Thirty major British companies including Amazon, Wincanton, Kuehne+Nagel and GXO have jointly appealed to the government to recognize logistics as a key foundational industry in the upcoming Industrial Strategy.
In a letter to Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, industry leaders painted a stark picture of Britain's deteriorating supply chain infrastructure. The coalition warned that persistent road congestion, inefficient border crossings, and chronic underinvestment are crippling the sector's performance.
The UK's global logistics ranking has plummeted from 4th to 19th place over the past decade, according to industry data cited in the correspondence. Business executives argue this decline directly impacts economic growth, with Oxford Economics research suggesting improved logistics policies could unlock £8 billion in annual productivity gains.
"A high-functioning supply chain isn't just about moving goods—it's the circulatory system of our economy," stated the letter's signatories. They emphasized that strategic infrastructure investments and policy reforms could reverse the sector's decline.
Key demands include establishing permanent logistics representation on the government's Industrial Strategy Council and committing to long-term transport network upgrades. The companies contend these measures would ensure future policy decisions adequately support supply chain resilience.
The appeal comes as businesses across sectors report mounting challenges from supply chain disruptions. Industry analysts note that without systemic improvements, Britain risks falling further behind competitor nations in trade efficiency and economic competitiveness.