Bakers Basco, the membership scheme set up by Allied Bakeries, Fine Lady Bakeries, Frank Roberts & Sons, Hovis and Warburtons to provide and manage an industry-wide bakery equipment solution are calling out to convenience store managers to raise awareness of misplaced bakery equipment that often ends up being used for display and storage in the convenience store sector.
Bakers Basco and the nation’s bakeries are encouraging anyone involved in managing convenience stores to be vigilant towards its bread baskets and dolly equipment, which is being taken out of the bakery logistics supply chain, unintentionally or otherwise, and contributing negatively to the environment.
As part of this campaign, Bakers Basco has developed a series of posters as part of its push to raise awareness of this issue among the grocery industry.
Bread basket theft (or conversion) is the Achilles’ heel of the baking industry. It is an issue that has plagued bakers for many years – with typical losses in excess of 60% and, in extreme cases, up to 100%. Since it was formed in 2006, Bakers Basco has worked tirelessly to crack down on the potential abuse and misuse across its pool of five million bread baskets and associated wheeled dollies. This equipment is designed for the sole purpose of transporting bread safely, cost-effectively and in an environmentally-friendly way from bakeries to grocery retailers across the UK on a daily basis.
The equipment has a significant value from an environmental and monetary point of view. Misplaced baskets often end up mistakenly in landfill, which is impacting the environment and the green credentials of the retail and other industries.
In an effort to repatriate its equipment, Bakers Basco has invested heavily over the past few years in GPS technology to track the whereabouts of its bread baskets and dollies. It also has a dedicated national investigations team tasked with identifying and reclaiming any equipment which has been delayed, lost or stolen.
“Obviously we are not pointing the finger in this instance but our experience and investigations team tell us that convenience stores are among some of the industries that use our baskets, but whether they know they are doing something wrong or not is questionable,” says Paul Empson, general manager, Bakers Basco. “If only people realised the true value of our equipment, the cost of its loss to the industry and the potentially serious consequences of abuse, I’m sure it would be less prevalent. By working together, we can help the environment by ensuring the equipment returns to the supply chain and reduces the need to produce more plastic to replace them.”
For anyone who comes across these baskets, please contact the Bakers Basco team, who are willing to arrange collections for free. You can report via the recovery helpline: 08000 327323 or email: enquiries@bakersbasco.co.uk.
Originally published Convenience Store | April 2023