Lockdown supply chain problems
The lockdown due to Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has led to a variety of Operational Research contributions and ideas. It is interesting to be on the sidelines and watch.
One of the first problems for retailers was stockpiling - and toilet rolls disappeared off the shelves very quickly. The first analysis of this (from an O.R. perspective) was that there are two types of supply chain for toilet rolls. One serves the domestic market, and delivers domestic sized, soft paper. The other serves the commercial market and delivers larger rolls of poorer quality paper. Lockdown meant that the former was being stretched as people worked from home, and the two supply chains could not merge.
A similar change in domestic arrangements affected the fast food industry, which relied on people buying food on their way to or from their workplace, or during the day. Demand for sandwiches dropped by over 80% in many parts of the U.K.. On social media, there were groups of home cooks vying with each other …
One of the first problems for retailers was stockpiling - and toilet rolls disappeared off the shelves very quickly. The first analysis of this (from an O.R. perspective) was that there are two types of supply chain for toilet rolls. One serves the domestic market, and delivers domestic sized, soft paper. The other serves the commercial market and delivers larger rolls of poorer quality paper. Lockdown meant that the former was being stretched as people worked from home, and the two supply chains could not merge.
A similar change in domestic arrangements affected the fast food industry, which relied on people buying food on their way to or from their workplace, or during the day. Demand for sandwiches dropped by over 80% in many parts of the U.K.. On social media, there were groups of home cooks vying with each other …
