According to a recent Cold Chain Federation press release, the report includes the results of the federation’s “State of the Cold Chain” survey, which sought the views of more than 100 individuals from across the UK cold chain.
“The new Cold Chain Report 2023 also shows that although the cost of energy and other fuels is seen as the top current challenge for cold chain businesses, there are strong opportunities too such as increasing efficiencies and the growing demand for sustainable cold chain logistics. Overall, 91% of respondents described themselves as very positive or quite positive about the long-term future of the temperature-controlled logistics industry in the UK,” writes the Cold Chain Federation.
Other key findings from the State of the Cold Chain survey and the data analysis in the new report include:
- 68% of respondents felt driving efficiencies to reduce costs was one of the top opportunities for cold chain businesses. 62% said the growing demand for sustainable cold chain logistics services was one of the top opportunities for cold chain businesses.
- 79% of respondents cited the cost of energy and other fuel as a top challenge for cold chain businesses. Other challenges included labour costs, labour availability, sustainability requirements and UK economic uncertainty.
- 58% see net zero as both a challenge and an opportunity (21% view it as just an opportunity, 21% as just a challenge).
- Respondents chose investing in new, low carbon equipment as the most important action a temperature-controlled logistics business can take to reduce their carbon emissions. Second were improving the efficiency of existing equipment and reducing / eliminating the use if high GWP refrigerants.
- Respondents chose maintaining high service and levels of reliability as the top priority for their customers over the 12 months ahead. Reducing cost was chosen as the second priority.
- CCF membership has grown from 133 members in January 2019, to 278 members in June 2023. Attendance at CCF events (online and in person) has grown from 504 in 2019, to 1490 in 2022.
The full Cold Chain Report 2023 can be downloaded for free here.
Commenting on the release of the report, Tom Southall, Cold Chain Federation Executive Director, said:
“Our new analysis shows that while wholesale energy costs are down slightly from 2022, this still represents an 89% increase in wholesale energy costs for the cold chain between 2017 and 2023. The report also shows just how extreme the impact of ending red diesel has been for temperature-controlled transport: in 2023 there is £73m in extra cost of fuel duty, following the end of red diesel entitlement in 2022. The duty increases the cost of diesel in UK transport refrigeration from £153m to £226m.”
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