PUBLISHER’S NOTE W
ith January out of the way, the awful saga of Arcadia now on its way to settlement and the mess
at Debenhams having been brought to an end, the real work across the sector begins. Solution finding for getting orders out to EU based customers which avoid onerous duties and taxes is right at the top of the agenda this month as the realities of new process requirements kick in. Initial panic has given way but look at how it has spotlighted the spaghetti like buying and supply chain that most retailers are deploying (or have deployed until now).
To all those still awaiting clearance and access to the container loads of stock languishing in ports of origin, as well as them finally reaching final landing destinations, I have every sympathy. But wouldn’t it make more sense to find different sources of supply rather than compete with every country in the world pouring business into the same Chinese factories ? Haven’t we learned anything about becoming over-reliant on limited sources of supply?
When you also consider that the Chinese government is said to be most likely to impose a full national lockdown immediately after the annual Chinese New Year holiday celebrations, that stock you need to top up for Summer and for AW 2021 could be a very long time coming. The whole world is relying on the same source. I am aware that a number of retailers here are trying to spread the risk by ordering from other countries but when push comes to shove we all know that is not going to be the easiest of the tasks. It takes time to build new relationships. Yet there are many countries other than China which can and are supplying savvy merchants. Surely it is time to review and to explore.
The Buy British flag is being flown but until investors have the confidence to back UK manufacturers it going to be slow to gain traction, let alone build volume. And will UK consumers pay more for a home produced product? The UK is not unlike Australia or the USA in this respect. We’ve all depended on the Far East for just about every product for far too long. We’ve allowed our own manufacturing capabilities to diminish. We’ve ‘retired’ the skills we once had in abundance and we are not moving quickly enough to try to restore at least some of the manufacturing capacity (and jobs) to our own shores. I am old enough to remember the days when you bought a Jaeger coat because it was proudly made in England. You bought Clarks shoes because they were (then) made in the UK. These were the days of Ladybird children’s clothing being made in factories here, of men’s shirts and jackets coming from factories in Lancashire and Yorkshire. When the Potteries was a major manufacturing hub and first choice for ceramics. When bicycles were made from UK components, assembled in the UK and exported around the world. & don’t start me on cars!
Let’s at least try to support local suppliers. Test a made in Britain range, even if just on a small scale. Get those Leicester garment manufacturers providing better working conditions and pay and create a new centre of excellence. Look to the other areas where skills remain. For any business supplying the mature market, the made in Britain label is going to become even more important going forward. Let’s make products up to a standard rather than down to a price – or find the compromise.
JRH
Don’t believe what they tell you – there is a great job waiting for you. ... 4
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