At a tactical level, a number of different transport management techniques have been deployed. These have looked to increase the economies of scale for the retailer through increasing vehicle fill and reducing empty running within both the primary and secondary distribution fleets. Through deploying these techniques, it is particularly through the effective use of CCs. There are also improvements in service levels and reduced inventory holding costs.
In the haulage market the move to FGP has exerted more pressure on transport provision. Although operating margins may have been squeezed for haulage operators this has helped to facilitate a more efficient transport market operating at higher standards for the benefit of all customers of freight transport. Working for fewer retails customers compared to a larger number of manufacturers has also supported the development of new collaborative transport solutions such as Jigsaw and Link Alliance where regionally strong haulage providers link together to provide national network coverage. Now if transport costs are pushed down there is more likelihood of these being passed on to the retail customer and thus resulting in improved end-consumer value.