Should the cabinet announce a curfew on Wednesday, there should be an exemption for transport and logistics. Night work in distribution centres is needed, for example, to keep the food supply going, it sounds.
TLN says it is in discussions with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management about the consequences of a possible curfew. Should it happen, the industry association says it is important that an exception is made for transport and logistics. The ministry is said to have already indicated that the crucial role played by the sector will be taken into account.
Exemptions distribution centres and supermarkets
The Central Food Trade Bureau (CBL) is at least calling for exemptions for distribution centres, where work is mostly done at night. Exemptions may also be needed for supermarkets, which are supplied outside opening hours. That depends on when the curfew will take effect.
In addition, the umbrella organisation for supermarkets considers a waiver for delivery staff necessary, as many people rely on online grocery shopping. ''It would be good if that can continue, especially in the lockdown,'' a spokesperson told ANP.
Top man Michiel Muller of Picnic expects a curfew to remove 30 to 40 per cent capacity from supermarkets. "If you have to stop at eight in the evening, you miss the evening shift, you can't replenish fresh products and you miss hours. So when do you have to do that? You can't. So that costs you capacity," notes ANP.
DHL counts on exemption
Curfew or not, DHL has already announced it will deliver parcels as usual. The parcel delivery company expects the sector to be exempted from the new measures, as they may not apply to people who need to work. "For the time being, we assume that a curfew will not have a direct impact on our operations," said a DHL spokesperson.
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