An early reform for supermarket operation was to have suppliers deliver to a distribution
center rather than to every store. During the 1980s, distribution to retail stores was
handled by 26 depots. These operated on a single-temperature basis, and were small and
relatively inefficient. Delivery volumes to each store were also relatively low, and it was not
economic to deliver to all stores each day. Goods that required temperature-controlled
environments had to be carried on separate vehicles. Each product group had different
ordering systems. The network of depots simply could not handle the growth in volume and
the increasingly high standards of temperature control. A new distribution strategy was
needed.