Brexit traffic congestion: delays in supply chain; Irish trade in the shadow of despair

DUBLIN: Just after COVID-19, the Brexit traffic congestion is stated to have begun to be reflected in Irish trade.

The movement of goods to businesses in Ireland has declined everywhere. There are reports that items, including textiles, are in short supply due to the busy Christmas season.

Consumer organizations allege that some companies have already increased prices, with the possibility of a no-deal trade deal after Christmas. Officials at the organization warned that this was an indication that Ireland would have to move to a critical situation if there was no trade deal.

IKEA (Ikea ireland) has confirmed that delays in shipments due to delays in Dublin port and elsewhere have adversely affected the Irish supply chain.

Peter Jelkeby, retail manager for the group’s UK and Ireland division, said it was looking to deploy more people to address the crisis caused by delays in goods. He also unconditionally apologized for the inconvenience caused to customers.

“Our supply chain – including the ports and goods terminals where our products are received – has been impacted by the effects of COVID-19, and our product availability has been affected as a result,” he said.

“These factors combined have put additional pressure on our systems, services, supply, and our Customer Support Centre. These continue to be extraordinary times and we apologise unreservedly for the inconvenience caused to our customers. We fully understand their frustration and want to assure them that we are working intensively to resolve these challenges as soon as possible.”

Mr. Jelkeby added that the steps taken to fix the issue included adding more staff to its Customer Support Centre and increasing its delivery and click & collect capacity.

The Swedish furniture giant has two major stores in Ballymun, north Dublin and Belfast as well as a click & collect outlet in Carrickmines, south Dublin.