Waitrose will once again charge suppliers for shipments that don’t meet its specified delivery standards.
The supermarket suspended non-compliance charges during the pandemic to help suppliers that were facing operational challenges or ingredient shortages, however, The Grocer reported that its buyers plan to reintroduce the fees from mid-April next year.
It comes as part of Waitrose’s broader review of its delivery standards process.
Examples of Waitrose’s non-compliance breaches include shipments that don’t have the required documentation or arrive over 30 minutes past the agreed delivery slot, the publication reports.
The upmarket retailer has not confirmed the penalty charged that will be imposed.
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A spokesperson for Waitrose told the publication: “Delivery standards are normal across the industry, but were suspended during the Covid outbreak and its aftermath when our industry and suppliers were facing a particularly challenging period.
“We are confident the charges we are reintroducing will be fair and proportionate – but we have an honest and open relationship with our suppliers who are encouraged to raise any concerns”.
Suppliers will have 30 days to challenge charges under the move, and there is not believed to be any change to the terms of the specific delivery charges.
Earlier this month, Waitrose invested in delivering personalised online shopping, to improve the online search and browsing experience for customers using AI tools.
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