Supply Chain by the Numbers: Week of February 12, 2009
 

-February 12, 2009
   
 

This Week's Supply Chain by the Numbers - Retail Growth?, Chinese Export Volumes, Unilever Product Pricing, Truckload Carrier Rates

   
 

The Supply Chain and Logistics Numbers Worth Knowing This Week: The Bigger they Come, The Harder they Fall; Plunging Chinese Exports, Slim-Fast Needed at Unilever; Truckload Carriers and the Real Deal
   
 
 
 

1%

The growth in unit volumes in the “supercenter” retail category, according to Nielsen research released recently – making it the only retail format to post sales unit growth gains overall in 2008.
 
 



 

17.5%

Drop in Chinese exports in January, according to just released figures, the largest single monthly drop (year over year) in over a decade. Less well reported, however, was that export volumes to the US fell somewhat more gently, declining by 9.8%.

 
 
300

Number of Unilever products (out of some 500 carried in total) that were pulled off the shelves in 775 Belgium stores by global grocery giant Delhaize SA (Food Lion in the US). Those items were said by Delhaize to be “excessively priced,” amid growing battles between CPG manufacturers and retailers worldwide over pricing, as underlying commodity cost drivers retreat. (See Grocery Pricing Battles Reach New Level, as European Chain Pulls Unilever Products off its Shelves.)
 
 
 
 
30%-50%

The level below actual operating costs in some lanes to which some truckload carriers have dropped their rates in the current environment to be able to reposition equipment, according to David Schneider, a consultant and SCDigest blogger.