// John Lewis is chartering a fleet of extra ships to guarantee it has Christmas stock on time
// Chair Sharon White said the business was throwing everything at the ongoing supply chain issues
John Lewis will be chartering a fleet of extra ships alongside various other businesses to ensure that its Christmas stock arrives on time.
The news come as retailers continue to grapple with a host of supply chain problems from driver shortages to shipping delays.
John Lewis chair Sharon White said the business was throwing everything at the issues to make sure Christmas would not be disrupted.
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- John Lewis returns to first half profit but warns of uncertainty
- John Lewis partnership to recruit 7,000 temporary staff for Christmas
The retailer recorded a pre-tax loss of £29 million for the six months to July 31, compared with a £635 million loss for the same period last year.
Sales for the group rose by 6 per cent, aided by strong demand for homeware, fashion, nursery furnishing and Waitrose online grocery sales.
John Lewis has 34 department stores and 331 Waitrose supermarket stores alongside its online operation.
White told the BBC the retailer is acting hard and fast to ensure they can still deliver for its customers this Christmas.
She added that the department store chain had introduced a host of measures to help manage labour shortages, including raising the wages for heavy goods drivers.
Currently there is a shortage of more than 100,000 drivers in the UK, out of a pre-pandemic total of about 600,000, a Road Haulage Association survey of its members estimates.
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