The Cold Chain Federation (CCF) has published its Cold Chain Manifesto ahead of this year’s General Election.
The manifesto, titled ‘Cold Chain: The Vital Link to Turbocharging UK Growth & Security’, sets out actions that the next Government should take to “help unlock the great potential of the UK’s temperature-controlled logistics industry.” The CCF has asked UK political parties to commit to the policies detailed in the Cold Chain Manifesto, enabling the industry to “amplify its contributions” to the national economy, environment and health.
Paul Bennell, president of the Cold Chain Federation, said: “Our nation relies on the UK’s professional, resilient and reliable temperature-controlled logistics operators for food and medicine every day of the year and we are an industry with a strong vision for the future, investing in emerging technologies and state-of-the-art facilities.
“Working together, Government and industry can unlock the cold chain’s great potential to help spur growth, improve food standards, and make important contributions towards net zero.
“We will seek commitments to these actions from all political parties to support our industry.”
Priority policies
The Cold Chain Manifesto sets out a range of “priority policies” across five areas:
- Recognising the Value of the Cold Chain – seeking an increase in investment into the nation’s transport and logistics infrastructure to improve the efficiency and resilience of the cold chain and reduce costs for businesses and consumers; and designating the cold chain to a Cabinet Office Ministerial portfolio.
- Driving Cold Chain Sustainability and Enhancing Energy Efficiency – facilitating Net Zero Cold Chains by tackling overchilling in the frozen supply chain, harnessing the potential of renewable energy and increasing support for energy efficiency.
- Enabling Emission-free Transport Refrigeration – supporting operators to bridge the enhanced capital cost of emerging technologies and overcoming grid connection challenges to enable the installation of charging infrastructure.
- Developing the Next Generation of Cold Chain Talent – renewing focus on skills and training for the cold chain workforce, to meet the needs of a growing an increasingly complex industry.
- Removing Barriers to Trade – supporting the growth of international trade in temperature-sensitive products, enabling our industry to work with the Government to open up new markets for UK businesses and ensure our products can compete on a level playing field in the global market.
CCF chief executive Phil Pluck said: “The UK cold chain is buoyant and ever evolving with fantastic potential for sustainable growth, but there are some significant challenges to overcome if we are to be able to achieve that ambition.
“Temperature-controlled logistics is at a crossroads, and the Cold Chain Federation will be making sure that our industry’s voice is heard as politicians and officials set out their strategies and plans for the future.”
Amanda Cogan, chief operating officer of Magnavale, said: “In the right policy environment, the UK cold chain has exciting scope for sustainable growth that will benefit the nation in multiple ways. The policies proposed in the Cold Chain Manifesto would support us in turning this potential into reality.
“For example, a clear Government strategy for overcoming grid capacity restrictions at logistics sites would enable cold stores to boost investment into green energy, and a cohesive and forward-looking plan for the labour market would be invaluable in developing the skills and talent needed for the cold chain’s future.”
