved from the UK growing season into the growing season in southern Europe,” he said.
“Of course in the run up to Christmas if you were choosing a date, 31 October isn’t particularly helpful because our distribution centres are already creaking at the seams.
“Whilst there are lots of things that we can do and will do to mitigate the potential impacts there are a lot of things we don’t know about and there will be knock on effects.
“We are not going to starve as a nation, that’s for sure, but things that people take for granted, everyday items, potentially will be impacted by a no-deal Brexit.
“It will undoubtedly have a knock on impact in some of the fresh food supply chains that we operate.”
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Isn’t this the bloke who got paid millions for being rubbish?
STOP YOUR FEAR MONGERING Fool!!!
There was never a proper Brexit plan. The nation was fooled and still have no idea what Brexit means other than “immigration” and for others “tax avoidance”.
Those Expats in Spain now have to call themselves that word “immigrant” otherwise they get booted out if they do not apply for Spanish citizenship. Apart from medicals, talking about food stuff, that lovely fresh fruits and vegetables from Spain will be expensive and hard to get just like the good ol days.
Mike Coupe – you ‘loser’. You failed at almost everything. Who would shop at Sainsbury when we have Tesco?
Whilst I agree with the opinions above regarding his performance as CEO (he’s turned Sainsbury’s into a laughing stock) he is far from the only industry leader that has expressed concern about the effect on the supply chain. You only have to cast your mind back to the days of strikes at Calais to know what even a few hours delay can go to fresh food availability.
But it seems that many people would rather listen to those who stand to gain financially from a ‘no idea” Brexit and have never worked in Retail/Distribution than listen to those who have spent their whole career doing it.