Friday 11th April 2025
The Jersey Chamber Weekly Update
Dear Subscriber,
Fine margins
It's so good to see the DFDS Tarifa fast-ferry is scheduled to finally be in action this weekend. Mostly for the freight supplies.
Yes, I know it's a fast ferry that hopefully will be carrying mostly passengers to and from St Malo, but the effect of this being missing in action, has been the Stena Vinga has been doing that job, slightly slower. And that has meant back vessels replaced the Vinga on the Portsmouth to Jersey freight route.
And this week has not gone without it's challenges.
Stuff happens, for want of a ruder phrase.
An oil-spill on the Arrow at the beginning of the weekend the contingency vessel the Cote D'Albatre not able to take extra-high trailers added to the teething problems of being a new ferry service. There has been a freight backlog that has tested everyone in the chain.
Here at Chamber, we listened to our retail members concerns and together raised the issues with the ferry company and with Government, both of whom have responded to us.
DFDS, have been accepting and apologetic and have plans to put things right, the transport companies, have shuffled and reshuffled logistics wherever they can, to get to and from the ship, assisting the retailers, who have stretched their patience and resources to get products available for consumers.
We take our local shopping for granted. But filling supermarket shelves in Jersey involves navigating some of the narrowest logistical margins in retail. Pretty much all goods are shipped, predominantly from the UK with a smaller amount through France. This creates a finely balanced supply chain where timing, weather, fully functioning ferry services and coordination are everything. Delayed ferries or missed containers can leave an impact in shortages, wasted stock and costs.
Shout too loud and you get an outbreak of panic buying, don't shout and you sell less.
The island's reliance on daily shipments means stock levels are tightly managed. Supermarkets can't afford to over-order due to limited storage space and the high cost of unsold perishables. At the same time, they must avoid under-stocking, especially for high-demand goods at peak times – like Easter.
Local retailers and suppliers must also contend with high transport costs and rising fuel prices, which further squeeze the other margins.
Despite these challenges, Jersey's supermarkets maintain high standards, thanks to meticulous planning, local partnerships, and a robust understanding of customer habits.
But it's a daily balancing act — breaks in the delivery chain, and the shelves can start to tell the story.
Enjoy your shopping and weekend, especially if you were any part of that largely unseen logistics chain, trying to keep it just so, it's been a bit of a week.
Have a happy weekend.
Murray,
