Monday 16 March 2020
Protecting our Islands - Keeping our Islands running
On behalf of Waitrose Guernsey, Alliance, Sandpiper CI, Creasey's (Marks and Spencer), the Channel Islands Co-operative Society, Condor Ferries, Alderney Shipping, Channel Seaways and Ferryspeed, we would like to offer our assurances that there continues to be enough food and essential items for you and your family throughout the Islands, and we're taking steps so we can be doubly sure that doesn't change.
We are, as a group of companies working very closely with our suppliers, each other, and the States of Guernsey to ensure that food and essential goods keep arriving and that our shelves in our stores stay well stocked. We're working together to make sure trucks and ships keep moving in and out of our ports. We have two Load on, Load off ('Lo Lo') ships and two Roll on, Roll off (Ro Ro) ships (operated by Ferryspeed, Alderney shipping and Condor Ferries) specifically dedicated to providing 'freight-only' services for our Islands and we're looking at securing additional freight capacity if needed. Many of the trailers and containers full of goods that arrive, are carefully collected and handled day and night by our colleagues at Ferryspeed and Channel Seaway's and delivered across our stores in literally hours from the time we have ordered them.
We need your help
We would like to ask everyone in the Islands to help us and each other by being considerate in the way they shop. In recent days, we have been seeing unprecedented demands in our warehouses, in our stores, on our ships and across our supply chain network. We understand your concerns, but buying more than is needed can sometimes mean that others are left without. It also puts pressure on other customers who feel they need to buy more than they really need. There is more than enough for everyone, if we all work together.
Together we can make sure we are looking out for family, friends and neighbours and everyone across our Islands and we need to ensure we are thinking and caring for those around us who are elderly, vulnerable or choosing to remain at home. We've all seen a lot of community spirit lately, and it's inspiring, but let's keep our community in mind as we shop too.
Our Promise to you
We are doing all we can to rise to these unprecedented challenges, we understand your concern, but we want to promise to all Islanders throughout the Bailiwick, that on behalf of all the businesses we will continually work together to ensure that our supply chain, shipping and distribution of goods continues whatever the circumstances.
Comment from Steve Champion-Smith Executive Director - Condor Ferries says:
"On behalf of all the companies we would like to say a huge thank to all colleagues across our supply chain network, our stores, the ships crews, the truck drivers and all those colleagues who are working tirelessly day and night to keep our Islands fed."
