Record snow storm in UK could delay holiday parcels
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JEREMY HOBSON: Today is the last day to ship something using standard delivery and still have it arrive by Christmas. Well, assuming the weather cooperates. It’s not doing so in Europe.
As Anne-Marie McNerney reports from London that’s not helping shoppers or shippers.
Anne-Marie McNerney: This weekend, the UK is bracing for a massive snowstorm. And that’s on top of what the British Royal Mail system has already said is the worst December in almost 30 years. Simon Veale is the Director of Global Freight Solutions, the UK’s biggest parcel and carrier service. He says there’s a chance that some presents won’t arrive on time for Christmas,
SIMON VEALE: My estimate would be something like 4 million parcels are in warehouses or parcel carriers at the moment. They’ve got to clear that. They’ve got this weekend before Christmas of course but the snow is falling again in much of the country. Who knows how much they can clear of the back log.
But the weather hasn’t left everyone out in the cold. Those hoping for a festive frolic under the mistletoe may be in luck.The holiday plant grows better in wet weather — the mistletoe industry in the UK reports there will be a bumper crop this year.
From London, I’m Anne-Marie McNerney for Marketplace.
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